--- title: "2 Congregation Quotes By J. I. Packer" description: "2 Congregation quotes by J. I. Packer. Plus more from J. I. Packer and more Congregation sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/303/j-i-packer-1856_complaining_we-complain-today-that-ministers-do-not_830195.png" --- > [We complain today that ministers do not know how to preach; but is it not equally true that our congregations do not know how to hear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-complain-today-that-ministers-do-not-know-how-to-preach-but-is-it/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/303/j-i-packer-1856_complaining_we-complain-today-that-ministers-do-not_830195.png) > [The Christian's life in all its aspects-intellectual and ethical, devotional and relational, upsurging in worship and outgoing in witness-is supernatural; only the Spirit can initiate and sustain it. So apart from him, not only will there be no lively believers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/the-christian-s-life-in-all-its-aspects-intellectual-and-ethical/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/j-i-packer-1856_aspect_the-christian-s-life-in-all-its-aspects_1246251.png) ## Other authors on Congregation - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b017/author-michael-emerson-67071.jpg) Michael Emerson 21 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congregation/michael-emerson/) ## More by J. I. Packer > [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/what-matters-supremely-therefore-is-not-in-the-last-analysis-the-fact/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [For what higher, more exalted, and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/for-what-higher-more-exalted-and-more-compelling-goal-can-there-be/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Fanciful spiritualizing, so far from yielding God's meaning, actually obscured it. The literal sense is itself the spiritual sense, coming from God and leading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/fanciful-spiritualizing-so-far-from-yielding-god-s-meaning-actually/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Grace means God sending his only Son to the cross to descend into hell so that we guilty ones might be reconciled to God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/grace-means-god-sending-his-only-son-to-the-cross-to-descend-into/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [God made life, and God alone can tell us its meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/god-made-life-and-god-alone-can-tell-us-its-meaning/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Revival is the visitation of God which brings to life Christians who have been sleeping and restores a deep sense of God's near presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/revival-is-the-visitation-of-god-which-brings-to-life-christians-who/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Calvinism is the consistent endeavor to acknowledge the Creator as the Lord, working all things after the counsel of His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/calvinism-is-the-consistent-endeavor-to-acknowledge-the-creator-as/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [There are few things stressed more strongly in the Bible than the reality of God's work as Judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/there-are-few-things-stressed-more-strongly-in-the-bible-than-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Maturity is a compound of wisdom, goodwill, resilience, and creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/maturity-is-a-compound-of-wisdom-goodwill-resilience-and-creativity/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [The peace of God is first and foremost peace with God; it is the state of affairs in which God, instead of being against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/the-peace-of-god-is-first-and-foremost-peace-with-god-it-is-the-state/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Today, on our own turf, we face pagan ignorance about God every bit as deep as that which the early church faced in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/today-on-our-own-turf-we-face-pagan-ignorance-about-god-every-bit-as/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [God is triune; there are within the Godhead three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; and the work of salvation is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/god-is-triune-there-are-within-the-godhead-three-persons-the-father/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [It is often the case, as all the saints know, that fellowship with the Father and the Son is most vivid and sweet, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/it-is-often-the-case-as-all-the-saints-know-that-fellowship-with-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [A little knowledge OF God is worth more than a great deal of knowledge ABOUT him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/a-little-knowledge-of-god-is-worth-more-than-a-great-deal-of/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congregation/j-i-packer/#itemlist", "name": "2 Congregation Quotes By J. I. 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