# Which Piper book first?



## russmann (Apr 29, 2003)

Dear Friends,

I want to pick up a John Piper book and get started. From what I've read here, it sounds like I could really benefit from this. Any recommendations on where to start? I went to Amazon and there were 62 matches. Blows me away.


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## pastorway (Apr 29, 2003)

[i:6db291ac99]Desiring God[/i:6db291ac99]


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## terry72 (Apr 29, 2003)

russ,

I read Pleasures of God and then Desiring God. In my humble opinion, this is the order you should read them, I believe when one reads desiring God in light of Pleasures of God, one will not be as prone to misunderstand Piper.

I have also read about half way through Future Grace. If Piper has one down side in his writing, it is that after you read more than 3 of his books, you find that you are covering much of the same material over and over. 

Pleasures of God and desiring God are excellent books.  I prefered Pleasures of God. 

Blessings,
Terry


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## Scott Bushey (Apr 29, 2003)

Desiring God


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## Scott Bushey (Apr 29, 2003)

Russ,
I also suggest (Based upon your apparent struggles):
&quot;Wrongly dividing the word of truth&quot;
By John Gerstner


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## luvroftheWord (Apr 29, 2003)

either Desiring God or The Pleasures of God make for a good start...


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## RICK (Apr 30, 2003)

Although I've learned much from his books, that knowledge doesn't come close to the instruction I've received from his seminars. Of course, living in the Twin Cities helps. 

Looks like there's one this weekend, as a matter of fact.

http://www.desiringgod.org/news_events/piper_events/event_calendar.html


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## PASSION4TRUTH (Sep 14, 2003)

John Piper is an excellent author, and yes, he does repeat his basic thesis in his books, but I personally think that is good. As for his books, I have read almost all of them, and I prayed and asked God to help me to give you a good answer. In all gentleness and concern for your growth, I suggest you read:

The Pleasures of God 1st because it sets the foundation

Desiring God 2nd because it guides into deeper understanding of our relation to God

Future Grace 3rd because it handles personal sanctification and will not be understood fully without reading Desiring God (personal thought)

If you like biographies as I do, you can read through his &quot;Swan Series&quot; 

As well, the Dangerous Duty of Delight is shorter (about 90 small pages) and I think that if you do not read Desiring GOd 1st or 2nd you should read this.

Pray and proceed with joy


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## Nomos (Oct 2, 2003)

*Piper Book*

Russman,

[i:dc4eede4a4]Desiring God[/i:dc4eede4a4] is a great place to start as the others have suggested. His exegetical book on Romans 9 is worth reading as well. 

Blessings,


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## SolaScriptura (Oct 6, 2003)

Definitely Desiring God... then The Pleasures of God. He actually wrote the latter book as a followup. (though I admit that this fact doesn't necessarily mean that you wouldn't benefit from reading them in reverse order.)
Don't Waste Your Life, though not the place to start, is nonetheless an excellent book that should really get your juices pumping.

Someone earlier recomended Gerstner's &quot;Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth&quot; I must confess that I was extremely disappointed with that book. I think that a much better critique of dispensationalism can be found in Poythress' &quot;Understanding Dispensationalists.&quot;


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## luvroftheWord (Nov 1, 2003)

Piper is an excellent pastor. But as a theologian, he's not all that, in my opinion. His best stuff is in the sphere of soteriology and God's sovereignty. I don't look to him for much else, though.


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## fredtgreco (Nov 1, 2003)

[quote:2e969d52de][i:2e969d52de]Originally posted by SolaScriptura[/i:2e969d52de]
Someone earlier recomended Gerstner's &quot;Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth&quot; I must confess that I was extremely disappointed with that book. I think that a much better critique of dispensationalism can be found in Poythress' &quot;Understanding Dispensationalists.&quot; [/quote:2e969d52de]

Completely different purposes for the two books. Gerstner is critiquing the classic dispensational school that has significant errors and is very easy to attack. Poythress is concerned with critiquing the &quot;progressive dispensationalist&quot; school of Block and Blaising, which does not espouse the serious antinomian tendencies of the classic school. keep that in mind when comparing them. For my money, Crenshaw &amp; Gunn's [i:2e969d52de]Dispenationalism Yesterday Today and Tomorrow[/i:2e969d52de] is superior to both.


