1 of 1

Time recently called him a "theological traffic cop." "The [evangelical] movement has no formal arbiter," it noted. But "J.I. Packer, 78, an Oxford-trained theologian, claimed the role informally with his 1973 book Knowing God, which outlined a theology deeper and more embracing than many Americans had encountered." Jim, a Christianity Today executive editor, teaches theology at Regent College in Vancouver.

Fifty years ago, evangelicals taught Christian living legalistically: "Don't smoke or drink, cheat, lie, or chew, and don't team up with those who do." In those days, avoiding the world's defilements was the main concern. This school of thought discounted the idea that Christians are free to enjoy God's creation while they try to change the world for the better. Reaction against that thinking has led now to an opposite extreme. Many Christians have uncritically bought into the self-indulgent lifestyle of the secular world. Biblical condemnation of sexual irregularity and the self-serving quest for wealth, pleasure, and power is ignored, and the behavior patterns of most Christians seem indistinguishable from those of unbelievers. In short, ghetto legalism has given way to uninhibited worldliness. Reaction? Yes. Recovery of balance? No. Shall we ever achieve Christlike balance and involvement in the world on the basis of being utterly different from it? Let us try!

Adapted from Leadership (Fall/88) by permission.

Copyright © 2005 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.

 1 of 1

share this page

Prayer for the Week

Lord, I realize that Satan would love to switch me off on some siding. Please keep me on the mainline of Your will for me.

				Try an Issue of Men of Integrity Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders. If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless. Give Men of Integrity as a gift Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!

FREE Newsletter Sign up for the Men of Integrity Newsletter (All fields required)    RSS Feed   RSS Help