J.I. PACKER

82 year old James I. Packer was born in England, and has lived in Vancouver, Canada since 1979. He is a theologian and a historian, and one of the most prolific Christian writers of the 20th (and now 21st), century. His best known, and, IMHO, best work is Knowing God, written in 1971. He also wrote Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, Quest for Godliness and many others. He has been a college professor, and is Editor in Chief of the English Standard Version of the Bible, and is an Associate Editor of the Reformation Study Bible of which R. C. Sproul was General Editor.

Some are going to say "Charles, I thought you were a fundamentalist?" I have been classified as that, and also a Calvinist, a hyper-Calvinist, a Puritan, and even an Arminian! Whatever you want to call me is okay, but I prefer to be called a Christian, though I am not worthy to be. Packer is an Anglican Calvinist, and at times he has made some questionable decisions. I am by conviction a Baptist, so there are areas of disagreement. But as Rolfe Barnard has said "I believe that God is going to evangelize the world through Baptists, but He doesn't have to."

Everything I have read by J.I. Packer has been helpful to me. All of has seemed scripturally sound, so the benefits outweigh the problems, at least for me.
Here are some J. I. Packer examples:

CALVARY

"Puritan preaching revolved around CHRIST and HIM crucified, for this is the hub of the Bible. The preacher's commission is to declare the whole counsel of GOD; but the cross is the center of that counsel, and the Puritans knew that the traveler through the Bible Landscape misses his way as soon as he loses sight of the hill called CALVARY." ( from A Quest for Godliness, page 286, Crossway Books Wheaton, IL 60187)

AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY
" North American Christianity is 3000 miles wide and 1/2 inch deep." (also in A Quest for Godliness)

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
"Martin Luther described the doctrine of justification by faith as the article of faith that decides whether the church is standing or falling. By this he meant that when this doctrine is understood, believed, and preached, as it was in NewTestament times, the church stands in the grace of God and is alive; but where it is neglected, overlaid, or denied, ... the church falls from grace and its life drains away, leaving it in a state of darkness and death." (World of Quotes) i.e, worldofquotes.com)

PRESENTING THE FAITH

"Our business is to present the Christian faith clothed in modern terms, not to propagate modern thought clothed in Christian terms. Confusion here is fatal." (cma-ministries.org)

GOD ONLY WISE
"What does the Bible mean when it calls God wise? In scripture wisdom is a moral as well as intellectual quality, more that mere intelligence or knowledge, just as it is more than mere cleverness or cunning.To be truly wise, in the Bible sense, one's intelligence and cleverness must be harnessed to a right end. Wisdom is the power to see and the inclination to choose, the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it.

Wisdom is, in fact, the practical side of moral goodness. As such, it is found in its fullness only in God. He alone is naturally and entirely and invariably wise. 'His wisdom ever waketh', says the hymn, and it is true. God is never other than wise in anything that He does. Wisdom, as the old theologians used to say, is His essence, just as power, and truth, and goodness are His essence --integral elements, that is, in His character." (Knowing God, chapter nine, page 80; 1974 edition; InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA

You can run a google search and find many more small quotes by this man, and even some online books. Hope it is some benefit to all. cw

IN EVIL LONG I TOOK DELIGHT-JOHN NEWTON

My favorite hymn writer (among many good ones), may be John Newton. The old converted slave trader was, of course, the writer of Amazing Grace. He wrote many others, which were published in several hymnals, including his own Olney Hymnal which was published while he pastored at Olney, England.This town is where John Newton was buried. Newton was not only a great hymn writer, but an excellent preacher whose works are available today, published by Banner of Truth. You can find the set at Reformation Heritage Books, Monergism or Amazon, and other online stores. If you feel the set is more than you will read, at least read Newton's autobiography Out of the Depths (currently published by Kregel). You likely will not find either of them at your local bookstore, unless it is an exceptional one. Most of the stores today are more interested in selling trinkets , novels and religious tripe, and even heresy! A far cry from the days when I worked at now defunct Christian Discount Book Center which, while not perfect, was pretty selective, and would not carry religious garbage that makes a mockery of the gospel.

Many of our modern gospel songs do not hold to a Christ exalting standard. Some do -- thank God! Newton's hymns certainly had that standard. They were Christ exalting and touched the soul. Oh how I long to see the churches sing again the God honoring hymns of this man, and of Isaac Watts, William Cowper, Charles Wesley, Augustus Toplady, Frances Havergal and Fanny Crosby. Here is one of Newton's that touches me.

IN EVIL LONG I TOOK DELIGHT

In evil long I took delight
Unawed by shame or fear;
'Til a new object met my sight,
And stopped my wild career.

I saw One hanging on a tree,
In agonies and blood;
Who fixed His languid eyes on me
As near His cross I stood.

Sure, never 'til my latest breath,
Can I forget that look
It seemed to charge me with His death
Though not a word He spoke.

My conscience owned and felt the guilt,
And plunged me in despair;
I saw my sins His blood had shed,
And helped to nail Him there.

Alas, I knew not what I did,
But all my tears were vain;
Where could my trembling soul be hid,
For I the Lord had slain!

SPIRITUAL CONVERSATION-J.C. RYLE

“Conference on spiritual subjects is a most important means of grace. As iron sharpens iron, so does exchange of thoughts with brethren sharpen a believer's soul. It brings down a special blessing on all who make a practice of it. The striking words of Malachi were meant for the Church in every age --‘Then those who feared the Lord spoke often one to another--and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for those who feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be mine says the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels.’ (Mal. 3:16, 17.)

What do we know ourselves of spiritual conversation with other Christians? Perhaps we read our Bibles, and pray in private, and use public means of grace. It is all well, very well. But if we stop short here we neglect a great privilege and have yet much to learn. We ought to ‘consider one another to provoke to love and good works.’ We ought to ‘exhort’ and ‘edify one another.’ (Heb. 10:24; 1 Thess. 5:11.) Have we no time for spiritual conversation? Let us think again. The quantity of time wasted on frivolous, trifling, and unprofitable talk, is fearfully great. Do we find nothing to say on spiritual subjects? Do we feel tongue-tied and speechless on the things of Christ? Surely if this is the case, there must be something wrong within. A heart right in the sight of God will generally find words. ‘Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.’" (Matt. 12:34). From Expository Thoughts on the Gospels on Luke 24 13-20.

We close with another morsel from J.C. Ryle.“Let it be a settled principle in our minds, in reading the Bible, that Christ is the central sun of the whole book. So long as we keep Him in view, we shall never greatly err in our search for spiritual knowledge. Once losing sight of Christ, we shall find the whole Bible dark and full of difficulty. The key of Bible knowledge is Jesus Christ.”(This is a second worthy comment from Expository Thoughts on the Gospels on Luke 24 13-20).