Coronavirus and Christ

A timely short message of hope and peace in Christ in the midst of fear.
Direct and clear.
Love it.

First sentence: THE OCCASION: CORONAVIRUS I am writing this little book in the last days of March 2020, on the front end of the global pandemic known as the coronavirus, or technically, “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated COVID-19). The virus affects the lungs, and in the worst cases kills by suffocation.

John Piper's newest book addresses the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the occasion is specific, the book covers a wide range of spiritual topics: fear, anxiety, worry, suffering, sickness, death. How does the hope believers have in Christ work itself out during this unprecedented time?! What is a Christian to make of these strange days?

Hope is front and center in this book. Where is YOUR hope placed? Is your hope in staying informed and being prepared? Is your hope in medical experts? Is your hope in a politician? Or is your hope in the Lord Jesus Christ? (Not that Piper is advocating his readers to tune out science and medicine and fearlessly break all executive orders. Far from it.)

The book is timely and balanced. In some ways it's a foundational, get-back-to-basics refresher course on the gospel. People's faith is being tested and challenged. What are your core beliefs? What do you know about the God you proclaim or profess? There is something very basic and foundational about this one. Which is good.

The first part, as I mentioned, focuses on the basics of who God is and how God is in control.

The second part turns a bit and focuses on what God is doing--or might be doing--through the Coronavirus. Some points readers may say AMEN. Other points might be slightly more controversial.

For example, I don't think many (actual) Christians would disagree with disease, sickness, and death being the result of the fall--Eve et the apple after all. Sin issued into the world MANY MANY things that still plague the human race. They'd be no death if it wasn't for sin--original sin and ongoing sin. They'd be no war either for that matter. No cancer. No heart disease. No strokes. It's hard to imagine a world with no death, no sickness, no disease, etc. But death isn't natural--we were designed to live forever in the presence of a holy God and worship him forever. Christ has conquered death; believers can rest assured in that they too can overcome even this great enemy. But Piper follows this up with the idea that the coronavirus may be judgement for specific sins and specific sinners. That is a bit more tricky theologically. He doesn't name specifics--specific sins that would warrant God's judgment on the world let alone call out sinners by name. But still the implication is there. If you are infected--it may be God's judgment on you.

He gives six possible ways God might indeed be moving during this pandemic. As I mentioned some answers I strongly agree with...others less so.

Hope is power. Present power. Hope keeps people from killing themselves-now. It helps people get out of bed and go to work-now. It gives meaning to daily life, even locked-down quarantined, stay at home life - now. It liberates from the selfishness of fear and greed-now. It empowers love and risk and taking sacrifice-now. Where and Whom do you place your hope in?

Before you think that hope does not pay the bills or put food on the table, that is not the hope that is eternal. We have lived life in comfort and pleasure that when it is taken from us, we can lose what we think is hope. God is teaching us thru the Coronavirus what we have placed our hope in. Do we play the blame game? Do we believe Jesus will return? How we respond to the Coronavirus says much about your faith and fears.

John Piper is asking Do we have Rock under our feet? Do we understand God's sovereignty? These questions are thoughtful questions that continuously teach us who God is. In this short bible study, in knowing God, your faith will be strengthened and your hope renewed. Highly recommend.

A Special Thank you to Crossway Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

This book felt a little all over the place. Maybe that is because it was rushed to publication, but at the same tiem I understand the need for a book like this during a time like now. However, besides a few Bible verses that gave me comfort, I didnt like the style of writing and it wasnt exactly what I had hoped for. I wanted comfort and guidance and I didn't feel like i really got either. I applaud the effort though to help at a time when so many people are looking for somewhere to turn.

Have you been worried and anxious about the virus and didn’t know really where to turn? What about knowing that you need Jesus but didn’t know how or where to look first?
This book answers that question and helps relieve those worries. JohnPiper is an amazing author who guides you through who Jesus is, why we should turn to him during this pandemic and answers 6 questions of what this virus could mean and why it’s here.

