Dear Church Family,
With forty quotes of J. I. Packer (his initials stands for James Innell) to share, I found a few great ones elsewhere that are worth sharing.
“Think of theologians as the church’s sewage specialists. Their role is to detect and eliminate intellectual pollution, and to ensure, so far as man can, that God’s life-giving truth flows pure and unpoisoned into Christian hearts.”
In one tribute I read about Packer, the author who is a pastor found out one Sunday that someone had attached a small sign to the pulpit that had the pastor’s name with “Sewage Specialist” after it. Feel free to call me that any time you wish.
R. C. Sproul, who teamed up with Packer on many projects, says that everyone is a theologian. The question boils down how faithful to Scripture your theology is. One Packer quote that he liked was “Bad theology hurts people.”
Along those lines where asked about “Knowing God” (that has sold over a million and a half copies) he stated, “The conviction behind the book is that ignorance of God lies at the root of much of the church’s weakness today.” If you do not yet have a copy of the book, I encourage you to get two – one for you to read and one for you to give away. I spent over three years going through it on Wednesday evenings here.
When the Anglican synod of which he was a part in Canada authorized its bishop to form a service of blessing for same–sex unions Packer walked out of the meeting. When asked why, he boldly stated, “Because this decision, taken in its context, falsifies the gospel of Christ, abandons the authority of Scripture, jeopardizes the salvation of fellow human beings, and betrays the church in its God-appointed role as the bastion and bulwark of divine truth.” Ultimately, due to his strong stand for the authority of the Bible he left the fellowship of that synod for one that was faithful to Scripture.
Late in life he lost his sight due to macular degeneration. As a result he could no longer read or write. Rather than be angry Packer took comfort in the sovereignty of God. He said “God knows what he’s doing. This comes as a clear indication from headquarters. And I take it from him.”
Packer shows great wisdom that found its roots in his deep faith in His Lord and Savior. May we follow his example and lived like Packer did.
With great hope,
Pastor Gillikin