Desiring God by John Piper (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Appendix 3 (What Does It Mean to Love Your Neighbor as You Love Yourself?) and Appendix 4 (Why Call It Christian Hedonism?).
Now we finish the book with last appendices.
In Appendix Three Piper tries to correct a misunderstanding of what it means to love your neighbour as you love yourself. He sums his thoughts up with: '..."Love your neighbor as yourself" does not command, but rather presupposes, self-love. All human beings love themselves. Furthermore, the self-love Jesus speaks of has nothing to do with the common notion of self-esteem. It does not mean having a good self-image or feeling especially happy with oneself. It means simply desiring and seeking one's own good. And we should note that Jesus' point is not affected by the fact that most people have a distorted notion of what is good for them. A man may attempt to find his good in a bottle of brandy or in illicit sex or in a fast motorcycle. Nevertheless, all human beings desire and seek what they think, at least in the moment of choosing, will make them happiest. '
In Appendix Four Piper defends his use of the word 'hedonism' for describing the philosophy of life he has put forward in the book.
I liked how Piper demonstrated that loving God and your neighbour as yourself doesn't boost pride, it demolishes it: 'It is a very radical command. It cuts to the root of sin, called pride. Remember, this root of pride that gives rise to all other sins, is the passion to be happy contaminated and corrupted by two things: 1) the unwillingness to see God as the only fountain of true and lasting joy, and 2) the unwillingness to see other people as designed by God to receive our joy in him. But that is exactly the contamination and corruption that Jesus counteracts in these two commandments.'
One sentence final verdict
Piper's book is a helpful encouragement to glorify God BY enjoying him forever.
Next week's reading
Commence Heaven on earth by Thomas Brooks (Available from Amazon or free here) by reading the 'Epistle dedicatory' and the 'Epistle to the saints'.
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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