The problem of evil, the problem of sin, the problem of pain, how does one who believes, or who’s very life is centered around an all-powerful, omniscient God deal with the conundrum of sin? John Piper’s Spectacular Sins – and their global purpose in the glory of Christ. Is a thoughtful answer by someone who values God’s sovereignty and glory above all else.
Many of our western best sellers have focused on the felt needs of our fallen society, finances, marital and relationships gone awry, maximizing my free time for God. The early church and most of the world hasn’t had the leisure time, the disposable income and the freedom of movement that has allowed our current vices to even surface as problems. Many Christian leaders have started to brace for the coming onslaught. It seems when it’s politically expedient to endorse the murder of the unborn, or even as some current legislation (thankfully at this writing not signed into law) allows the killing of babies from ‘failed’ abortions has been proposed, we have our priorities messed up, but where is our all-powerful God? Additionally we now have considered the legality of doctors prescribing drugs to allow patients to kill themselves, our current society can’t and won’t last. The nibbling at the edges of the weak, whether they are the young or the old, is just one sign we no longer live in a Christian society. Thus leaders such as Piper who have started to prepare their congregations for their real needs, rather than felt needs are providing a bulwark against both societal problems, and also suffering at a personal level. Tackling the Spectacular Sins we need to be careful, we as the pot, have no right to call to question the motives of the potter as Paul states in Romans 9:21 “Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use?” Piper tackles everything from God’s Sovereignty over Human Sin, Satan’s fall, Adam’s Disobedience and God’s crushing sin (and his only Son) through sin.
Why bad things happen to good people is even discussed through the sale of Joseph by his brothers. As Piper explains the origin of Satan’s sin he doesn’t fall into the clichéd argument that it was obviously Satan’s free will that caused the trouble. Yet even those of us who highly esteem our individual rights and freedom have to admit, free will doesn’t really do justice to Satan’s fall. On page 43 Piper acknowledges that the answer, may create more questions, nonetheless we must acknowledge that some things we will only “know in part” (I Corinthians 13:12). So if we look at Satan’s choice, Satan a perfect angel who spends his time in adoration of a holy and infinitely great and awesome being, his own creator, why would someone freely reject something that is infinite value? Free will doesn’t really answer fully why anyone would reject something of infinite value. Also a closer read of the bible indicates Satan is on a relatively short leash. God seems to use Satan when it benefits his purposes. Probably the insight Piper pulls from the sale of Joseph best illustrates this. On page 81 Piper points out how God didn’t use the evil the brothers intended by selling Joseph, rather God meant what the brothers did for good. Thus there is no erasing the fact it was evil and the brothers bear full responsibility for their actions, but God planned this action for good. So though God isn’t culpable, it’s part of God’s design. Thinking through the implications of how God does this, and recognizing God is good, not random or capricious, God doesn’t sin, but God has somehow baked sin into the design and plan for his ultimate honor and glorification makes my head hurt.
Spectacular Sins is a short book that measures up to its promise. There is enough meat to make your head hurt, but the thought and logic is simple enough to be read by us layman, and encourage us. The fact that God is in control, that God keeps Satan on a short leash, that God has a design that will Glorify Himself most perfectly and keep his sons and daughters safe through until the end is indeed encouraging. The fact that God has designed utterly horrible sins to accomplish this still baffles me, but seeing through the pattern of the bible, up to and including the murder of His own Son encourages me to hold fast to Him and trust that he is good. It gives me hope that the mass murder of the weak of our society is something that God has baked into His design and he will ultimately protect those who have died. The dichotomy of Luke 21:16-18, where Jesus says “… some of you they will put to death … But not a hair of your head will perish..” Part of God’s design is sinful persecution, suffering and death of innocent people, but for his disciples, not a hair of your head will perish. Indeed my financial state, my relationships, my happiness and felt needs seem trivial compared to my real need to better know and honor the creator of the universe who has designed sin into this world for His Glory and our ultimate satisfaction found only through Him.
Reviewed by Ted Anderson
