Finishing Our Course with Joy - Dr. J.I. Packer

“Live each day as if thy last” is a wise word from a hymn written in 1674 by Thomas Ken. The older we get, the more needful its wisdom becomes, and if we have not already taken it to heart, we should do so now. When we unpack Ken’s admonition, three thoughts emerge.

First, live for God one day at a time. Whatever long-term plans we may have, we need to get into the habit of planning each day’s business in advance, either first thing each morning or (better, I think) the day before. Glorifying God should be our constant goal, and to that end we need to acquire the further habit of reviewing before God as each day closes how far we have done as we planned, or whether and why and how far we changed the plan to fit new circumstances and fresh insights, and in any case how far we did the best we could for our God, and how far we fell short of doing that.

Second, live in the present moment. Get into the way of practicing God’s presence—more specifically, Christ’s presence, according to his promise to be with us always (Matt. 28:20)—and cultivate the divine companionship.

Third, live ready to go when Christ comes for you. Jesus’s words to the faithful eleven are in fact a promise to all his faithful disciples in every age: In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. (John 14:2–3). [1]

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1. Excerpts from Packer, J. I.. Finishing Our Course with Joy: Guidance from God for Engaging with Our Aging (Kindle Locations 131-147). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

The Distinction Between Free Will and Free Agency

INABILITY: FALLEN HUMAN BEINGS ARE BOTH FREE AND ENSLAVED

BY J.I. PACKER [1]

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? - JEREMIAH 17:9

Clear thought about the fallen human condition requires a distinction between what for the past two centuries has been called free agency and what since the start of Christianity has been called free will. Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and others spoke of free will in two senses, the first trivial, the second important; but this was confusing, and it is better always to use free agency for their first sense.

Free agency is a mark of human beings as such. All humans are free agents in the sense that they make their own decisions as to what they will do, choosing as they please in the light of their sense of right and wrong and the inclinations they feel. Thus they are moral agents, answerable to God and each other for their voluntary choices. So was Adam, both before and after he sinned; so are we now, and so are the glorified saints who are confirmed in grace in such a sense that they no longer have it in them to sin. Inability to sin will be one of the delights and glories of heaven, but it will not terminate anyone’s humanness; glorified saints will still make choices in accordance with their nature, and those choices will not be any the less the product of human free agency just because they will always be good and right.

Free will, however, has been defined by Christian teachers from the second century on as the ability to choose all the moral options that a situation offers, and Augustine affirmed against Pelagius and most of the Greek Fathers that original sin has robbed us of free will in this sense. We have no natural ability to discern and choose God’s way because we have no natural inclination Godward; our hearts are in bondage to sin, and only the grace of regeneration can free us from that slavery. This, for substance, was what Paul taught in Romans 6:16-23; only the freed will (Paul says, the freed person) freely and heartily chooses righteousness. A permanent love of righteousness—that is, an inclination of heart to the way of living that pleases God—is one aspect of the freedom that Christ gives (John 8:34-36; Gal. 5:1, 13).

It is worth observing that will is an abstraction. My will is not a part of me which I choose to move or not to move, like my hand or my foot; it is precisely me choosing to act and then going into action. The truth about free agency, and about Christ freeing sin’s slave from sin’s dominion, can be expressed more clearly if the word will is dropped and each person says: I am the morally responsible free agency; I am the slave of sin whom Christ must liberate; I am the fallen being who only have it in me to choose against God till God renews my heart.

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1.  From https://www.monergism.com/blog/distinction-between-free-will-and-free-agency

Answered Prayer by Love

WHATEVER YOU ASK

Christ’s Intimate Teaching on Prayer

This is the last of 6 articles that comment on Christ’s intimate teaching on prayer to his disciples.  The first 5 are here:

1. Greater Works and Global Prayer;
2. Prayer and Our Heart’s Delight;
3. Prayer and Christian Responsibility;
4. Prayer, In and Through; and
5. Prayerfulness Produces Joyfulness.

