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Preface
Back in my
Christian education era days, I believe it was a mentor of mine Professor
Janzen, that suggested I phone J.I. Packer for some ideas on a potential Master’s
thesis leading to a PhD thesis.
After reasonably
asking me how I found his phone number, Dr. Packer kindly spent several minutes
to provide me solid advice in regard to exemplars. He was a kind and helpful
man.
I later used
some of Dr. Packer’s written material in my PhD thesis.
Knowing God
J.I. Packer
(1973) states those that know God have great thoughts concerning him.[1] These types of thoughts require personal
experiences beyond Biblical and theological knowledge alone. The God of academic and devotional theology
needs to be personally experienced to seriously impacts lives.[2]
Packer reasons
that persons need to meditate on, think over, dwell on, and personally apply
the things of God.[3] In my view, revealed theology to be
understood reasonably well in theory and practice requires a person to pray and
reflect on this over time. God must be
contemplated.[4] Followers should reflect on Biblical,[5]
theological and other truths in order to hopefully lead to correct practical applications.
He warns of
the real danger of knowing about theology and apologetics and yet not really
knowing much about God.[6] One can know certain Biblical, theological
doctrines,[7]
but without a serious reflective, and perhaps interrogative type of evaluation
of these views, God will not necessarily be known.[8]
He further
explains that God knowing a person is initially more important than the person
knowing God.[9] Within Packer’s theology, God takes the
initiative in knowing an individual.[10]
The Holy
Spirit
J.I. Packer reasons God and Christ
sent the Holy Spirit to teach his people the truth and to save them from
error. Packer (1973: 61). He views regeneration as the new birth and an
inner re-creating of the fallen human nature through and by the grace of the
Holy Spirit. Packer (1996: 924).
I would not use the term re-create, but
instead view regeneration as a process by which God begins to transform an
individual to be Christ-like, as in ultimately being a sinless human
being. This culminates in the
resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15.
[1] Packer (1973: 24).
[2] Packer (1973: 24).
[3] Packer (1973: 18).
[4] Packer (1973: 18).
[5] Packer (1973: 18).
[6] Packer (1973: 21-22).
[7] Packer (1973: 21-22).
[8] Packer (1973: 21-22).
[9] Packer (1973: 37).
[10] Packer (1973: 37).
PACKER, J.I. (1996) ‘Regeneration’ in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.
