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Book Review - Finally Alive by John Piper
- 02/17/09
- 29
As I read the final page of Finally Alive I realized that I had found a new favorite book by John Piper. Those who have read my reviews of some of his previous titles know that while I greatly enjoy Piper’s ministry and am indebted to him in many ways, I have not always found his books easy to read. Yet I read Finally Alive with relish, enjoying it from the first page to the last. It is an incisive examination of a topic of profound importance. I think it represents Piper at his very best as an author.
This is a book about the new birth, about regeneration, about what it means to be born again. Born again is a term we hear often these days, both within the walls of the church and without. But it seems that the term is so often used in a different way than the doctrine as we find it in Scripture. It takes only a couple of pages for Piper to take issue with the term born again as used by people like pollster George Barna—people who desecrate it by taking it far outside of its biblical context. “In this research,” says Piper, “the term born again refers to people who say things. They say, ‘I have a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. It’s important to me.’ They say, ‘I believe that I will go to Heaven when I die. I have confessed my sins and accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.’ Then the Barna Group takes them at their word, ascribes to them the infinitely important reality of the new birth, and then slanders that precious biblical reality by saying that regenerate hearts have no more victory over sin than unregenerate hearts.” Piper doesn’t hold back.
Of course such research is not necessarily entirely wrong. It is undeniable that vast numbers of professing Christians live in ways that are completely at odds with the faith they profess. But the New Testament does not allow us to move from a profession of faith to the label born again. Instead, it “moves from the absolute certainty that the new birth radically changes people, to the observation that many professing Christians are indeed (as the Barna Group says) not radically changed, to the conclusion that they are not born again. The New Testament, unlike the Barna Group, does not defile the new birth with the worldliness of unregenerate, professing Christians.” This is a term Christians need to understand and protect.
Piper offers four reasons for writing this book on the new birth. First, so we can understand what God intends when the Bible uses this language of the new birth; second, to help followers of Christ know what happened to them when they were converted; and third, to serve as a possible means for those who do not yet believe to come to faith in Christ. “My aim is to explain the new birth as clearly as I can from the Bible so that readers can see it for themselves.” And he does so in just the way we’ve come to expect from John Piper—with clear exposition of Scripture and with undeniable passion and integrity.
Piper moves through the subject by asking five all-important questions. He begins his examination by asking simply “What is the new birth?” From there he turns to the question of “Why must we be born again?.” He then asks “How does the new birth come about?” and “What are the effects of the new birth?” before concluding with asking “How can we help others be born again?” Each of these questions is answered two, three or four short chapters, each of which can be easily read and digested in a single sitting.
Why does this all matter for Christians? Piper gives three reasons that believers need to know what happened when they were converted. First, “When you are truly born again and grow in the grace and knowledge of what the Lord has done for you, your fellowship with God will be sweet, and your assurance that he is your Father will be deep. I want that for you.” Second, “If you know what really happened to you in your new birth, you will treasure God and his Spirit and his Son and his word more highly than you ever have. In this, Christ will be glorified.” And finally, “In the process of believers discovering what really happened to them, the seriousness and the supernatural nature of conversion will rise and that, I pray, will serve a more general awakening of authenticity in the Christian church so that religious hypocrisy will diminish and the world will see real love and sacrifice and courage in the service of Christ.” This is no minimal, abstract theology. This is of foundational importance to the Christian faith.
Piper’s tone is gracious and compassionate throughout this book. He shows the heart of a pastor from the first page to the last. But he also shows the skill of a theologian and the passion of a prophet. I’m inclined to agree with my friend Adrian Warnock who says of Finally Alive, “I believe this is the most important book Piper has written.” I cannot recommend this book too highly. I really believe it is Piper’s best.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
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Comments (29)
Thanks for the review Tim. I’ve been interested in reading this book since I heard he was writing it. Good to hear it’s probably going to live up to my expectations.
My wife gave me this for Valentines day, I totally agree with you Tim that sometimes he’s ‘not easy to read’, but this book is very straight forward. I’m enjoying it immensely & finding it very useful as I carefully go through it with pen & paper taking notes, thinking & praying about much of it. Challenging, thrilling, Christ glorifying…. and i’m still on chapter 1 (reading very slowly)
Tim,
Is this book good for an unbeliever to read or is it really geared only to Christians?
Allen
Allen,
It’s definitely primarily geared to the Christian. But if you’ve got an unbeliever who is truly interested in learning, I think he could read and enjoy it as well. But I wouldn’t be likely to use it for a kind of first-level evangelism.
This book is right on time. Salvation has become so watered down…..i cant wait 2 get into this book it will be hard 2 top DWYL or The Pleasures of God as top Pipers for me….i hope 2 be surprised….
Tim,
Thanks for the review. I’ve got a couple of other books that I’m working on right now, but this (and Adrian Warnock’s comments) have definitely shot this one to near the top of my reading list!
I’m halfway through and already it is my new favorite Piper book. I will always be thankful to God for Future Grace and Desiring God but I must say this one tops them! I am taking notes and praying through the book. It’s one that I will definitely re-read often!
No worries Diane. I’m trying to iron out the problems with commenting…
Thanks for the solid review, Tim. Between you and AW, I am very excited to get my hands on a copy.
I found something that Piper said about why he wrote the book very interesting:It seemed to me that what was needed was to head off the common misconception that those who cherish the court-room-oriented doctrine of justification don’t cherish the new-life-oriented doctrine of regeneration.
Does Piper develop this theme of a Reformed under-emphasis of the New Life in the book?
I’m currently listening to the2007 sermon series on which (I’m assuming) this book is based. It is illuminating so much of my understanding about sanctification, so that sanctification is becoming more and more a joy, a new “natural” way to live, and not a kind of “gut it out” works righteousness.
