(upbeat music) Once again, John Piper had the privilege of preaching at the Together for the Gospel Conference. His address was titled, "The Bondage of the Will, the Sovereignty of Grace, "and the Glory of God." The debate over the freedom of the will was not a secondary one to the Reformation.

It was central, he argues. And the bondage of the will is worthy of our attention because it has everything to do with our loves and our affections. Here's a clip from John Piper's T4G message. John 3, 19 to 20. This is the judgment that light has come into the world and people loved.

It's loved darkness rather than light because it works for evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light. It's a love hate issue. It's not a decision issue. Hates the light, does not come to the light lest his works should be exposed. So the bondage of the human heart that keeps it from coming to Christ is not that light is lacking, but that light is hated and darkness is loved.

This is a real bondage. You cannot embrace as bright and beautiful what you hate. Cannot. You cannot repudiate as dark and ugly what you love. You cannot. Hate and love are not decisions. They are profound controlling preferences of the palate of the soul. You don't choose what you love and hate.

You come into the world hating and loving. Darkness tastes good to the natural palate and light tastes bitter to the natural palate. You cannot enjoy as sweet what tastes bitter to you and you cannot have a distaste for what tastes good to you. You cannot. These are real cannots.

They are real cannots and they are the kind of cannots, the kind of inability that are blameworthy and culpable because they are not things we are forced to do against our will. They are our will. What is it about darkness? Let's ask this. I ask, darkness, darkness, what's that?

What is there about darkness that we love so much? It tastes so good. What is it? I think Jesus tells us, I think probably the deepest part of it, at least part of it. John chapter five, verses 43 to 44. I have come in my Father's name. You don't receive me.

If another comes in his own name, you'll receive him. Now why would that be? This is the key sentence. It's a rhetorical question. What do you do with rhetorical questions? They don't have any answer 'cause what? He expects you to know the answer by converting the rhetorical question into a statement that's clear as day.

So here's the question that he asks. How can you, the Jewish leaders, how can you? The word can, can, not whatever. How can you believe when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Meaning you can't. Why? It tastes too good to be praised by people.

I love this. And here comes Jesus on his way to a cross bidding me to follow. That's insane. That's foolish. I'll stumble over that 'cause I love the praise of men. Oh, I love this darkness. It tastes so good. That's what Jesus says is the heart of darkness. How can you believe on me, a dying, self-denying, sacrificial lamb?

How can you believe on me when you love the praise of men? You can't. That's what you can't. This is bondage. This is called bondage to our loves. I am the light of the world that ends all this darkness. That craving is ugly in my light. That tastes wretched.

That bondage, that craving for approval, that need of other people to make much of me, that tastes horrid in my light. This is a real kenner. You are in bondage to the love of the darkness of self-glorification. - Wow, can we hear that message too often? I have to be honest about that.

This is good. And it points us to the sweetness of regeneration in giving us new desires to find our souls satisfied with the beauty of Christ. And that is, of course, the theme behind everything we do at DesiringGod.org. This clip was taken from John Piper's conference message at T4G titled, "The Bondage of the Will, "The Sovereignty of Grace, and the Glory of God." You can find the message at DesiringGod.org.

Tomorrow we will return to talk about Pastor John's brand new book, and we will carry on this theme of how my affections expose the true me. We'll see you then. (upbeat music) (upbeat music)