The sixth promise in the series is found in John 16:26–27 (ESV), which records the words of Jesus when he says,

²⁶ In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; ²⁷ for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

“In that day”, in the day when he, the resurrected Christ appears to his disciples and is subsequently glorified, in that day they will ask. They have already learned that they will ask the Father, through the Son.  But here Jesus makes this strange qualifying statement: “I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf.”^[1]  This odd statement is only understood as one reads the remainder of his thought: “for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God” (John 16:27, ESV).  The little word “for” gives the ground for the previous, though unusual statement.  Grant Osborne provides a solid explanation:

“This new direct relationship with the Father produces a new depth of asking and receiving. Jesus previously promised he would answer their prayers directly (14:13–14), and now he goes so far as to say he no longer needs to intercede with the Father on their behalf, for “the Father himself loves you” (16:27). This does not mean we no longer need Jesus’ intercessory work (stressed in Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25; 1 John 2:1), but rather that by this intercession Jesus produces a whole new depth of intimacy between God and his beloved children. That love produces a direct line of communication with God, an access we would never think possible otherwise (see Heb 10:19–20).”^[2]

In other words, the basis of answered prayer from the Father is not the insistence of the Son.  No, as the Son intercedes for his disciples it is the Father’s love that moves him to respond. Or as Dr. John MacArthur notes, “He did not mean asking Him to ask the Father, as if the Father was indifferent to believers, but not to His Son. On the contrary, the Father loves Christ’s own. In fact, the Father sent the Son to redeem them and then return. Asking in Jesus’ name means simply asking on the basis of His merit, His righteousness, and for whatever would honor and glorify Him so as to build His kingdom.”^[3]

Prayer is neither manipulative on our part, nor on the part of our great High Priest.  We pray.  He intercedes; and out of familial love, the Father responds.  This is a great encouragement to pray.

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^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Jn 16:26). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[2] Osborne, G. R. (2018). John: Verse by Verse. (J. Reimer, E. Ritzema, D. Thevenaz, & R. Brant, Eds.) (p. 385). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[3] MacArthur, J., Jr. (Ed.). (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed., p. 1618). Nashville, TN: Word Pub.

Prayerfulness Produces Joyfulness

WHATEVER YOU ASK

Christ’s Intimate Teaching on Prayer

In John 16:24 (ESV) we read: “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”  This promise follows on the heels of a previous promise in verse 23.  There we were instructed that our prayers ought to “. . . be directed mainly to the Father in Christ’s name (in a spirit of complete agreement with the will and purposes of Christ).”^[1]  And in that regard we can be confident.  These passages on prayer are part of an intimate conversation Christ had with his disciples.  The first four can be read here:

1. Greater Works and Global Prayer;
2. Prayer and Our Heart’s Delight;
3. Prayer and Christian Responsibility; and
4. Prayer, In and Through.

So, this fifth promise again encourages us to ask and the promise is given “you will receive”.  The imperative is to ask (Greek: αιτειτε).  What is important is to know that this is in the present active imperative, meaning it’s a command to keep asking.  It’s an ongoing expectation.  D.A. Carson explains that “they are to do this in full recognition that this is the route to the joy Jesus had earlier promised them.”^[2]  Therefore this “. . . reminds believers that frequent answers to prayer will give Jesus’ followers great joy as they see God actively at work in the world in answer to their prayers.”^[3]

In summary, the disciples of Christ are commanded to pray and pray motivated for the reward of joy.  “Pursue the fullness of your joy! Pray! From this sacred word, and from experience, we can draw out a simple rule: 

Among professing Christians, prayerlessness always produces joylessness.”[4]  

The opposite is true. 

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^[1] Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Jn 16:23). Nashville: T. Nelson.

^[2] Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John (p. 546). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.

^[3] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2057). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

[4] https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/prayer-the-power-of-christian-hedonism

Prayer, In and Through.

WHATEVER YOU ASK

Christ’s Intimate Teaching on Prayer

Within our Lord’s final conversation with His disciples He inserts six (6) promises regarding prayer. I have commented on the first 3:

1. Greater Works and Global Prayer;
2. Prayer and Our Heart’s Delight; and
3. Prayer and Christian Responsibility.

The fourth promise in this series is found in John 16:23 (ESV), where we read:

²³ In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.