Re: the Barna survey - does Piper lay out whether it’s the world that has “hijacked” the born-again nomenclature, or whether it’s the church that, like marriage, has permitted its redefinition because it so often fails to teach or live the real definition out?
Can’t wait to read it (and teach it). Rachael, thanks for the tip on the sermon series.
Our reason for living in this “in-between” time is to live and work as joyful reconcilers. If we don’t have certainty we have been reconciled to God how could we enjoy the work? It would be a constant reminder of our own deficiency. We’d wind up doing good for the sake of good itself and hoping it would be enough to get us past God’s judgment. Yikes! I’d be toast.
I, too, am enjoying this book (about 1/3 of the way through it). I can’t think of a more important issue to address in the church than that of nominal Christianity and what better way to do this than to examine the doctrine of regeneration. I am so grateful to God for creating and saving the likes of John Piper for the edification of His bride.
”..to the observation that many professing Christians are indeed (as the Barna Group says) not radically changed, to the conclusion that they are not born again.”
So Barna, says there are many many Christians, who are not born again, and so not genuine Christians?
I must have lost something here.
Thanks for the review. Best Piper ever. That’s saying something. I always thought his Let the Nations be Glad was his classic book, and tops. But he does have many good ones. I will have to get a copy of this one.
I will get this book, as I get everything by Piper and MacArthur. What is there to say, Piper has given himself over to the ministry and the truth of Gods word in such a way that, to quote Spurgen, “Prick him anywhere; and you will find that his blood is Bibline, the very essence of the Bible flows from him. He cannot speak without quoting a text, for his soul is full of the Word of God.”
Praise God for those few authors and Pastors who still stand on the literal truth of scripture without compromise.
i looked all over town to find a copy of finaly alive and tactics…finaly found them…if u are having trouble locating the book Piper has just aded it 2 his online books at www.desireinggod.org for free!…….
So Barna, says there are many many Christians, who are not born again, and so not genuine Christians?
No. Barna defines born again as “you made a commitment and it is still important to you.” Piper defines it as a spiritual reality.
The only Piper book I own is “Desiring God” and I must confess that I’ve tried to get through it on two different occasions and never made it. I’ll take the blame for it and assume I just haven’t been in the mood to dig into it.
I may try this one, based upon your review, and see if it reads differently.
“Piper offers four reasons for writing this book on the new birth.” What is the fourth reason?
“No. Barna defines born again as “you made a commitment and it is still important to you.”
Barna is way off the path then. Is he in the Zane Hodges camp, I wonder?
According to Ephesians 4:32, when you have been “born again” - that is, born into the family of God - your past sins are forgiven, your current sins are forgiven, and even your future sins are forgiven. The “tense” of your sins is not the important thing. The tense of God’s forgiveness is. The sins of believers were dealt with on the Cross of Christ and they “hath” been (past tense) forgiven.
A believer who is dealt a blow by Satan, and who gives in to sin, grieves the Holy Spirit of God. “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30) This would have been the perfect place for God to tell us that our sins can cause the Spirit to be grieved to the point that He leaves us, and that we lose our eternal salvation. But He does not. Instead, He reminds us that, though we may grieve the Holy Spirit, He still seals Christians unto the day of redemption. Satan is strong. Some men are strong. But no one can break the seal of God.
Rumor has it that the slow comment bug is fixed. I’m posting a comment just to see if this is true.
Thanks, Tim. John Piper has truly been a mentor to me, and his exegesis and pastoral concern are needed on this important topic. May his prayers be answered.
Was the comment bug in MT or in your server? Just curious.
“He reminds us that, though we may grieve the Holy Spirit, He still seals Christians unto the day of redemption. ”
And the Father chastizes all who are His children. If a so-called Christian is living in sin, and no chastizing is ahppeneing, then this Christian is a false Christian, an illegitimate child. (I was going to use the KJV word, but it didn’t seem right for some reason.)
Regarding Barna, they come up with the figure that the divorce rate is higher with born again Christians than unbelievers, however what they don’t take into account is that many of those who profess to be born again are no more saved than the pope.
Curtis,
I don’t always agree with your take on things, but I’m with you on this one! Statistics is a strong component of my job as I produce a lot of reports for the bank I work for, and there is more than one way to skin a cat. Stats are so easy to manipulate and make them say what you want to say. I’m not suggesting Barna deliberately skews his survey results, but surveys is not something I would hang my hat on. They can be highly subjective.
Plus…is it just me, or is anyone else getting tired of hearing about surveys and studies and the emphasis Christians put on them? Surveys and studies certainly have a place in science and economics (research and development), but in the matters pertaining to the kingdom of God, they have no shock value for me (as in, they don’t really reveal much we don’t already know).
Just thinking out loud…
I went to college in Minneapolis and attended Bethlehem for 2.5 years, which included this sermon series. It really was a thrilling thing to be able to sit through. Some of the most edifying sermons I’ve heard. I originally thought I wouldn’t get the book since I was there for the sermons, but I just might have to. I wish I still attended Bethlehem…they always gave Pastor John’s books out for free when they first came out.
John Piper’s generosity in making available almost all of his books, including this latest one, free for download from his website is something that must be noticed.
I hope all our highly-esteemed theologian-writers can follow suit.
Until yesterday I knew John Piper only from his articles in Tabletalk. Yesterday I watched the message he gave (Faith and Reason) at Ligonier’s 2007 conference. My heart soared as he spoke of how our blind eyes are opened by the Gospel, and about the surpassing value of knowing Christ. I must read this book. Judging from your review, I will probably put it at the head of my list of “to be read.” Thanks Tim.
Craig