Piper Says "We will become gods!"

Topic: Podcast Roundup

Man, I just now had to add this beginning paragraph after writing all you see below it. I just now took a break to see what the The PyroManiac was talking about, and, lo and behold, he was talking about podcasting, the very topic I was working on! He had just bought an iPod! He was talking about Piper's biographical sketches that I mention in the paragraph below! I know that this looks like I'm just copying his lead, and even though his post was from yesterday, I didn't read it until early this morning. Let me explain further. I work nights, driving an 18-wheeler for a company who's slogan is "What can [a certain color] do for you?", and just before I leave for work every night, I "tab" up the browser on my laptop and read the blogs on my down time and breaks throughout the night. The only problem with last night (early this morning) was that I listened to the third Athanasius piece first and got the idea for this post (or at least the part below), and I never got around to reading my blogs, until just a moment ago. Well, Phil, if you read this, I hope you enjoy your iPod. I certainly do mine. Oh, and since you've got one now, go subscribe to my podcast (see my shameless plug below, which WAS there before I realized all this).

This sure has been an exciting week as regards portable audio. I discovered several new podcasts this week, and boy, have they been doozies! My tried-and-true workhorses have been quite remarkable also. Now, before I get to the dirt on Piper, let me just say, if you are commuting any distance at all and still listening to your car stereo, then there is something seriously wrong with you. There is a ton of free audio out there just a mouse click away. If you don't already have an mp3 player then save up your nickels and get one. The podcast, which is to audio what an rss feed is to blogging, makes it perfectly effortless. Hey, Phil Johnson, I even found a podcast that features the sermons of Spurgeon. The guy that produces it lives somewhere in Texas, and he does a great job, even if he doesn't sound quite British enough. At least he doesn't sound like Adrian Rogers. Now on to Piper. I discovered that John Piper's relatively new radio program is now available via podcast. I started listening late last week. This week, and part of last week, the episodes have centered around Christian biography, starting with three sessions on the life of John Owen, and finishing up yesterday a three parter on the life of Athanasius. Yesterday is where John let slip with the deification-of-believers thing. Now before you load up the firewood for the bar-b-que at Bethlehem, he was only quoting a statement by Athanasius. "The son was made man that we might be made god." I have to add, though, Piper came to Athanasius' defense with this statement:

"So quickly we write off a person, because they say something with categories we don't use. . .What is he saying!. . . . Then you find 2 Peter 1:4 that says that you may become partakers of the divine nature. Anybody want to call Peter a heretic?"

Well, that is just a taste of what you will find in these podcasts by Piper. He does go on to explain everything satisfactorily, but it is a good read, er, listen. Don't start with yesterday's episode. Go back and manually get all six of them, three on Owen and three on Athanasius. You will be glad you did. If there are any of you out there who have enjoyed the dry serrated whit of St. Anne's Public House, they have just recently made podcasting possible at their site. Yes, I know, Doug Wilson is over there alot, but remember the quote I just cited from Piper. Okay?! GraceLife, where Phil Johnson's lecture on Calvinism was posted last week, is now a podcast as well, though there is still only that one lecture available. I'm sure more will come soon. Careful, this link is a subscription link to the podcast, not an actual link to GraceLife's web site, so it is a copy-and-paste link only. Dr. Mohler's radio show continues to be one of my favorites. The audio pretty much covers the content of Dr. Mohler's blog, but the audio version often includes noted guests as well. Yesterday Dr. Mohler commented on the burning of Paris, and had as his guest Victor Davis Hansen. As usual, Dr. Mohler gave excellent analysis from a Christian perspective. And I must make a shameless plug for my own podcast, Bulldogs and Piggies. Three sermons each and every week, whether you like it or not. Sunday mornings we just began 2 Timothy. In the evening worship, we are wrapping up a two-plus-year journey through the Psalms. Last evening (Wednesdays), after a delicious meal, we listened together to the sixth in a series on what it means to be Baptist, by studying the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. You may ask "Why is it called Bulldogs and Piggies?" Go to the website, download a few messages, and find out for yourself.