Again, we read what seems to be a sweeping promise: Ask whatever and he will give it!  But again, the context is the interpretative key.  The general context is that Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure and he had promised them his presence through the indwelling Spirit.  Anticipating his resurrection, Jesus assures his disciples that what will seem like sorrow will turn out for their joy. “You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.”^[1] 

Then Christ says to them, “In that day” – in the day when your sorrow is turned to joy, you will ask nothing of me.  “During Jesus’ ministry the disciples brought all their questions to Jesus.”^[2]  But now there is a change, instead of asking him, they will ask the Father, through Him.  “Prayers will be directed mainly to the Father in Christ’s name (in a spirit of complete agreement with the will and purposes of Christ).”^[3]  They won’t ask him because he is not present, so to speak, but they will ask the Father.  “Since Christ has returned to the Father, the prayers of Christians must be made to the Father in the name of the Son.”^[4]

Of course, the promise is guaranteed based on asking in agreement with the will of Christ.  This is not new.  This, of course is what we mean by “asking in Jesus name”.  Kent Hughes provides an interesting insight when he writes,

“Praying in Christ's name means coming only in his merit, not our own. Christ's full name is Lord Jesus Christ, which means Jehovah, Saviour, God's anointed. It is this name whose merit we must humbly pray. We cannot think that somehow God will hear us because of our virtue. We come by virtue of his merit. Poverty of spirit is the basis on which we approach God, and our on-going poverty is the crown of blessing. If we learn this, if we come to God in poverty of spirit, we can expect our prayers to be answered.”[5] So we pray to the Father in agreement with the will of the Son, on the merits of the Son.  

Paul is clear: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” (1 Timothy 2:5, ESV). Someone might ask though, doesn’t the Scripture also teach us to pray “in the Spirit” (e.g., “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” (Ephesians 6:18, ESV)

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,” (Jude 20, ESV))?  This is a good question, but the Biblical idea is not that we pray “through” the Spirit, but rather that we pray in the Spirit’s power, by the Spirit’s empowerment and in accordance with the Spirit’s purpose (ergo: to glorify Jesus (John 16:14)).  There is little difference between praying “in the Spirit” and praying “in the will of Christ”.  The Scriptures inform us what it is to pray in both senses. 

We could say that we pray to the Father through the Spirit in accordance with the will and the merits of Jesus.   Roman Catholics for example will argue that praying to Mary and the saints is no different than asking someone here on earth to pray for us. Firstly, the Bible never invites us to pray to departed people; and secondly, the Father NEVER answers prayer based on the merits or credentials of a human – dead or alive.  To view Mary or the saints as intercessors in heaven is rank idolatry.

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^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Jn 16:20). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[2] Osborne, G. R. (2018). John: Verse by Verse. (J. Reimer, E. Ritzema, D. Thevenaz, & R. Brant, Eds.) (p. 383). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[3] Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Jn 16:23). Nashville: T. Nelson.

^[4] Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2115). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[5] Hughes, II, pp. 102–03, quoted by Gangel, Kenneth. Holman New Testament Commentary - John: 4 (p. 303). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition

Prayer and Christian Responsibility

WHATEVER YOU ASK

Christ’s Intimate Teaching on Prayer

Within our Lord’s final conversation with His disciples He inserts six (6) promises regarding prayer.  In the first instalment, we looked at the first in John 14:13-14.  Previously we considered the second verse that relates to “whatever we ask” in John 5:17.  The third passage that is included in this intimate instruction by our Lord is found in John 15:16 (ESV),

¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

Notice again: “Whatever you ask.”  So let’s look a little deeper. Jesus has just stated, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15, ESV). What a privilege to be a friend of Jesus; and to have such amazing access to the plan of God.  Privilege is an understatement.  Then as Dr. Carson so correctly shows us, “Where there is the slightest danger that the disciples will puff themselves up because of the privileges they enjoy, Jesus immediately forestalls any pretensions they might have . . . his followers are privy to such revelations not because they are wiser or better and consequently made the right choices, but because Christ chose them.”^[1]

God’s election was not merely redemptive in purpose, “but also that their lives be fruitful and productive in fulfilling God’s purposes.”^[2] God promises that each disciple will not only bear fruit, but it will be lasting.  “The NT describes fruit as godly attitudes (Gal. 5:22, 23), righteous behavior (Phil. 1:11), praise (Heb. 13:15), and especially leading others to faith in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God (Rom. 1:13–16).”^[3]

The “so that” joins the next phrase in union with the first.  In other words, “Effective prayer is accompanied by obedience and identification with the will of God (14:13 note; Ps. 66:18).”^[4]  It is as we respond to our calling that prayer is answered.  Again it isn’t a blank cheque.  Negatively, if one is failing to “make our calling and election sure”[5], then it would seem unlikely that they can have any confidence in praying. Conversely though, it is a precious promise.  As we seek to work out our salvation[6] then we can be confident in prayer.

