Knowing God

J I Packer

Class notes #9 – November 16, 2005

1. Review from last time
   
   

2. “What is a Christian?” – someone who is an adopted child of God
   
   

3. Is God the Father of all people?

1. How do we become adopted?

                                                               i.      Acceptance of Christ through faith.

                                                             ii.      We are “born again” (pp 201)

                                                            iii.      It is an unmerited gift of grace

2. What does it mean for our life?

                                                               i.      Our lives change! In what ways?

3. How can it be seen?

                                                               i.      How are ‘good works’ a reflection of our adopted state?

4. How is the revelation of God the Father in the Old Testament differ from what is seen in the New Testament?

1. OT stress was on “God’s Holiness and its demand for humility in man” (pp 202-203). Religion was “fear of the Lord”

2. NT emphasis on God’s ‘Fatherhood’

                                                               i.      God is now approachable in a way He was not in OT times. How & why?

1.      His Son has come in the flesh to take us before His Father.

5. What does Fatherhood mean (as demonstrated through His unbegotten Son?

1. Authority – the Father commands and the Son obeys.

2. Affection – the Father loves continually and unconditionally

3. Fellowship – a relationship that is never broken. We are never alone.

4. Honor – the Father glorifies the Son and the Son glorifies the Father.

                                                               i.      How do we glorify God?

6. In what way is Adoption the highest privilege the Gospel offers (pp 206)?

1. Difference between ‘justification’ and ‘adoption’

                                                               i.      Justification – is forensic – the covering of sin. Implies “expiation”. God is judge.

                                                             ii.      Adoption – is personal – a “family idea”. Involves love. Is propitiation. God as Father.

                                                            iii.      What would justification look like without adoption?

“To be right with God the Judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the Father is a greater” (pp 207).

7. Adoption as the basis for Christian life:

1. Christian conduct

                                                               i.      Imitating the Father

                                                             ii.      Glorifying the Father

                                                            iii.      Pleasing the Father

2. Christian prayer

                                                               i.      We can ask for all our wants because we know God loves us and we can trust Him to give us those things we really need.

3. A Life of faith

                                                               i.      How do we distinguish faith from foolhardiness?

8. Understanding adoption leads us to a deeper understanding of God (pp 214)

1. God’s love

                                                               i.      The cross

                                                            ii.      The gift of sonship

God did not have to adopt us – he did so because he chose to.

2. Understanding adoption shows us Christian Hope (pp 216)

                                                               i.      Christianity is a faith that looks forward.

                                                             ii.      We shall be made like our older brother at every point.

3. Our adoption gives us understanding of the Holy Spirit

                                                               i.      What is the role of the Holy Spirit in adoption?

1.      Help us realize our filial relationship with God in and through Christ

2.      Help us look to God as father

3.      Teaches us as “royal children”.

4. Adoption shows us the meaning and motives of “gospel holiness”.

                                                               i.      Antinomian – the belief that our actions (sin) do not matter because we are already redeemed.

5. Assurance (pp 223) – the children are never discarded when they fail.

                                                               i.      Immediate assurance – direct work of the Sprit

                                                             ii.      Inferential assurance – understandings we develop from a life lived in or study of the Gospel.

9. Next Time – “How does God guide? How will knowing this affect your life?”