This book is 100% worth the read and it’s a quick easy read that is bound to help you in someway. Do it now.

In "Coronavirus and Christ" (due to release 4/28/2020), John Piper gives a strong theological basis for faith in Christ and for the trustworthiness of scripture. He also walks the reader through a biblical perspecive of several things he belives God is doing through the coronavirus.

John Piper doesn't beat around the bush; he never does. If you've read any of his previous works you will know that he is focused on clear communication grounded in strong biblical reformed theology. Don't let this scare you away from reading this book. It is written in a way that is accesible to all. For the Christian reader, this book will provide focus and truth in an unsettling time. For those who are not believers of the Christian faith, this book may provide some hope and stability that is missing. This is well worth your time.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Coronavirus and Jesus is by John Piper. John Piper is a pastor. He was a pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church for 33 years. He has written over 50 books. He is the founder of desiringgod.org. This website has books , articles, sermons, podcasts that address issues We face in the Christian life. The book Coronavirus and Jesus is outstanding. I commend John Piper for writing this book so efficiently and timely! The first section is about the God of the Coronavirus and the second section is about what God is doing through the Coronavirus. John is honest and real as He writes the book. This book addresses many of the questions people will have about the coronavirus. He gives us the perspective of who God really is. The book is a great tool for pastors, counselors, and any Christian. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this excellent book. I commend the author for writing such a great resource! I will post my review on facebook, netgalley, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble,my blog, for our church staff. .

A short and essential look at how God's words are truly living and still relevant today. No matter our circumstances we can't help but speak the words of Simon Peter, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." (John 6:68)

I think the most important part of this book on this topic is that it is clear from the sheer number of Scripture verses inside its pages that Piper opened his Bible before he wrote a single sentence. He did not approach this book with his own set of ideas and opinions and then find verses to support them. God's words are surely the author and meat of this book. He says, <i> "Scarcely a page in the Bible is irrelevant for this crisis." </i> And he proceeds to prove that in all 112 truth-packed pages of his reflections.

He relates to us all when he talks about the sinking sand we are all faced with today. The sinking sand of playing the odds against this virus. The sinking sand of being isolated in our homes and having to decipher from regular and social media alike what is true and what is false. The sinking sand of fear and hopelessness. But he says, <i> "There is a better way. There is a better place to stand: the Rock of certainty rather than the sand of probabilities." </i>

And that certainty rests firmly in the sovereignty of God. The first half of the book delves into what this means and what the Bible says of God's sovereignty. By very definition, he is either sovereign over all (including COVID-19), or sovereign over nothing. We think we need to 'rescue' him when it comes to pain and suffering as if he needs us to defend his goodness- we think we need to excuse him from the things we don't like, that it couldn't possibly be God's doing. But <i> "If we try to rescue God from his sovereignty over suffering, we sacrifice his sovereignty to turn all things for good." </i> and <i> "Knowing that the same sovereignty that could stop the coronavirus, yet doesn't, is the very sovereignty that sustains the soul in it. Indeed, more than sustains-- sweetens. Sweetens with hope that God's purposes are kind, even in death-- for those who trust him." </i>

We rest in these words: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (Gen 50:20)-- not "used" or "turned" it to good, but MEANT, implying original intent. God isn't just waiting to see how he can spin the bad things that happen. We don't have to cross our fingers and hope he's ready and able for it all. No, from the VERY BEGINNING, he is at work purposing things for good. That's true assurance. There is nothing outside of his control, therefore, we KNOW that he can make all things work together for good.

The second half is Piper answering the question, "What is God doing?" He quickly points out that compared to God's wisdom, [Piper's] (and our) opinion is worth nothing and that there are a billion things God is doing that we will never know this side of heaven, but nonetheless, God HAS spoken to us through his word. He is not silent about what he is doing in this world. He then lays out 6 observations about how to interpret what is happening right now.

