So far from making evangelism pointless, the sovereignty of God in grace is the one thing that prevents evangelism from being pointless. For it creates the possibility – indeed, the certainty – that evangelism will be fruitful. Apart from it, there is not even a possibility of evangelism being fruitful. Were it not for the sovereign grace of God, evangelism would be the most futile and useless enterprise that the world has ever seen, and there would be no more complete waste of time under the sun than to preach the Christian gospel.
— J.I. Packer (1926–2020), Theologe und Autor
Topics: Grace & Redemption, Witness & Mission, God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit
Occasions: For Reflection
J.I. Packer
James Innell Packer (1926–2020) war ein britisch-kanadischer anglikanischer Theologe und Autor, der nach Stationen in England langjährig am Regent College in Vancouver lehrte. Er verband puritanisch geprägte reformierte Dogmatik mit praktischer Frömmigkeit, verfasste das Standardwerk »Gott erkennen« und wirkte maßgeblich an der Chicago-Erklärung zur biblischen Irrtumslosigkeit mit. Für Bibelleser gilt er bis heute als prägender Vermittler klassischer reformatorischer Theologie, wenngleich seine Beteiligung an der ökumenischen Initiative »Evangelicals and Catholics Together« (1994) unter Konservativen zu scharfen Kontroversen führte.
All quotes by J.I. Packer (48)
It wasn't the nails that held Jesus to the cross. It was love.
Max Lucado
Grace, like water, flows to the lowest part.
Philip Yancey
In our own woundedness, we can become sources of life for others.
Henri Nouwen
God does not love us because we are lovable, but because his nature is love.
Oswald Chambers
Oswald Chambers
God counts on your failure far more than you do yourself.
Hans Peter Royer
Ultimately mourning means facing what wounds us in the presence of One who can heal.
Henri Nouwen
The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.
Tim Keller