What Is Saving Faith?: Reflections on Receiving Christ as a Treasure

by John Piper

Overview

In this Bible-saturated meditation on the nature of saving faith, John Piper argues that the spiritual affection of treasuring Christ belongs to the very essence of saving faith. If Christ is not embraced as our supreme treasure, he is not embraced for who he is.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781433578366
Publisher:	Crossway
Publication date:	05/03/2022
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.97(d)

About the Author

John Piper is founder and lead teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. He served for thirty-three years as a pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is the author of more than fifty books, including Desiring God; Don’t Waste Your Life; and Providence.

Table of Contents

Introduction: What Are We Really Asking? 1

Part 1 The Roots of My Concern

1 Taking the Lordship Battle to Another Level 29

2 The "Free Will" Air We Breathe 35

3 Why I Am Not a Roman Catholic 39

4 If Saving Faith Is Affectional, Does It Merit Justification? 47

5 Provocative Voices from Church History 57

6 Does "Saving Allegiance" Clarify "Saving Faith"? 75

Part 2 Seeing Reality Through Six Hundred Lenses

7 Confident Trust in What Jesus Says (Clarifications 1-4) 93

8 Saving Faith Receives Christ Himself (Clarification 5) 101

9 The Spiritual Sight of the Glory of Christ (Clarification 6) 105

10 The Substance of Things Hoped For (Clarification 7) 113

11 The Root of All God-Pleasing Works (Clarification 8) 121

12 A Supernatural Creation of God (Clarification 9) 127

Part 3 Receiving Christ as Our Supreme Treasure

13 Saving Faith Receives Christ, but Not in Vain 137

14 The Message of Jesus about His Supreme Value 143

15 The Surpassing Worth of Knowing Christ Jesus 149

16 We Have This Treasure in Jars of Clay 155

Part 4 Christ, The Believer's Treasure and Satisfaction

17 Saving Faith Is the Substance of Hoped-For Joy 167

18 Saving Faith as Love for the Truth of the Gospel 179

19 Saving Faith Overcomes the World 189

20 Whoever Believes in Me Shall Never Thirst 197

Part 5 Calling for Faith When Faith is Affectional

21 The Offer of Treasure 217

22 Counting the Cost of Embracing the Treasure 229

23 Warning People to Flee from Judgment to Joy 235

24 Repentance, the Renovation of the Heart's Desire 241

25 Does Affectional Faith Make Evangelism Impossible? 251

26 Does Affectional Faith Undermine Assurance? 263

Conclusion: Saving Faith, Designed for the Glory of God 273

Appendix: A Response and Challenge 281

General Index 287

Scripture Index 293

Desiring God Note on Resources 301

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“This remarkably insightful book is guaranteed to deepen our understanding of saving faith. It will also cause us to reexamine our approaches to evangelism and assurance of salvation. John Piper explains that to truly ‘receive’ Christ in faith cannot mean merely fleeing to Christ reluctantly as an escape ticket from hell, but must mean welcoming him into our lives as our greatest treasure. Piper is careful not to add any works requirements to justification by faith alone, but he explains more deeply the affections that will characterize genuine saving faith. This is a crucial message for twenty-first-century evangelical Christians.”
—Wayne Grudem, Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus of Theology and Biblical Studies, Phoenix Seminary

“Being a Christian means placing faith in Jesus. What could be simpler? How can ‘saving faith’ require a book to explain? Piper argues from both Scripture and church history that the true answer to this question is elusive, subtle, and glorious and troubling in its implications. He shows why so many believers are absentee in living out the faith they may at one time have expressed. He thereby invites readers to refine and renew their own faith by the grace God gives to receive the riches he offers in Christ. ‘We will spend eternity discovering the wonders of the experience of saving faith,’ Piper states. Read this book and start now.”
—Robert W. Yarbrough, Professor of New Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary

“It is a great honor to commend this book to everyone who desires to understand the nature of saving faith. John Piper’s thesis is provocative but does, I think, accurately represent the overall thrust of the New Testament. Reading this thoughtful and life-giving work will prove transformative for many who take the time to ponder its implications.”
—Andreas J. Köstenberger, Cofounder, Biblical Foundations; author, Signs of the Messiah and A Theology of John’s Gospel and Letters