Spectacular Sins: And Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ

Written by John Piper

Narrated by Arthur Morey

John Piper delivers powerful biblical reassurances to bolster readers' trust in the sovereignty of God and the supremacy of Christ when evil and tragedy come. If God governs the sinful acts of men, then does the devastation caused by those terrorists, dictators, murderers, cheats, and abusers discredit Jesus' words: “All authority in heaven and earth belongs to me”? When heart-rending news comes of the latest accident, illness, or natural disaster, can we really believe that in Jesus, “all things hold together”? Though God has not answered all of our questions about sin and suffering, there are things he wants us to know, things he declares in his Word-such as what's at stake in the “spectacular” sins of others and the horrible tragedies of this life; their global purpose, both historically and today; and what these events say to us personally. As John Piper works through these biblical truths, this book will bolster readers' trust in the utter sovereignty of God such that they'll be less timid in their witness and less afraid of whatever may come. It is also a joy-infused declaration that because everything occurs through Christ and for Christ and his glory, they are forever secure in him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ChristianAudio.com
• Release date: Apr 1, 2009
• ISBN: 9781596447660

John Piper

 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. 

Reviews for Spectacular Sins

[david__clifford · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Piper seeks to provide a biblical perspective on God's sovereign and righteous governance overeven the sinful acts of men.

History's greatest sins do not thwart God's purposes to save his people and glorify his Son; they fulfill them. And knowing this is the key to having "Christ-exalting strength in calamity and Christ-exalting courage in conflict."

[jpogue_6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As I close a finished book, few leave me wanting to start at page one and read it again. But, the impact of John Piper’s "Spectacular Sins and Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ" was so profound that as I read the last page, I immediately wanted to soak more of its truth into my bones, starting again with the first page. Apparently I am not alone in my admiration. In 2009, Piper’s work in this small gem won the prestigious Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Medallion of Excellence Christian Book Award. With good reason. Piper’s ability to interpret heady doctrinal beliefs into soul language that translates into practical application has established him as one of the great Christian thinkers of modern time.Piper tackles God’s sovereignty over sin and evil, always with a finger in the Bible, in a way that was truly paradigm-shifting for me. Using Colossians 1:16 as his key passage, Piper gives us a glimpse into why God allows evil to even exist: “For by Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things were created by Him and for Him.” Indeed, he continues, even evil rulers and authorities were created by God with full knowledge of “what they would become and how it is that precisely in that evil role they would glorify Christ.” This author lays his groundwork in the first couple chapters of Spectacular Sins to demonstrate that “spectacular sins do not just fail to nullify God’s purpose to glorify Christ, they succeed, by God’s unfathomable providence, in making [H]is gracious purpose come to pass.”In the remainder of this book, this engaging author examines some of history’s greatest sins – from Satan’s rebellion against God to Judas’ spectacular betrayal of Jesus Christ . As Piper visits these most famous of all sins, he continually points us to God’s greater purpose and hand in using evil to ultimately “magnify the glory of our Savior and increase the gladness of [H]is people in [H]im.”Through "Spectacular Sins", Piper provided me with a fresh glimpse into God’s great plan of salvation, established before the foundation of the world. Jesus’ death and resurrection was not an afterthought; it was not God’s answer to the waywardness of humanity. The Cross was and is, the ultimate display of His incredible grace, mercy and love, made all the more beautiful in light of evil’s intentions. When wounded by others’ sin, may I stand with Joseph, the man whose brothers sold him into slavery and who eventually saved the nation of Israel, in saying, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”

[kdavidw · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of Piper's recent books talking God's sovereignty in ordaining some of the most sinful acts in history.Key Quote = "The death of Jesus Christ was murder. It was the most spectacular sin ever committed...God did not just overcome evil at the cross. He made evil serve the overcoming of evil."