KNOWING GOD:
BY J.I. PACKER
CHAPTER 21
THESE INWARD TRIALS
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LOSING SIGHT OF GRACE:
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WHAT is wrong with THIS teaching? It is open to criticism from MANY angels. It FAILS to grasp the teaching of the NEW TESTAMENT of Sanctification and Christian warfare. NOT UNDERSTANDING the meaning of ((GROWTH IN GRACE)). NOT UNDERSTANDING the operation of indwelling sin. Confusing Christian LIFE on earth with Christian LIFE in heaven. It misconceives the psychology of Christian OBEDIENCE (SPIRIT-prompted activity, NOT SPIRIT prompted PASSIVITY). The basic criticism must SURELY be it loses sight of the method and ((PURPOSE OF GRACE)). WHAT IS GRACE? The NEW TESTAMENT meaning GOD'S LOVE. GRACE meaning GOD moving heaven and earth to SAVE sinners who could NOT SAVE THEMSELVES, GRACE meaning GOD sending HIS ONE and ONLY BEGOTTEN SON through the PROPITIATION to the cross, to descend into the pit of hell
SO WE GUILTY ONES MIGHT BE reconciled to GOD the FATHER and RECIEVED into heaven. "GOD made HIM who had NO sin to BE sin for US, SO IN HIM we might become THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD;
(2nd Cor 5:21). The NEW TESTAMENT KNOWS both a WILL of GRACE and a WORK OF GRACE. The WILL IS GOD'S ETERNAL PLAN to SAVE; THE WORK IS "GOD'S GOOD WORK IN YOU" (Phil 1:6), ((being confident of this, that HE who began a good work in you, WILL carry it on to completion until the day of CHRIST JESUS.)) HERE HE CALLS you into LIVING fellowship WITH CHRIST
(1st Cor 1:9), ((GOD who HAS CALLED you into fellowship with HIS SON JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD, IS FAITHFUL.)) WHO raises you from death to LIFE;
(EPH 2:1-6) ((As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who ((IS NOW)) at work in THOSE who ARE DISOBEDIENT. ALL of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of WRATH. BUT because of HIS great LOVE for us, GOD, who IS RICH in MERCY, made us ALIVE WITH CHRIST even when we were dead in transgressions, IT IS BY GRACE WE HAVE BEEN SAVED.
And GOD RAISED US UP WITH CHRIST and seated us WITH HIM in the heavenly realms IN
CHRIST JESUS. THIS SEALS YOU AS HIS OWN; by the gift of HIS HOLY SPIRIT;
(EPH 1:13/14), ((And you also were included IN CHRIST when you heard the WORD of TRUTH, the gospel of your SALVATION. Having BELIEVED, you were MARKED IN HIM with a SEAL, the PROMISED
HOLY SPIRIT, WHO IS a DEPOSIT GUARANTEEING our inheritance until the redemption of those who are GOD'S possession--to THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY.))
Transforming you into CHRIST ' IMAGE,
(2nd Cor3:18). ((And we, who with unveiled faces ALL REFLECT THE LORD'S GLORY, ARE ((BEING)) Transformed into HIS LIKENESS with ever increasing GLORY, which comes FROM THE LORD,
WHO IS THE SPIRIT!!!
RAISED ANEW:
(ROM 8:30) ((AND THOSE HE PREDESTINED, HE ALSO CALLED, HE ALSO JUSTIFIED THOSE HE JUSTIFIED, HE ALSO GLORIFIED.))
(1st Cor15:47-54) ((The first man was dust of the earth, THE SECOND man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as IS THE man from heaven,
((SO ALSO ARE THOSE WHO ARE OF HEAVEN)). And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, SO SHALL we bear the LIKENESS of the man from heaven.
I DECLARE to you, that flesh and blood CANNOT inherit the KINGDOM of GOD, NOR does the PERISHABLE inherit the IMPERISHABLE.
LISTEN, I tell you a mystery: We will NOT ALL sleep, but we WILL ALL BE CHANGED--IN a flash, in a twinkling of an eye, at the LAST trumpet. For the trumpet WILL SOUND, the dead WILL be RAISED IMPERISHABLE, and we WILL BE CHANGED. For the perishable MUST Clothe itself with the IMPERISHABLE, and the mortal with IMMORTALITY. WHEN the perishable has been clothed with the IMPERISHABLE, and the mortal with IMMORTALITY, THEN the saying that IS written:
WILL COME TRUE:
Death HAS BEEN
SWALLOWED UP IN
((VICTORY!!!))
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