J.I. Packer, wrote a very well-read and popular book of that title. I am an admirer of Packer, yet it is one book of his I haven’t yet read. Yet, it seems to me that we all need to know God, know Christ better than we do. That whatever knowledge any of us have, is just the tip of the ice-berg, and the more we know Him, the more we shall see his altogether loveliness and the more we shall love him. You cannot love an unknown God. If we love an unknown God, we love a God of our own imaginings, and are really loving ourselves, not the God of the Bible.
I was reading the first sermon in James Durham’s Marrow of Divinity, sermons on Isa 53, earlier today. And he made a very good point. I have known a fair few Christians, who can quote the reformers, on lots of topics, and seem much more interested in what they have to say about any particular subject than what the Bible has to say, and yet they remain fundamentally ignorant of what Scripture teaches in all kinds of ways, and seem to have little to no spiritual discernment. On all external appearances, they appear nothing more than historical Christians. And I think in the Reformed faith particularly, this is something we have to guard against and not led us be deceived or misled into. Because the Reformed faith has such a great, and noble history, it can be very easy to become more interested in the men, than the God they fought and often died for. And yet if that is the case, we are idoloators, putting the word of men before the Word of God. God probably comes a poor third place. Behind the reformers, and our own opinion. In my opinion, that does not equate saving faith. And it does not equate the faith that gets through the narrow or strait gate, but is on the broad path to destruction. The hardest thing in these situations often, is those who are like that, seem some of the most assured of their estate when its great presumption. It is true, that none of us can know the secrets of another’s heart, and I do not believe in making judgments based on what a person does or how he acts. But sometimes, righteous judgments are called for, and if they are based on a spiritual aspect, by a total lack in the ways above and more besides, then I feel one is entitled to make that. Though I am not saying we always have to confront the person with it. But sometimes, it is just foolish to think otherwise. I always try to bear in mind, that these people could be God’s elect and He will save them in His time, and be charitable in that respect, but just not yet or presently.
I’m sure there is no one reading this blog post, just like the blog writer, who doesn’t feel they need more knowledge of God, and will never really have the amount that they desire. As long as indwelling sin remains in us, we will always be blind in very many ways. But Durham I thought made a valid point, and because I have come across this type of person, more than once thought it worth quoting him, and hope that it makes us all seek after true knowledge of God and the God-man more diligently and earnestly, even if we are already in the faith or are merely at this time, historical Christians. This is one of the great dangers and snares I believe, to those who profess to be of the Reformed faith. They embrace Calvin and Luther, and yet haven’t embraced the Gospel and Christ, in a way that gives them saving faith. I have been there myself in the past, so the trap and snare is one I know well, and personally.
Of course the term “historical faith,” means believing Christ lived and was a real figure historically, and is not talking about other historical figures in Christian history. But even so, there is a segment, that these figures such as Calvin and Luther hold far more charm than the person of Christ do. And because of that, Christ remains unknown, just a figure in history, but it is not a living or saving faith when that is the case. To know him is to love him. One can believe one is resting on the righteousness of Christ, but unless one knows Him, that cannot be true.