In May 2006 Dr J. I. Packer came and spoke at the Sussex Coast Ministry Training Course on ‘Maintaining Evangelical Convictions Today’.
Here are my notes from his talk…
There are some concerns that a real Biblical Christian needs to have clear in mind and heart.
David Beddington outlines a profile of piety, 4 areas which mark out evangelical Christians.
Evangelicals are Christians who are:
1. Bible believing
2. Cross centred
3. Conversion focus
4. Outreach oriented
These 4 areas are concerns in which there is truth to fight for. Beddington is onto the right areas of concern. There is truth about being Bible believing, and there is real danger when this truth is abandoned or distorted. There is truth about being cross-centred, and the heart of the gospel is lost if we are not clear about this. There is truth about being conversion focused. We don’t have to have the same experience, but we do believe that everyone needs to be converted or born again. There is truth about being outreach oriented. Our Lord has sent us on a mission to do a job for him.
But this is not the whole story.
Packer adds 3 more to these:
5. The church and the sacraments
Was an area of concern for the Lord Jesus, Father and Holy Spirit, for the apostle’s. God’s purpose is to create and build a people (a church). We must be clear that this is so. It’s not enough to bring people to making a decision – they need to built into the church. The sacraments are performed in the church – they are visible words – significant signs that show you what the Christian life is about.
6. Holiness and sanctification
Many Christians don’t believe in a God who calls us to be holy. The holiness of God, Christian calling, the Church and the disciple must be a central concern.
7. Assurance and hope
Real Christians do not run scared in this life. They are the only people who don’t. Our modern world needs to hear about the hope of glory. Christians who understand this hope can face death or disease because their Lord is leading them home. Roman Catholics and non-evangelicals don’t have the assurance that evangelicals have.
These 7 areas of concern branch out into 12 principles of evangelical theology:
1] The canonical Bible is God’s witness to us through the witness of its human writers
The inspiration of the Scriptures is more like the incarnation than anything else. Outside evangelical circles this understanding of the Bible is lost. Basic to evangelical theology is this affirmation of the Bible.
2] The Trinity (truth that one God is three persons) is the ultimate eternal fact and the gospel is a Trinitarian message.
Nicodemus was led up Mount Trinity in John 3. The gospel is the work of a God who is a team fulfilling a single plan. Cannot state the gospel correctly without implying the divinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
3] Our Triune God is sovereign in creation, providence and grace.
He overrules everything and His will is being done in all things. Can’t state the gospel without emphasising the Sovereignty of God.
4] The dignity of human nature given in creation is universally ruined by sin.
Only new birth that will restore this. Human life without Christ is a mess.
5] The mediation of the incarnate Son of God is the source of salvation.
Apart from Christ, salvation is not possible. Therefore the need is to spread the gospel everywhere.
6] Salvation (rescue) is realised through two things together. The penal substitutionary atonement of Christ on the cross and justification (our acceptance to be in the favour of the Father) that is receive by faith (not works).
‘the wonderful exchange’; Christ takes our place under judgment and as the risen Lord welcomes us into His place.
7] Faith in the threefold object of faith – the promises of God, the Saviour Jesus Christ the risen Lord, the Father who pardons and welcomes us.
Saving faith is correlative to the new birth. The two go together. ‘If you put faith in Christ, you have a new heart’. Inside you are longings and joys which weren’t there before.
8] Recognise that holiness is the calling of every Christian and the whole church.
Living the Christian life in holiness is living out what is going on in the inside as the Holy Spirit works in you. Sometimes we have to help people see that this is what is happening to you. We only find joy as we live out the life that is right.
9] The church is a fellowship.
‘a supernatural society’; ‘an association of the born-again’. Constant effort must be made to make sure all who join the congregation become believers. Evangelism must go inside and outside.
10] Sacraments become means of grace because they become means to faith.
Being a witness at baptism, strengthens your faith, makes you more conscious about it. The Lord ‘s Supper reinforces our amazement, joy, adoration to the Lord who loved us and gave himself for us at Calvary and is now a source of life to us.
11] Communion with God is every Christian’s fulfilment.
This is fulfilment in this world and the essence of the life in heaven.
12] The Glory of God (honour and praise) must be the goal of everything we do.
The glory of God must be our constant concern.
He finished by reading 2 Timothy 1:13-14, 2:1-2, 3:14-17, 4:1-2, 5, 22.
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Q: Which of the 12 are most under attack?
JP: Nature of Scripture & Ministry of Jesus in salvation