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## luvroftheWord (Nov 1, 2003)

Lemme guess... you're just Joshin' me?


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## luvroftheWord (Nov 1, 2003)

Yes, Justification of God is very good. Hasn't ever really been answered by anyone, I don't think.


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## Daniel David (Nov 4, 2003)

I have read Desiring God, Let the Nations be Glad, Brothers we are not professionals, Counted Righteous in Christ, and his preaching book (I can't remember the name).

I would recommend you read Let the Nations be Glad first. I read it alongside Desiring God.


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## shelly (Nov 4, 2003)

Is there any reason you can't read all these suggested books at the same time? I try not to read more than 7 at a time.:biggrin: Maybe thats why I can never remember where I read something when I want to look it up again!

shelly


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## Bryan (Nov 5, 2003)

I jsut started reading Justification Of God. Good so far, lots of detailed Greek which is hard to me to go through since I don't know Greek yet, but he does a good job explaining himself. I also have desiring God, but when I bought it I was reading Confessions so immiditly lent it out to a freind...I will have to read it when I'm doen this one.

Bryan
SDG


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## Tom77 (Nov 5, 2003)

I say you can start anywhere. Piper himself says that he repeats himself in all his books.

There is one book that I think needs to be revised according to his newly stated position on justification: Future Grace.

I really appreciate Piper as a pastor and as a theologian, but I think he misses the boat in Future Grace. Sanctification is not primarily about looking to God as the future reward. That is essential, but it is secondary. Progress in sanctification is made by looking to the precious and objective work of Jesus Christ. This is not a debtors ethic. It is the only way God can even appear lovely and desirable. Past grace is the foundation of future grace, and the Christian must look in both directions to make progress in holiness. Without the cross (and justification) as the ground of sanctification, practical neolegalism lurks dangerously near.






[Edited on 11-5-2003 by Tom77]


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## Me Died Blue (Nov 16, 2003)

As far as learning about Piper's Christian Hedonism (which I find a helpful principle, but, as had been said, not one to be taken alone), I actually found [i:005f441a9c]The Dangerous Duty of Delight[/i:005f441a9c] to be more helpful than [i:005f441a9c]Desiring God[/i:005f441a9c]. It says it better, and doesn't get off onto tangents nearly as much. Actually, a reviewer on Amazon said that they still totally disagreed with Christian Hedonism after reading [i:005f441a9c]DG[/i:005f441a9c], but saw the benefit in it after reading [i:005f441a9c]TDDOD[/i:005f441a9c].

Also, I actually think a great first or second book of Piper's to read is [i:005f441a9c]The Legacy of Sovereign Joy[/i:005f441a9c], which is about God's grace in the lives of Augustine, Luther, and Calvin. Far more than just a biographical work, it is also somewhat theological in nature, and is an excellent statement about some of the root things that matter most in the Christian life.

Chris


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## Wrigley (Dec 28, 2003)

[quote:cf4d516ca8][i:cf4d516ca8]Originally posted by terry72[/i:cf4d516ca8]
russ,

I read Pleasures of God and then Desiring God. In my humble opinion, this is the order you should read them, I believe when one reads desiring God in light of Pleasures of God, one will not be as prone to misunderstand Piper.

I have also read about half way through Future Grace. If Piper has one down side in his writing, it is that after you read more than 3 of his books, you find that you are covering much of the same material over and over. 

Pleasures of God and desiring God are excellent books.  I prefered Pleasures of God. 

Blessings,
Terry  [/quote:cf4d516ca8]

Nothing wrong with constant review.


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## Puritanhead (Dec 21, 2004)

The Passion of Christ--- start simple. Many of his books are online... Though, I have an affinity for printed matter... 

http://www.desiringgod.org/library/onlinebooks_index.html


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