Ask Pastor John

When Jesus taught that impurity comes from within, was he departing from the Old Testament? Pastor John considers purity across the covenants.

If God justifies by faith apart from works, then why do some passages seem to suggest that forgiveness comes through the act of baptism?

Acts 20:24 has encouraged and challenged Christians throughout the centuries. How, in particular, has it shaped the life and ministry of John Piper?

In the Old Testament, witchcraft is met with capital punishment — but not in the New. Why does God handle this sin differently across redemptive history?

Do the signs and wonders in Scripture justify using righteous magic in fiction? Pastor John helps us discern the kinds of stories that serve our sight of Reality.

Sometimes, the story of another Christian’s joy in God serves to kindle our own. Pastor John takes us to a remarkable moment in the life of Hudson Taylor.

God could have designed the world so that all the help we need comes from him directly. Instead, he often ministers to us indirectly through other people. Why?

How can we begin to grasp the meaning of biblical narratives and their application to life? Pastor John offers an example from the story of Joseph.

In Acts 12, God allows Herod to kill James, but he thwarts the king’s plan to kill Peter. What might this chapter teach us about God’s providence?

How does a promise about the future help us fight for purity today? Pastor John unpacks the power of the greatest pleasure purchased at the greatest price.

People for millennia have said, in one way or another, “There is no God.” Pastor John describes five ways we suppress the knowledge of God’s existence.

Is heaven a physical place that exists right now? As Pastor John answers, he encourages us to focus mainly on the relational, not the spatial, aspect of heaven.

Even when our prayers for protection feel pointless, they are not. God is our good and sovereign Father, and it is never pointless to ask him for what we need.

As we begin a new year of Bible reading, what obstacles can we expect to meet along the way — and what benefits will keep us reading day by day?

If someone is convinced that he knows God’s will for us, yet we disagree, what can we do? Pastor John offers five ways forward.

Hear John Piper’s invitation to partner with us. A $10 monthly gift enables us to reach 70 more people with God-centered resources. https://dsr.gd/3AYGuj2

God gives the church teachers, including Bible commentators, to help us understand his word. But how can we tell if we’re relying on commentaries too much?

At Christmas, Jesus came to bring God-exalting happiness through peace with God — and merciful warfare against everything that destroys such happiness.

In his infinite wisdom, righteousness, and power, God designs even the deeds of evil kings for the good of his people and the glory of his name.

Sometimes God delivers us from affliction through affliction. But what kinds of affliction does he use — and how can we know when he does so?

How can we know that we love God more than his gifts, especially during the Christmas season? Pastor John unlocks the answer with two keys.

Single Christians may be tempted to despair over missing the experience of marital love. But God himself will see to it that our joy is eternally full in Christ.

Since the Bible calls Christians children of light, should darkness and violence have any place in the stories we create?

Should Christians show so-called “gender pronoun hospitality”? Pastor John shares practical ways to speak the truth in love with those confused about their sexuality.

What is Christian thankfulness? Pastor John commends the power of a heart filled with gratitude to the Giver of every good gift.