04 June 2010

Packer: The True Priority for Every Human Being

From current Christian publications, you might think that the most vital issue for any real or would-be Christian in the world today is church union, or social witness, or dialogue with other Christians and other faiths, or refuting this or that ism, or developing a Christian philosophy and culture, or what have you. But our line of study makes the present-day concentration on these things look like a gigantic conspiracy of misdirection. Of course, it is not that; the issues themselves are real and must be dealt with in their place. But it is tragic that, in paying attention to them, so many in our day seem to have been distracted from what was, is, and always will be the true priority for every human being--that is, learning to know God in Christ.

--J. I. Packer, Knowing God (1993 IVP ed.), 279

2 comments:

Jack Parrish said...

It would be great if we could all remember our greatest priority is knowing God and putting the putting His fullness into practice on a daily basis.
Even knowing where our priority should be is being made difficult by those who say the church's major objective is outreach. Paul never says this and a close study of Eph.1:10, and Eph.3:10 (and the context obviously) should make it clear our priority is to grow up in Christ and demonstrate our oneness in Him, especially to the powers in the heavenly realms.
To say nothing of God's ultimate plan to

Jack Parrish said...

Disregard the last phrase please.