I found his observation about physical pain being a representation for moral sin the most intriguing. <i> "physical evil is a parable, a drama, a signpost pointing to the moral outrage of rebellion against God... Hardly anyone in the world feels the horror of preferring other things over God. Who loses any sleep over our daily belittling of God by neglect and defiance? But, oh, how we feel our physical pain!" </i> Whether a follower of Jesus or not, we all need to recognize the ugliness of our sin and our need of Savior. Tragedy isn't a time to shake our fists at God but to fall at his feet and say, 'My sin is as terrible as every act of injustice and violence I see in the world. These things are a picture of my own rebellion against you.' It should drive us to repentance and refuge in the only One who can save us, not just from the Coronavirus, but from ourselves. It should not incite indignation at God but gratitude. It's an uncomfortable and maybe shocking thing to say but oh so necessary.

This book, though containing hard to hear truths, is full of hope! I came away actually kinda excited to think about what God is going to do next. Piper reminds us of how persecution and martyrdom in Acts advanced the gospel in momentous ways. God can use calamity, or a global pandemic, to position people exactly where he wants them to bring glory to his name. I can feel this anticipation of God orchestrating something so great and complex and unfathomable using this Coronavirus and it's exciting! Because nothing can thwart his plans. He WILL accomplish what he sets out to do, and we are all playing a part in it!

So trade in your sinking sand of probabilities and uncertainties for the Rock that is Christ and the security of his sovereign love. We are more than conquerors of the Coronavirus and every other thing that threatens us, even death, because of Christ's sacrifice for us. There is no better news than that!

In response to the recent events of the COVID-19 global pandemic, John Piper has released a new book entitled Coronavirus and Christ. In these short 112 pages, Dr. Piper responds to the health crisis that has affected nearly every person on earth. His ministry, Desiring God, is very clear that they have two primary interests in mind: the sovereignty of God and Christian Hedonism.

Calvinism & Christian Hedonism
If you are going to read this book, you should know that Piper is openly committed to a Reformed understanding of salvation, which is often referred to as Calvinism. In addition to this, he is a Christian Hedonist. Piper famously summarized Christian Hedonism by saying that, “God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him.”

This book will not primarily argue for those doctrines, but will assume they are true. If you are not familiar with these doctrines, you may want to read Five Points: Towards a Deeper Experience of God’s Grace and Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist.

Piper’s Response to 9/11
Piper is not new to writing on the relationship between these two doctrines and current events. After the attacks in New York on September 11, 2001, many were wondering if God caused this event to happen. Piper argued that,

The very power by which God governs all evils, enables him to govern your life. He has total authority to turn this and every other evil in your life into your everlasting life.

He then went on to say that, “The sovereignty of God is the very rock solid foundation that enables us to carry on in life.” This is important to remember because it is a very crucial idea that paved the way for Coronavirus and Christ.

Piper’s Response to Hurricane Katrina
After the catastrophic Hurricane Katrina that struck Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, Piper responded to NPR Senior News Analyst, Daniel Schorr, by saying that,

Our guilt in the face of Katrina is not that we can’t see the intelligence in God’s design, but that we can’t see arrogance in our own heart. God will always be guilty of high crimes for those who think they’ve never committed any.

Piper later went on to write Spectacular Sins: And Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ in response to the events in New Orleans as well as the general idea of God’s sovereignty in relation to evil and tragedy.

The Aim of This Book
Without the previous books and articles responding to current events, there is no way that someone could have written, published, and translated a book in seven languages within weeks of the pandemic’s global spread. With that being said, if you are familiar with Piper’s work, then you will find this book to be a timely reminder of timeless truths rather than a creative expression of new ideas.

What Fell Short
As a student of journalism, I live in a world that possesses a particular disposition towards novel ideas, but as a student of theology, I am reminded of the importance of historical roots. My first impression of this book was that it was incomplete. While it contained quite a few reminders and Biblical answers that I will address in the latter part of this review, something was missing.

As an adherent of the reformed soteriological views that Piper argues from, my problem was not as much with what was in the book, but what was left out. The book is split into two primary sections: “The God Who Reigns Over the Coronavirus” and “What is God Doing Through the Coronavirus?”

