Augustine's understanding of grace is this, grace is God's giving us sovereign joy in God that

triumphs over the joy of sin. In this episode of light and truth, John Piper considers how God

intervened within Augustine's life with sovereign joy in order to free him from bondage to sin.

This biographical talk was originally given at the 1998 Bethlehem conference for pastors.

There was a small garden attached to the house where we lodged. I now found myself driven,

this is the afternoon now, by the tumult of my breast, in my breast, to take refuge in this garden

where no one could interrupt that fear struggle in which I was my own contestant. I was beside myself

with madness that would bring me sanity. I would, now there it is again, I was beside myself with

madness that would bring me sanity. Sober intoxication, mad sanity, don't miss this, don't miss the

power of this in your reading and your preaching. Rest people, get people with your language,

labor to find language in the 20th century worthy of God.

I was frantic, overcome by violent anger with myself for not accepting your will and

entering into your covenant. I tore my hair, I hammered my forehead with my fists, I locked my

fingers and hugged my knees. I was held back by mere trifles. He began to see at this point the

beauty of Chastity. Now this is the miracle of deliverance. It's the same story that was told in

Leadership magazine 18 to go, 18 years ago. How many of you read that article? You remember that one?

The older guys maybe read it. You got to see something more powerful, more beautiful,

more enjoyable, more delightful, more thrilling, more satisfying than masturbation and the

internet and the concubine and the weekend fling. It's just got to ravish you.

And it did. He began to see Chastity. Listen to this description. I was held back by mere trifles.

They plucked at my garment of flesh and whispered, Are you going to dismiss us? From this moment,

we shall never be with you again forever and ever. That's exactly the way pornography talks.

...