Desiring God by John Piper
Week 7: Chapter 6 — Money: The Currency of Christian Hedonism
Read Chapter 6 of Desiring God. Key Scripture: Matthew 6:19–21, 24; Luke 12:15–21; 1 Timothy 6:6–10, 17–19
Previewing Week 7 of Desiring God
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 13-week guide when you’re ready.
Piper now enters the arena where our real priorities are most nakedly visible — our relationship with money — and argues that how we handle wealth is both a test and an expression of where our joy truly lies.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Piper calls money "the currency of Christian Hedonism" — a paradoxical title. What does he mean? In what sense does money become a tool for joy rather than a competitor with it?
2.Jesus says in Matthew 6:21, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Piper takes this seriously as a diagnostic: our spending habits reveal our true values more accurately than our stated beliefs. Take a moment of honest self-reflection: what does your relationship with money say about where your joy actually lies?
3.Piper draws on the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:15–21) as a case study in what it looks like to find security and satisfaction in accumulation. What is the fool's specific error, and how does Piper use him to illustrate the spiritual danger of wealth?