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Chapter 21 These Inward Trials

Chapter 21 These Inward Trials. J.I. Packer’s “Knowing GOD”. View from my Chair while reading…. Table of Contents. A Type of Evangelical Ministry of Gospel is Cruel. Means to magnify Grace: But it scales down the problem of sin

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Chapter 21 These Inward Trials

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  1. Chapter 21These Inward Trials J.I. Packer’s “Knowing GOD”

  2. View from my Chair while reading…

  3. Table of Contents

  4. A Type of Evangelical Ministry of Gospel is Cruel • Means to magnify Grace: • But it scales down the problem of sin • To those that take it seriously it is a hindrance to knowledge of God and growth in grace. • Doctrinally sound but gives an inaccurate application because of wrong emphasis.

  5. How does changing emphasis change meaning?

  6. What does this ministry stress? • Not only does the Gospel bring forgiveness of sins, peace of conscience and fellowship with God as our Father it will: • Through the power of the indwelling Spirit we will be able to overcome sins that have in the past mastered us . • The leading that God will give us will enable us to find our way through problems of: • guidance • self-fulfillment • personal relationships • our sinful hearts desires

  7. What does this ministry downplay? • Tends to downplay the rougher side of the Christian life: • the daily chastening • the endless war against sin and Satan • the walks in darkness • giving the impression that normal Christian living is a perfect bed of roses • Downplay of the bright side leads one thinking the Christian life is all misery and gloomy like a living hell on earth.

  8. How does God treat new vs. old Christians? • God is very gentle with young Christians • God exercises older Christians in a tougher school by exposing them to as much pressure of opposed and discouraging influences as they are able to bear and not more.” • 1 Corinthians 10:13 • Acts 14:22

  9. What is the Remedy? • Find confess and forsake his defection so as to reconsecrate himself to Christ daily and when problems or temptation come to hand them to Christ to deal with for him. By doing this you will find yourself back on the right path and on top of the world. • If you are committing willful sin this is good advice But this may not be what is happening!

  10. Are there other reasons for our struggle? • God exposes us to these attacks to strengthen our character and our powers of resistance. • If this is the case then the remedy outlined will sentence the devoted Christian to a treadmill life trying to hunt down nonexistent failures • The least effect of this remedy will be arrested spiritual development, the emergence of a childish, grinning, irresponsible, self absorbed breed of evangelical adults. • The worst effects among sincere and honest believers will be morbid introspection, hysteria, mental breakdown and loss of faith.

  11. What is Grace? • God’s love in action toward people who merited the opposite of love. • What is the purpose of God’s grace? • To restore our relationship with God • How does grace accomplish its purpose? • Not by shielding us from life's difficulties but by exposing us to them and overwhelm us so we are driven to hold on to God closer.

  12. The God who Restores! • God wants us to feel that our way in this life is rough and perplexing so that we will learn to lean on Him and not our own self confidence and the secret of Godly life is to “wait on the Lord.” • God actually uses our sins, failures and mistakes in an educative manner to discipline and chasten us to bring about our own good and to teach us to wait and lean upon him.

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