Is JI Packer ("Knowing God") a Pagan Philosopher?

JI Packer -- author of "Knowing God" -- says that anything "beyond the world of the senses.. is God". But isn't this what every Pagan philosopher said?

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[bushwackersteam]

Who is this dude? How does he get what he says out of what Packer said here? What Packer is saying here I believe (having read more than this single sentence of Packer's) is that somewhere inside the heart of a man is a knowledge that they are not alone, that there is something higher than them, and that therefore, they are accountable. I think this is entirely true...why else do men try to create all kinds of gods for themselves if they didn't believe so?

[AndrewcBain]

Hi.

Thanks for the feedback. You wrote me, "why else do men try to create all kinds of gods for themselves if they didn't believe so?"

Hmm. Is a pagan's idolatry evidence that they know the True God deep down?

The gods of the pagans murdered their own children, committed incest, bestiality etc. And these gods were devoutly worshiped by the pagans.

Is this devout worship of these gods proof that "somewhere inside the heart of a man is a knowledge"?

[AndrewcBain]

Doesn't Paul call idols NOTHING, and the OT prophets called them rabble, dung-hill, stones, no-gods etc.?

Since when does worshiping NOTHING prove that you know the True God deep down?

[ojuicedogg]

Andrew Bain you are a very sad little boy.

Do you have very low self-esteem or something that you have to distort others sermons so u can criticise to make yourself try and appear clever?

you do not come across as clever. you come across as immature and juvenile.

[fiercegallantry]

This is an amazingly clueless (if not dishonest) interpretation of Packer's comments. McBain is simply reading his slanders into Packer's remarks. The arrogance of this wet-behind-the-ears punk *lying* about a humble, gentle, faithful saint is appalling.

Paul wrote that *all* men have a knowledge of God, so much so that "they are without excuse." What is McBain's excuse for denying Paul's clear teaching?

[griffinjb24]

You should ACTUALLY read his writings instead of imposing your framework upon him

[SkiesVibrant]

What in the world is going on here? It seems that some people make a full time job of parsing words and offering their own criticism without any support.

J.I. Packer is a giant among theologins. 'Knowing God' is a a truly wonderful book that I believe every Christian should read.

When you constantly belittle the likes of Piper, MacArthur, Packer, White, Sproul, you are showing limited discernment skills. Only one thing is worse: implying that they have said something, they didn't.

[oliveguss]

THE GUY WHO POSTED THIS IS MAKING LOTS OF NOISE BUT NOT MANY POINTS. YAWN.

[mcleaniechris]

Hi Andrew! I appreciate James Packer very much for his contribution to my understanding of how to Love Christ and what He has done. I came across this video and wanted to let you know that I appreciate that you are being cautious about even the little statements, which, as you have shown, can be interpreted differently. I would however, ask you, as a man of Christ, to remove this video, because you are committing a sin against my brother James Packer - also please read "knowing God"- classic

[mcleaniechris]

Hi Andrew! I appreciate James Packer very much for his contribution to my understanding of how to Love Christ and what He has done. I came across this video and wanted to let you know that I appreciate that you are being cautious about even the little statements, which, as you have shown, can be interpreted differently. I would however, ask you, as a man of Christ, to remove this video, because you are committing a sin against my brother James Packer - also please read "knowing God"- classic

[mcleaniechris]

Hi Andrew! I appreciate James Packer very much for his contribution to my understanding of how to Love Christ and what He has done. I came across this video and wanted to let you know that I appreciate that you are being cautious about even the little statements, which, as you have shown, can be interpreted differently. I would however, ask you, as a man of Christ, to remove this video, because you are committing a sin against my brother James Packer - also please read "knowing God" - classic

[ozarkdox]

young man, you are an accuser of the brethren and you know where that comes from. You are insufferable in your arrogance.

[wawabbit]

Hi again, Andrew: Wherein does Packer state his belief that anyone's awareness of "...God, of the Transcendent, of something or someone beyond the world of reality....[etc]" is the same as them believing in any of this as the "true God?" I believe that God does put a certain awareness in us, that we are created for *something* and/or *someone,* BY "something or someone." That THIS is not all there is, in other words. Since we have that innate sense, we go looking for *it.*

[5355vbxjbj76rvn]

@AndrewcBain

That they worship at all, is very strong evidence of the reality of One Who is is worthy of worship. So even idolatry is evidence of an attraction from & to the True God, however greatly disguised.

Some gods are of high moral character; there is a hymn from c. 1800 BC to Shamash the sun god, which is of a very pure morality: unsurprisingly, since he was god of justice. There is much good in non Biblical faiths.

Packer's remark is spot-on. There is nothing wrong with it.

[etresimyre]

EVEN PAUL DECLARED THAT PAGANS KNEW "OF GOD" SOMEHOW:

ACTS 17:22-23 NIV

"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you."

You are CONFUSING "knowledge of" (Romans 1) with "relational knowledge" I John 2:4