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^[1] Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John (p. 523). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.

^[2] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2056). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

^[3] MacArthur, J., Jr. (Ed.). (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed., p. 1616). Nashville, TN: Word Pub.

^[4] Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Jn 15:16). Nashville: T. Nelson.

[5] “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.” (2 Peter 1:10, ESV)

[6] Philippians 2:12

Prayer and Our Heart's Delight

WHATEVER YOU ASK

Christ’s Intimate Teaching on Prayer

Within our Lord’s final conversation with His disciples He inserts six (6) promises regarding prayer.  In the previous blog, we looked at the first in John 14:13-14 and noted that the promise to “ask whatever” is couched in the context of praying for global ministry and missions, and those petitions asked in accordance with Christ’s will, will be done.

In this blog I want to look at the second promise found in John 15:7 (ESV): “⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

One immediately notes that this promise is conditioned with the little word “if”.  “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you.” This relates to the command previously related by our Lord: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” (John 15:4, ESV).  Verse 7 adds the rest of the condition: “And my words abide in you.”

Dr. D.A. Carson comments: “The imagery of the vine is stretched a little when the ‘branches’ are given the responsibility to remain in the vine, but the point is clear: continuous dependence on the vine, constant reliance upon him, persistent spiritual imbibing of his life—this is the sine qua non of spiritual fruitfulness.”^[1]    Jesus indwells us by Another Comforter/Helper and we are placed “in Him” (John 14:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13).  We do not create that relationship.  That is a reality of the New Covenant.  But we are called to live out that reality.  In other words: “You are in Him, so live that way.”  Seek to live your life through Him and obey His teaching[2] in all decisions.  In that situation, we may “ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

“If God’s people truly abide in Jesus they will desire what he desires and will pray according to his words, and those prayers will be pleasing to him.”^[3] “To remain in Christ and to allow his words to remain in oneself means a conscious acceptance of the authority of his word and a constant contact with him by prayer. . . He was not promising to gratify every chance whim. But so long as the believer was seeking the Lord's will in his life, Jesus would grant every request that would help accomplish this end.”[4]

Practically speaking this means that our Bibles must never be too far from our prayers.  The determination to do God’s will through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit; and the desire to desire the things Christ desires, require of us an intimate knowledge of the Scriptures.  There can be no confidence in our prayer life if we fail to seek holiness or if we fail to discern the mind of Christ in His Word. It is certainly in this context whereby the psalmist could affirm: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4, ESV).  It is safe to say that those who delight themselves in the Lord will seek what He delights.

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^[1] Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John (p. 516). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.

[2] “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” (John 15:10, ESV)

^[3] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2054). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

[4] Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:John/Exposition of John/III. The Private Ministry of the Word (13:1-17:26)/B. The Last Discourse (13:31-16:33)/2. The discourse on relations (15:1-27)/a. The relation of the disciples to Christ (15:1-11), Book Version: 4.0.2

Greater Works and Global Prayer

WHATEVER YOU ASK

Christ’s Intimate Teaching on Prayer

Within our Lord’s final conversation with His disciples He inserts six (6) promises regarding prayer.  They are found in John 14:13-14; 15:7; 15:16; 16:23; 16:24; and 16:26-27.

This final and very intimate conversation that Jesus has with His Disciples is a place where He teaches them about the significance of His upcoming death, resurrection, and exaltation, as well as the coming of the Holy Spirit. His frank conversation is to prepare them for what lies ahead (“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world”” (John 16:33, ESV)).  It is in this context that He teaches them about prayer.  The first instruction comes in Chapter 14, verses 13-14.