The God Who Reigns Over the Coronavirus
In this section, Piper laid the foundation for his argument by succinctly explaining the doctrines of God’s sovereignty and Biblical authority. In the promotional material for the book, Desiring God markets the book as an invitation to

readers around the world to stand on the solid Rock, who is Jesus Christ, in whom our souls can be sustained by the sovereign God who ordains, governs, and reigns over all things to accomplish his wise and good purposes for those who trust in him.

Sound familiar? It is very similar to Piper’s response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Yet Piper does not mention the events of Hurricane Katrina or September 11th in this work. To be fair, he does mention the cancer diagnosis that he received in 2005. Apart from a subtle reference to terrorist attacks and tsunamis, it seemed like this book could have related the issue of the coronavirus back to previous national and global events where God’s sovereignty could be clearly seen.

Additionally, this section seemed to be far too concise to effectively articulate the foundational beliefs that would lead a Christian pastor to look at a global pandemic killing hundreds of thousands of people and conclude that God had ordained for it to happen.

What Went Well
Despite all of this, I thoroughly enjoyed Piper’s new book. Again, it did not seem to be anything more than a reminder of the timeless truths, but sometimes a reminder is exactly what we need. While I felt like this book lacked something, the content actually presented in the book was incredibly helpful.

What is God Doing Through the Coronavirus?
Contrary to my frustrations with the overly abbreviated first half of the book, the latter half of the book was worth the frustrations. In these chapters, Piper presents six Biblical answers to what God might be doing through the coronavirus.

Naturally, I am critical of someone who supposes to know the exact purposes of God in an horrendous event such as a pandemic, yet Piper humbly articulates that these are six ways God uses evil throughout the Scriptures. God’s meticulous sovereignty is seen throughout Scripture, in the midst of good and evil. The answers that Piper presents are not speculative or prophetic, but exemplary Biblical principles.

I sympathize with Preston Blakeley, one of Church Editors, who recently wrote,

His statement that “the coronavirus is God’s thunderclap call for repentance” caught me off guard, and I felt as if this statement could have been worded better. He redeems this in his explanation: this pandemic reminds us that we are finitely human, and Piper begs us to see that God desires that we cease to be the child who is “making mud pies… because he cannot imagine a holiday at sea.” We are faced with the trivialities of our own existence, and we are increasingly reminded of our opportunity to trade in trinkets for gold.

Many of the answers Piper presented are worded in ways that we don’t really speak, yet the truths presented within their explanations are incredibly helpful. In his review of this book, Blakeley does well to remind us that we can “trade in trinkets for gold.” This helpful illustration points us back to another one of Piper’s key themes: don’t waste your life. In the same way that Piper’s short theological essay, Don’t Waste Your Cancer encouraged readers not to waste their pain, Coronavirus and Christ encourages readers not to waste this time of uncertainty and anxiety.

How to Read This Book
Between the relative briefness and the abundance of time now available due to current “safer-at-home” restrictions, take a few hours and read this book. Pray through the passages of Scripture that Piper points the readers to and ask the Lord to use this as a reminder of God’s sovereignty in the midst of uncertainty.

You can read or listen to this book for free on https://www.desiringgod.org/books/coronavirus-and-christ.

I received this free review copy from Crossway. The opinions of this review are my own.

I’ve read other books over the years by John Piper, and I’ve always appreciated the depth and soundness of his teachings.

This isn’t a book that will tell you that Christians can be spared from the coronavirus—I’m sorry if you think it would. However, the book is filled to the brim with reminders that God is good, and we can trust Him no matter what happens in our lives. It’s an uplifting look at how our feet rest on solid rock, even when things around us are shaking.

This is a very short book, and it is definitely worth the time it takes to read it.

As a believer, I know that God is in control and that this pandemic is no surprise to Him. Still it can be hard to wrap my mind around it all and think biblically about it. Piper’s book is a timely help as he gives six answers to the question, “What is God doing through the coronavirus?” The book is relatively short which I appreciated as it made it easy to read and finish.

