Ask Pastor John

When God commands a godly life of genuine affections, how do we obey? John Piper draws our attention to the transforming mercies of God.

As Jesus headed toward the cross, he knew he was fulfilling the script that was written for him. So, how did he authentically choose a death already decided?

How much of the Christian faith has already been revealed to us now, and how much of it remains a secret that we won’t understand until we get to heaven?

If sinners cannot seek God, how does anyone receive salvation? Pastor John shows that God must give his power and grace precisely because we cannot seek him on our own.

Why are Christians most to be pitied if there’s no resurrection? Don’t we still experience more joy than non-Christians? Pastor John gives four responses.

If we have no memory of hating or opposing God before he saved us, then how should we understand the Bible’s claim that we were his enemy?

Why does Pastor John believe Romans is the greatest letter ever written? And how would he encourage Christians to benefit from this monumental book?

Should pastors and ministry leaders use artificial intelligence as a tool to write their sermons and newsletters? If so, how? If not, why not?

How much life application should pastors offer in their sermons? Pastor John commends interweaving exposition and application throughout each sermon.

When Jesus taught that impurity comes from within, was he departing from the Old Testament? Pastor John considers purity across the covenants.

If God justifies by faith apart from works, then why do some passages seem to suggest that forgiveness comes through the act of baptism?

Acts 20:24 has encouraged and challenged Christians throughout the centuries. How, in particular, has it shaped the life and ministry of John Piper?

In the Old Testament, witchcraft is met with capital punishment — but not in the New. Why does God handle this sin differently across redemptive history?

Do the signs and wonders in Scripture justify using righteous magic in fiction? Pastor John helps us discern the kinds of stories that serve our sight of Reality.

Sometimes, the story of another Christian’s joy in God serves to kindle our own. Pastor John takes us to a remarkable moment in the life of Hudson Taylor.

God could have designed the world so that all the help we need comes from him directly. Instead, he often ministers to us indirectly through other people. Why?

How can we begin to grasp the meaning of biblical narratives and their application to life? Pastor John offers an example from the story of Joseph.

In Acts 12, God allows Herod to kill James, but he thwarts the king’s plan to kill Peter. What might this chapter teach us about God’s providence?

How does a promise about the future help us fight for purity today? Pastor John unpacks the power of the greatest pleasure purchased at the greatest price.

People for millennia have said, in one way or another, “There is no God.” Pastor John describes five ways we suppress the knowledge of God’s existence.

Is heaven a physical place that exists right now? As Pastor John answers, he encourages us to focus mainly on the relational, not the spatial, aspect of heaven.

Even when our prayers for protection feel pointless, they are not. God is our good and sovereign Father, and it is never pointless to ask him for what we need.

As we begin a new year of Bible reading, what obstacles can we expect to meet along the way — and what benefits will keep us reading day by day?

If someone is convinced that he knows God’s will for us, yet we disagree, what can we do? Pastor John offers five ways forward.

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God gives the church teachers, including Bible commentators, to help us understand his word. But how can we tell if we’re relying on commentaries too much?

At Christmas, Jesus came to bring God-exalting happiness through peace with God — and merciful warfare against everything that destroys such happiness.

In his infinite wisdom, righteousness, and power, God designs even the deeds of evil kings for the good of his people and the glory of his name.

Sometimes God delivers us from affliction through affliction. But what kinds of affliction does he use — and how can we know when he does so?

How can we know that we love God more than his gifts, especially during the Christmas season? Pastor John unlocks the answer with two keys.

Single Christians may be tempted to despair over missing the experience of marital love. But God himself will see to it that our joy is eternally full in Christ.

Since the Bible calls Christians children of light, should darkness and violence have any place in the stories we create?

Should Christians show so-called “gender pronoun hospitality”? Pastor John shares practical ways to speak the truth in love with those confused about their sexuality.

What is Christian thankfulness? Pastor John commends the power of a heart filled with gratitude to the Giver of every good gift.

When we continually struggle with doubts and unbelief, how can we know what is true? How can we believe that truth even exists?

Will we be able to see God when we get to heaven? If so, how does that fit with Scripture passages that say no one can see God?

How do we discern what’s true and what’s false in Job? Pastor John provides a grid for the entire book to help us interpret it accurately.

Should church leaders require Christians to tithe since God commanded tithing in the Old Testament? Pastor John commends a better approach.

Arguments, logic, and careful analysis may give us 99 percent certainty for some doctrine or truth claim. But what about the remaining 1 percent?

Why did God take the life of Ezekiel’s wife and then command Ezekiel not to mourn? Pastor John considers the perplexing yet merciful ways of God.

How can we love our enemies when they treat us horrifically? Pastor John appeals to six biblical realities to help us face unimaginable darkness.

“Curse God and die.” Why does the author of Job relate the apparent despair of Job’s wife? What purpose does she play in the message of the book?

How can perfectionists make decisions without getting paralyzed by fear? Pastor John shares seven encouragements for those who feel stuck.

How much should we sacrifice in order to do excellent work? Pastor John encourages perfectionists to find wisdom from a strong, spiritually mature community.

If Christians are no longer under wrath, why does Paul say that we will stand before God’s judgment seat? Pastor John clarifies the Christian’s future judgment.

How much money should we set aside for retirement? Pastor John commends three biblical principles to apply in our various contexts.

Does God ultimately sustain our faith, or do we? Pastor John unfolds 1 Peter 1:4–5 to show how God guards us to the end.

Do humans have free will — and if so, what is it? Pastor John considers the depravity of the human heart and the sovereign grace that saves us.

Does God’s command to deny ourselves contradict Christian Hedonism? Pastor John clarifies the God-centered, pleasure-seeking aim of all Christian self-denial.

How does zeal for God relate to joy in God? With help from Jonathan Edwards, Pastor John traces the crucial connection in four steps.