I don’t think your choice of biblical scenes fits, primarily because Jesus did in fact heal that man then and there and it was recorded in Scripture for all to read about since that time. It is hard to see how the Tornado fits with that same scenario. As far as I know, none of the dead were brought back to life, and none of the injured healed miraculously in such a way that Jesus alone was obviously the one to be glorified in it.

Blindness, as far as I know, is not mentioned as a sin in Scripture. Homosexuality is. Along with pride, greed, idolatry, etc. Isn’t the point ultimately that all of us deserve the same fate, and that it is by God’s mercy that we live to take the next breath – and it is also by God’s mercy that we don’t all live to be 100 and die of natural causes? Who would believe the horror of sin then?

From a worldly, human perspective it would be silly or even outrageous to say that innocent people are targeted or even destroyed (Hurricane Katrina, September 11. 2001, etc.) as they are because of any action that they have committed. However, from God’s perspective (as found in scripture, not from my own understanding), any sin (not just homosexuality) is the choosing of something else rather than Him. In essence, when we sin, we make the choice to place something in a higher position than God, therefore making that thing a god to us. This choosing of anything other than God is the worthy of His divine judgment and wrath. Exodus 20:4-6 states that” for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” This is not egotistical or selfish, for God is the greatest reality in the universe. It should be reckoned as wise to embrace the greatest truth, the greatest love, the greatest mercy, the greatest righteousness in the universe; to not would be foolish. This is why God treasures His name so preciously, because it is the greatest thing in the universe. Through Christ, God gives believers the ability to approach Him without fear of judgment and wrath. As posted above, Jesus states very plainly when he says in Luke 13: 1-5“1There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” The assertion that Jesus was making was not geared toward one particular sin because all sin is an abomination in God’s eyes.

My life is a perfect example of these truths. For 15 years I was addicted to sexuality and pornography. While professing that I believed in Christ, I set these things a god before me and worshiped them. I medicated deep personal pain by turning to an idol instead of to God. Because my sins were of a heterosexual nature does not make me better than those who are homosexual. In God’s eyes, my sexual impurity was equally as worthy of His judgment. Because a sin is sexual in nature does not make it any worse of a sin. It is still the choosing of something as greater that our sovereign God. God rescued me out of my sinful passions and desires and set within my heart a love and desire for Him that now makes my previous love of the flesh seem utterly foolish.

As Christians, we must learn to have a God centered view of sin, and how horrendous it is. Without this, we will never realize how horribly hopeless we are without the shed blood of Jesus, for our sin created a record of debt that would lead us to a worthy judgment from God. However, Paul writes in Colossians 2:13-14 “13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” So our sins separate us from God and entitle us to His divine judgment. But Christ “has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:26). So we must know the nature of our sinfulness and what it brings, in order to fully realize how precious and undeserved this great salvation is which comes from God’s gracious love through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Something that Piper grasps very well (much better than myself in fact) is that those who are in sin need our love, not judgment. Part of love though is not allowing the name of God to be slandered. This means that we should not simply embrace one another in light of our differences. We should be motivated to help others through Christ’s power to break the bonds of their sin. This is love: choosing to help a brother or sister carry their burden, not simply pointing out that it is sin. We must return to a Christ centered focus on those who are outside of Him. We must love them. When we show indignation toward others who are outside of Christ, we do Jesus a great disservice. Think of yourself in your helpless condition lost in your own sins. You were rescued by Christ, having done no good thing yourself worthy of salvation, but being completely dependant on His grace alone. How then could you look upon another who is in that pitiable estate and judge them? Is this not in essence saying that you deserved God’s merit, but they do not? Therefore do not judge, but love. Do not hate, pray for those outside of Christ, no matter what their sins are. Show them God’s love in your life and in your attitude toward them. This is how we share the Gospel. Through our lives, and through our suffering for others.

