Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord.
J. I. PackerRead
There is a tremendous relief in knowing that {God's} love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion Him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench His determination to bless me.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses the comfort found in the understanding that God's love is unconditional and based on complete knowledge of our imperfections.
J. I. Packer reflects on the profound relief that comes from knowing that God's love for us is not contingent on our flaws or shortcomings. Unlike humans, who can become disillusioned when discovering the less admirable parts of ourselves, God's love endures and remains steadfast. This understanding allows individuals to embrace their true selves without fear of rejection, ultimately fostering a deeper relationship with the divine that is rooted in grace rather than perilous idealism.
Themes
GodLoveAcceptanceSelfGrace
In practice
Example use cases
In a sermon about unconditional love and acceptance, this quote can provide a powerful reminder of how divine love works.
More from J. I. Packer
All quotes →He that has learned to feel his sins, and to trust Christ as a Saviour, has learned the two hardest and greatest lessons in Christianity.
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We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the psalms, and that the habit of celebrating the greatness and graciousness of God yields an endless flow of thankfulness, joy, and zeal.
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The fruit of wisdom is Christlikeness, peace, humility and love. And, the root of it is faith in Christ as the manifested wisdom of God
J. I. PackerRead
Were I asked to focus the New Testament message in three words, my proposal would be ADOPTION THROUGH PROPITIATION, and I do not expect ever to meet a richer or more pregnant summary of the gospel than that.
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Only when it is seen that what decides each individual's destiny is whether or not God decides to save him from his sins, and that this is a decision that God need not make in any individual case, can one begin to grasp the biblical view of grace.
J. I. PackerRead
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