Author Archives: St. John Studies

You are convinced that you will encounter God when you read your Bible.  Your pastor preaches on that frequently.  Your Sunday school class has just finished a Christian living book that encourages Bible reading.  You have decided to dedicate yourself … Continue reading →

J.I. Packer* has the impression that the “ordinary” Christian does not have much knowledge of the Holy Spirit.  He comments that many excellent books have been written about God and about His Son Jesus Christ, but few good books have … Continue reading →

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, … Continue reading →

If belief in the incarnation is the most difficult aspect of Christianity for unbelievers to accept, that is one thing [see previous post, “The Greatest Difficulty”]. But J.I. Packer* looks at the event of the incarnation from another angle.  How … Continue reading →

“Thoughtful people find the gospel of Jesus Christ hard to believe, for the realities with which it deals pass our understanding”[J.I. Packer, 52].* One might think that one of the real stumbling blocks is that Jesus hung on the cross … Continue reading →

“Images mislead us, for they convey false ideas about God.” J.I. Packer Knowing God. I have had this portion of Chapter 4 on my mind so much.  The Second Commandment, that man “shalt not make unto thee any graven image” … Continue reading →

You have a picture of Jesus hanging on your wall.  Maybe it is not a picture; maybe it is a crucifix.  When you pray, your mind drifts away to a certain godly man or woman who has inspired you; someone … Continue reading →

“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord … Continue reading →

Knowing God… When you consider the title of J.I. Packer’s book, it sounds like a believer is trying to do all the knowing, but Packer* flips this around at the end of Chapter 3.  God knows us.  God knows me. … Continue reading →

“The Bible puts flesh on these bare bones of ideas by using pictures and analogies.”* Stop for a minute and think about that.  Would we understand the Bible without some of the word pictures that are in The Book.  Probably … Continue reading →