Piper doesn’t mince words. He calls the corona virus a “bitter providence.” He acknowledges that “the same sovereignty that could stop the coronavirus, yet doesn’t, is the very sovereignty that sustains the soul in it” (location 225). He doesn’t try to defend God. He points out that if we try to say that God is not sovereign over suffering, then we can’t say that he has the power to turn all things for good. “The very sovereignty that rules in sickness is the sovereignty that sustains in loss. The very sovereignty that takes life is the sovereignty that conquered death and brings believers home to heaven and Christ. It is not sweet to think that Satan, sickness, sabotage, fate, or chance has the last say in my life. That is not good news” (location 268).

This book is very thought provoking. It encouraged me to look at things around me differently. It reminded me to look to God and His Word to be my solid rock and foundation in this crisis. I’d highly recommend it.

Thank you to Crossway for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

You can download this book for free at the following site:

https://www.desiringgod.org/books/coronavirus-and-christ

A timely message calling our attention to what matters most in this coronavirus moment and expands our horizons to much of what is happening throughout the world right now.. This book illustrates what Piper has said for many years, "God has 10,000 purposes in this. You might be aware of three of them." This book is a short read that is very effective at lifting us out of any self-pity in suffering, showing us six clear categories of God's work we may not realize is happening in and through coronavirus.

I was expecting a revolutionary eye-opening book, since it's written by a revolutionary author. But no. It's a simple book with old ideas. It's not a bad book for a beginner. It answers the typical question, "How can a good God allow pain and evil?" This question has been answered numerous times throughout history by other great authors. This book offers no new perspective, except it has been contextualized into today's Coronavirus epidemic.

It's a good book for a new believer.

A timely evangelical title for the current crisis our country is waking through. Smart of Mr Piper to get it written and published in such a quick manner. Also, give him credit for making it free to the market as a whole.

I love John Piper and am always excited to pick up his books. This short book was a quick read that examines the current coronovirus pandemic through a biblical lens. Piper offers answers to the often asked question, "What is God doing through the coronavirus?" He reminds us that God is sovereign, He is always working, and nothing takes Him by surprise.

I found reassurance and encouragement through the author's words, but didn't really gain any new insights. I rated this one 3.5, but rounded down to 3.

Grateful to Netgalley for the free digital copy.

John Piper is a solid thinker. I don’t think I have read anything by him before but I will be in the future. I appreciate his thoughts and he has challenged me in ways I didn’t know I needed to be challenged.

I have always struggled with people saying God didn’t allow something to happen, but I have agreed with that. Yet, if we say God din’t allow something bad to happen then we must believe God isn’t all powerful. If he is all powerful then he did allow it. So which is it? I believe he is all powerful and he did allow the Coronavirus to happy. I might not have said that before reading this book but I do now.

I highlighted a lot from this book but this is the paragraph that really got me thinking: “The coronavirus was sent, therefore, by God. This is not a season for sentimental views of God. It is a bitter season. And God ordained it. God governs it. He will end it. No part of it is outside his sway. Life and death are in his hand.”

Wow, this blew my mind and made me see the error of my thinking. I was making God small, not sovereign. But he is big and in control of everything. What kind of God would he be if he wasn’t over all things?

One more paragraph I just need to share: “Why should I received the new of God’s sovereignty over the coronavirus, and over my life, as a sweet teaching? The secret, I said, is knowing that the same sovereignty that could stop the coronavirus, yet doesn’t, is the very sovereignty that sustains the soul in it.”

Oh, one more thing that he talked about was the very verse that represents my blog. I have been misquoting it for years. Genesis 50:20 doesn’t say God will USE it (the bad or evil thing) for good, it says he MEANT it for good. That means he allowed it and is meaning it for good in our lives. The only translation that used the word “used” is the Message and I don’t rely on that as a sound source of the Word.

This is a quick read. You could probably read it on one setting if you wanted to to. Highly recommend of a fresh look at how God is working through this virus that has changed our world.

A copy of this book was given to be through Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own.