I – GLOBAL PRAYER (John 14:13-14)

Having identified the betrayer in the group and showing by example how the disciples ought to love one another in mutual service, Jesus again announces his departure. He tells his disciples that he is going to the Father and others will join him if they come to the Father, through him.  It is in this context that he reiterates that he and the Father are one and that his works here on earth ought to lead someone to that conclusion.  And then he says, ““Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:12–13, ESV).

An analysis of this statement would lead the reader to see that Christ makes a promise that those who have faith in him will not only do the works he did, but greater works.  And the ground or the basis of this taking place is because Jesus is going to the Father. When the disciple asks for something in Christ’s name, it will be done.  The purpose of the answered prayer is the glory of Christ.

The controlling keys to this seemingly amazing promise of answered prayer rest upon:

            a.       The intercessory ministry of Christ in his priestly session in Heaven;

            b.       The prayer is offered “in his name”; and

            c.       The resultant glory of the Son.

All things being equal, what are these greater works that are promised.  What can be greater than raising a dead Lazarus or healing a blind man?  I would reject that Jesus meant that his disciples would do more works (i.e., quantity) nor do I suggest that he means more spectacular works (i.e., quality).  The greater works are conditioned on the heavenly seating of Jesus and by inference the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  The Pentecostal coming of the Spirit was unique in that “all flesh” (Acts 2:17f) were impacted. The Pentecostal coming of the Spirit was “harvest” related, sending the Gospel beyond the nation of Israel, into the whole world.    I argue that this promise of Jesus reflected the greater geographical span of ministry. I concur with the ESV Study Bible notes which state:

“These “greater works” include evangelism, teaching, and deeds of mercy and compassion—in short, the entire ministry of the church to the entire world, beginning from Pentecost. (E.g., on the day of Pentecost alone, more believers were added to Jesus’ followers than during his entire earthly ministry up to that time; cf. Acts 2:41.) These works are “greater” not because they are more amazing miracles but because they will be greater in their worldwide scope and will result in the transformation of individual lives and of whole cultures and societies.”^[1]

To pray in Jesus name reminds us to pray in agreement with the will of Jesus, resulting in the glory of Jesus.  So, this isn’t a prayer promise that we can ask anything we want and will get it.  But it is a mammoth encouragement that as we pray for global ministry and missions, in accordance with Christ’s will, it will be done.  Although this intercession seems simple, surrounded with a precious promise, we must be very clear about the will of Christ for the nations. This promise reminds us to pray evangelistically but Biblically.  It is only prayer “in Christ’s name” (according to his will) that will be answered.  This is prayer that will always bring glory to the Father and the Son.  “So to pray in Jesus’ name means to pray in union with who and what he is, to pray in accordance with his will. Self-centered prayers are not answered (Jas 4:3).^[2]

Praying in the name of Christ is practically praying as the Word of God teaches us.  By praying what the New Testament teaches us, it keeps us from false and idiosyncratic motives and keeps us on solid ground. Let me suggest a few ways to pray for global missions:

      1)      Pray that within the context of our ministry and mission endeavors we do all things regarding the holy character of God. “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” (Matthew 6:9, ESV)

      2)      Pray that God’s kingdom would come. (Matthew 6:10)

      3)      Pray that God would bring success to the good intentions and ministries serving in true faith to the glory of God.  (“To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:11–12, ESV).

      4)      Pray that God will open the door to the Gospel in all the nations. (“At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—” (Colossians 4:3, ESV)

      5)      Pray for more workers in Christian ministry, both at home and around the world. (Matthew 9:38).

Of course, these 5 prayer requests are only a sampling of a plethora of examples in the New Testament.  But let us be encouraged as John Piper writes in this article: “Prayer remains one of the great and glorious mysteries of the universe — that the all-knowing, all-wise, all-sovereign God should ordain to run his world in response to our prayers is mind-boggling. But that is the uniform witness of Scripture. God hears and answers the prayers of his people.”[3]

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^[1] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2053). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

^[2] Osborne, G. R. (2018). John: Verse by Verse. (J. Reimer, E. Ritzema, D. Thevenaz, & R. Brant, Eds.) (p. 341). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

[3] https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-should-we-pray-for