Reformation Faith Today

I have not seen the movie Amazing Grace, yet. We bought it and plan to watch it over the Thanksgiving holiday with extended family. But, I have read a book about this remarkable man.

John Piper has given a tremendous gift to the literary world in his relatively short book Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce published by Crossway Books in 2006. An electronic version is available free here.

This approximately 76 page book exceeded any expectations I had when I picked it up to read. And I have high expectations of every Piper book and am yet to be disappointed.

In case you are not familiar with Wilberforce, he labored over 46 years in the English Parliament to see the end of the slave trade in Britain and indeed the end of slavery itself. If you read this book or see the movie (I expect) you will see that the two did not happen simultaneously.

Jonathan Aitken writes in the forward that “the real wellsprings of this momentous achievement [the end of slavery] are to be found not in votes counted, speeches delivered, or bills passed but in a far deeper level of spiritual and moral conviction.”

This is what makes Piper’s book so good. He really captures the essence of what drove Wilberforce. Piper really wanted to know what made Wilberforce tick. He shows that it was “a profound biblical allegiance.” Piper further says that Wilberforce “was not a political pragmatist. He was a God-centered Christian who was a politician.”

This little book will be far from having a “little” impact on you if you will but pick it up and read. Piper organizes the book in the following way:

Introduction: Enduring for the Cause

1. His Early Life
2. “God Has Set Before Me Two Great Objects”
3. A Multitude of Christlike Causes
4. Extraordinary Endurance
5. The Deeper Root of Childlike Joy
6. The Gigantic Truths of the Gospel

Wilberforce has so much to say to us today one hardly knows where to begin. But, I will focus on one area of particular interest to me.

For Wilberforce, real change in society would only be brought about by changed hearts and changed hearts would only be brought about by what he called “peculiar doctrines.” He did not mean odd doctrines. He meant the doctrines of Christianity. See a brief quote from p. 20:

What made Wilberforce tick was a profound biblical allegiance to what he called the “peculiar doctrines” of Christianity. These, he said, give rise in turn to true “affections” for spiritual things, which then break the power of pride and greed and fear and lead to transformed morals, which lead to the political welfare of the nation. No true Christian can endure in battling unrighteousness unless his heart is aflame with new spiritual affections, or passions. “Mere knowledge is confessedly too weak. The affections alone remain to supply the deficiency.” This is the key to public and political morality. “If . . . a principle of true Religion [the Spirit-given new affections] should . . . gain ground, there is no estimating the effects on public morals, and the consequent influence on our political welfare.”

Piper goes on to show that for Wilberforce, “practical deeds were born of “peculiar doctrines.””

In other words, doctrine precedes deed, not the other way around. And, deeds in the understanding of this master “deed doer” are never to be understood apart from their origin: doctrine.

I could go on and on. I will not. Simply, you must read this book. It is profoundly inspiring, convicting and moving all at the same time. You may download a PDF of the book free at Desiring God Ministries.