November 25, 2008 Book Response: “Let the Nations Be Glad”

Book Response: “Let the Nations Be Glad”

John Piper’s Let the Nations Be Glad more than lives up to its reputation as one of the most important books on missions. It is biblically based and rich in scriptural references with many relevant supporting stories and extensive explanatory foot notes. This book guides the reader through the core issues of missions in seven chapters which are grouped into three parts. In part 1, Piper discusses missions as means of worshipping God (ch.1) followed by the power of prayer and the price of suffering in missions (ch.2 & 3). Part 2 is devoted to answering two very important questions of whether Jesus Christ is the only way to …show more content…

8:25,39 NIV). Two very important theological issues in missions are addressed in part 2. The first issue is finding biblical answer to the question “Is Jesus Christ, man’s only hope for salvation?” (p. 115). Answer is found in three parts by exploring the eternal conscious torment of hell for those under God’s wrath (p.116), the universality of the work of Christ for salvation (p. 123), and the necessity for people to hear of Christ in order to be saved (p.125). In conclusion Piper makes it clear that the New Testament firmly rejects the possibility of “devout people in religions other than Christianity who humbly rely on the grace of a God whom they know only through nature or non-Christian religious experience” (p. 152). I consider Piper’s conclusion is critically important in establishing a firm biblical basis not only for missions but also for our Christian faith. If salvation is possible through God’s general revelation in nature without the work of Christ as specifically revealed in Scriptures, then there is no theological basis for missions and the Great Commission loses its significance as well. The statement in Romans 1:20 that “men are without excuse” because “God’s eternal power