One of the best pieces of intellectual advice I received (from a student, actually) was that “we should seek to understand before we critique.”

John Piper and N. T. Wright have been two of the most influential voices in my life, and I love the confused reaction I get when I tell people this. 

John Piper just gave a presentation at the Desiring God conference, where he argued (in part of his talk) that Romans 7 (specifically vv. 14-25) describes a believer rather than an unbeliever. And as much as I love John Piper and side with him on most theological points, I think his interpretation here is wrong.