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