Wyatt Graham

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Is Jeremiah 29:11 a Promise for Us Today?

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For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jer 29:11). 

The words Jeremiah 29:11 often encourages believers who experience difficulty, and they in turn share the verse with others to give hope when much in this world seems hopeless. While almost everyone recognizes the good desire here to share a promise from God’s word, some criticize Christians for doing so. 

The argument goes something like this. Jeremiah 29 is a letter from Jerusalem to exiles, and the promise relates to God’s plan to return the exiles back to Judea after 70 years (Jer 29:10). So, as the argument goes, Christians should not share this as a promise for them. It is for Israel, not us. We may learn some principal lesson here about God fulfilling his promises, but we should not claim for ourselves. 

I disagree. 

Not because I think it wise to ignore the historical context of Jeremiah 29 nor because I am unaware of the land promise to Israel. Rather, I am persuaded that the whole Scripture addresses Christians, including Jeremiah 29:11. 

Let me explain why. [Read more…] about Is Jeremiah 29:11 a Promise for Us Today?

The Responses to John Piper’s Article Reveal Three Deeper Conflicts than Mere Politics

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John Piper’s recent explanation for why he chose to write-in his vote rather than choose one of the two main presidential candidates has resulted in a whole host of responses. Some partially seem to misunderstand Piper, while others have expressed well-reasoned counter-arguments.

In today’s politically charged climate, I think we can appreciate the differences of opinions. That said, I am not here interested in defining who Americans should vote for. I am entirely interested in pursuing the question of why Christians have agreed or disagreed with Piper. I think the answer to that question reveals quite a surprising set of undergirding differences.

The responses to John Piper’s article reveal deeper oppositions of:  

1. Utilitarian consequentialism and virtue ethics (which one takes priority)
2. Pietism and theonomistic reasoning (of a sort)
3. Metaphysics/real natures and nominalism

In this article, I want to briefly explain what I mean and why it matters. [Read more…] about The Responses to John Piper’s Article Reveal Three Deeper Conflicts than Mere Politics

Did John Piper Wrongly Compare the Sins of the Left with the Sins of the Right?

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John Piper recently explained that he will not vote for an egregiously immoral leader. Of the two main political parties in the USA, he finds neither presidential candidate viable. So he has decided to write-in his vote. 

Some however disagreed with his approach because they felt that the pro-choice actions of democrats amount to much greater evil than the arrogance and deceit of the republican president. The accusation amounts to this: Piper compares apples to oranges or equivocates on the seriousness of sin. 

He does not. The objection betrays a misunderstanding of what sin is and does. It further implicitly undercuts the metaphysical reality of sin. If that sounds too abstract, it is not. Let me explain in order to make this response concrete. [Read more…] about Did John Piper Wrongly Compare the Sins of the Left with the Sins of the Right?

Character and Consequences (Thoughts about John Piper’s Article on Politics)

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John Piper recently released an article that reflects upon the 2020 election. As might be expected in the current political climate, people have begun to discuss the article. 

As I read it, I perceive that Piper is making the claim that a good leader leads to a good society. Proverbs 29:12 says, “If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.” Positively, Jesus affirms that good fruit grows from a good root (e.g., Matt 15:19). When one’s heart is right, then he or she will do right. 

Here then it seems that Piper emphasizes a traditional and biblical way to understand moral character and leadership. Christians generally have underscored the importance of virtue (character) in their leaders because virtuous people created virtuous laws. 

Conversely, it is almost impossible to predict the future or the consequences of one’s vote for an immoral person. And even if it were possible, it seems morally grey to vote for an immoral person because of an expected just end (i..e, the end does not justify the means). [Read more…] about Character and Consequences (Thoughts about John Piper’s Article on Politics)

Should We Treat Our Children like Unbelievers?

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In some baptist circles, parents treat their children like unbelievers. The reason for this is obvious. If a child has yet to confess faith, then that child needs to hear the Gospel like anyone else. 

Before a child confesses his or her faith, parents feel the need to protect their kids. They may protect them from the world by homeschooling, Christian-schooling, restricting certain freedoms, and so on. Without the Spirit, parents might reason, children cannot be trusted to resist the temptations of the world. So they need a narrow circle of influence until the point of conversion. 

What may poke a hole in the argument above is this: often parents will celebrate the conversion of their twelve-year-old child but keep them under the same supervision as before their conversion. The same child, now converted, at eighteen will go to Bible School because some parents worry about the influence of secular education even though the child has become an adult and has confessed faith.

Incidentally, I think home-schooling and private-schooling and Bible colleges can really contribute to a child’s well-being. They are valid options. I hope nobody thinks that I am here attacking these choices. What I am questioning is this: should we parent our children like unbelievers? 

I answer no. We should treat them as holy and beloved of God. Whether one is a paedobaptist or credobaptist, in both cases there are ample biblical and theological reasons for treating your child as a holy child. Lest every baptist draw back in horror, please let me give some reasons why I think this is so. After that, if you disagree, then we simply disagree. Nothing more, nothing less! [Read more…] about Should We Treat Our Children like Unbelievers?

Why The Bible Is So Important For the Christian Life

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Evangelicals assume the Bible is good. It is God’s word, we reason. And we would be right to make this claim. But if we interrogate further, we may not have any more ready answers to the question, Why is the Bible important for the Christian life? 

Scripture is God’s word. Certainly. But why does that matter? What does that mean for us? These questions are not abstract. If we simply read the Bible due to some deontological push, then I fear we might miss the wonderful and graceful means by which we grow in the Christian life. 

Here I will argue for the necessity of the Bible for the Christian life in real and substantial ways. I claim that apart from the Bible we miss out on the key way that the Spirit of Jesus makes Jesus personally present in us so that we become lost in the identity of Jesus. [Read more…] about Why The Bible Is So Important For the Christian Life