So finally, I believe that John Piper is right in his denouncement of the embracing of a sinful pattern of life by any church claiming to belong to Christ. He is also right in loving those who are outside of Christ enough to tell the truth, and not hide behind the vale of postmodern, pluralistic acceptance of everyone and everything in order to create a false harmony that leads only to the destruction of men and women’s souls.

There was also another time when Jesus said something that may or may not relate to Piper’s comments.

Jesus is asked who had sinned that caused a man to be blind. His parents? The blind man himself? Gays?

Jesus said that the natural disaster of blindness was not related to someone’s sins, but so that God might be glorified.

Luke 13:1-5
Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

All sinners deserve immediately to be wiped out. God, in his mercy does not do so. But God, in his mercy, does sometimes allow things to come about that remind us that the world is in rebellion to Him. Imagine what foolishness we would hear about sin (or the lack of it) in a world with no tragedy? We have a hard enough time convincing people that just because they have the “typical American lifestyle” that there is grave consequences for sin. Pain and tragedy wakes us (or should) from our slumber thinking everything is OK.

Now, while I cannot claim to know a one-to-one correspondance of tragedy and sin – I can agree with Piper that it is no mere coincidence of a storm hitting there at that precise time. What clouds the issue is the thousands of other times where we cannot make such a connection – or when “good people” are caught up in tragedy, too. All I can say is, humbly, none of us deserve anything but immediate death and casting from God’s presence. To shrug off the movements towards the acceptance of homosexuality in light of all the Bible teaches is to just compound – like we all do – one sin upon another.

Like it or not naysayers, Piper is right.

1. His first point is absolutely true, and it has nothing to do with the tornado
2. Again, nothing to do with the tornado, the church has embraced repentant sexual sinners. Absolutely true.
3. Pronouncing that what will keep you from the kingdom is actually permissible is wicked. Absolutely true.
4. Jesus controls the weather, and therefore ordained that this particular tornado exist and sent it to the location to which it went. Again, absolutely true.
5. Calamities of all sorts are meant to bring repentance to unbelievers. Definitely true.

Number 6 should be the only controversial point in this whole article. We know for certain that the tornado and the damage done by it were ordained by God. We do not know FOR CERTAIN if the specific goal of the tornado in God’s mind was to bring about repentance for condoning homosexuality in particular, but this would be a coherent and logical explanation.

So enough of this “shame on you Dr. Piper” nonsense. The 6th point is the only point that requires conjecture, which is why Piper spell out his logic and TELLS YOU THAT HE IS MAKING HIS OWN INTERPRETATION:

“Let me venture an interpretation of this Providence with some biblical warrant.”

Points 1-5 on his blog are absolutely right. Point 6 is the only point that is a matter of opinion, and even if he was wrong, points 1-5 make up for it.

Forget Piper….AWC is leading the pack. 29 year old pomo with his cool looking beard wanting to prove that “Jesus was wrong”. If thats not a false prophet, I dont know what is.

Piper may have overstepped his bounds (and maybe he didnt), for AWC to make that call shows who is truly closed minded.

AWC, I believe you said it yourself in your “Jesus was wrong” sermon…..if he can be wrong, maybe you can too right?

You’re a joke bro.

His aim is to remind us that “Jesus was wrong”! Way to really build up Christ AWC.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with talking about metaphorical tornadoes or storms in one’s life but he’s simply back-peddling here, covering up a really ugly, judgmental statement. When he said the tornado in Minneapolis was a wake up call to the Evangelical Lutherans about homosexuality, he wasn’t speaking metaphorically. He was directly implying that tornadoes are God’s warning of the wrath to come if we accept the “gay agenda.” And that’s ridiculous. It’s fear-mongering and blatant abuse and misuse of scripture and faith to further the dehumanization of the other. And to defend this guy as some holy crusader, is committing a sin of self-righteous idolatry.

Adam, thanks for the post and links. It’s a good one. It’s time more people of faith spoke out against false prophets, teachers and fundy nut jobs.