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God Has Spoken, 3d ed.
Readers learn to apply Scripture to their own lives and understand what the Bible says about a healthy, well-functioning church.
174 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
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409 people want to read
About the author
J.I. Packer
446 books925 followersWhat do J. I. Packer, Billy Graham and Richard John Neuhaus have in common? Each was recently named by TIME magazine as among the 25 most influential evangelicals in America.
Dr. Packer, the Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College, was hailed by TIME as “a doctrinal Solomon” among Protestants. “Mediating debates on everything from a particular Bible translation to the acceptability of free-flowing Pentecostal spirituality, Packer helps unify a community [evangelicalism] that could easily fall victim to its internal tensions.”
Knowing God, Dr. Packer’s seminal 1973 work, was lauded as a book which articulated shared beliefs for members of diverse denominations; the TIME profile quotes Michael Cromartie of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington as saying, “conservative Methodists and Presbyterians and Baptists could all look to [Knowing God] and say, ‘This sums it all up for us.’”
In a similar tribute to Dr. Packer almost ten years ago, American theologian Mark Noll wrote in Christianity Today that, “Packer’s ability to address immensely important subjects in crisp, succinct sentences is one of the reasons why, both as an author and speaker, he has played such an important role among American evangelicals for four decades.”
For over 25 years Regent College students have been privileged to study under Dr. Packer’s clear and lucid teaching, and our faculty, staff and students celebrate the international recognition he rightly receives as a leading Christian thinker and teacher.
(https://www.regent-college.edu/facult...)
Dr. Packer, the Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College, was hailed by TIME as “a doctrinal Solomon” among Protestants. “Mediating debates on everything from a particular Bible translation to the acceptability of free-flowing Pentecostal spirituality, Packer helps unify a community [evangelicalism] that could easily fall victim to its internal tensions.”
Knowing God, Dr. Packer’s seminal 1973 work, was lauded as a book which articulated shared beliefs for members of diverse denominations; the TIME profile quotes Michael Cromartie of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington as saying, “conservative Methodists and Presbyterians and Baptists could all look to [Knowing God] and say, ‘This sums it all up for us.’”
In a similar tribute to Dr. Packer almost ten years ago, American theologian Mark Noll wrote in Christianity Today that, “Packer’s ability to address immensely important subjects in crisp, succinct sentences is one of the reasons why, both as an author and speaker, he has played such an important role among American evangelicals for four decades.”
For over 25 years Regent College students have been privileged to study under Dr. Packer’s clear and lucid teaching, and our faculty, staff and students celebrate the international recognition he rightly receives as a leading Christian thinker and teacher.
(https://www.regent-college.edu/facult...)
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June 2, 2021
This is an excellent book. Yes, it feels like a battlecry in a rearguard action - a tone Packer apologizes for in his forward to this edition (he probably didn't need to: I'm not sure we're really in a less defensive moment than he was in the mid-60s). Yes, it's enormously Anglican (but of course if you find yourself vaguely attached to the Church of England, as I do, that's a strength). Yes, the bulk of this book feels like it comes from the 1960s (which, of course, it does). But it is well written, it is rightly passionate, and it is theologically rich. So many good illustrations. So many quotable one liners that I'm planning to quote in the weeks ahead! So much meat! And for all that the presenting issue throughout is inspiration, this is a gem for what it says on hermeneutics, dual authorship, sufficiency, clarity, authority and necessity.
I started reading this years ago and got bored half way through; coming back to it, I'm astonished that I could be so dim. A classic.
I started reading this years ago and got bored half way through; coming back to it, I'm astonished that I could be so dim. A classic.
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August 12, 2022Packer writes in response (in 1979!) to a troubling uncertainty over the authority of Scripture. By rupturing the bond between revelation and Scripture, modern theologians have been the vanguard for the weakening of the church. In contrast is the historical, Reformed understanding of the revelation and inspiration of Scripture, which he thus explains and defends.
He argues that the Bible is God's verbal communication, through human writers. "It was more than natural insight, more even than spiritual enlightenment; it was a unique process whereby the human messenger was drawn into such complete identification with the message God had given him to deliver that what he said could be, and indeed had to be, treated as wholly divine" (65). A mysterious process, to be sure, but this explanation is just what the Scriptures internally testify of: both Old and New Testament writers understand the other's writings as but the word of the Lord, still speaking in the present ("the Holy Spirit [not said, but] says" (Heb. 3:7)).
Packer also defends other Protestant understandings of Scripture (the analogy of faith; the canon as recognized; Scripture's infallibility, inerrancy, and sufficiency) which he argues follow naturally from the foundation of inspired Scripture as God's verbal revelation. Packer doesn't spend as much time to argue these specific attributes, but I think that's okay, because his main defence of the inspiration of Scripture as God's revelation has stuck.
He argues that the Bible is God's verbal communication, through human writers. "It was more than natural insight, more even than spiritual enlightenment; it was a unique process whereby the human messenger was drawn into such complete identification with the message God had given him to deliver that what he said could be, and indeed had to be, treated as wholly divine" (65). A mysterious process, to be sure, but this explanation is just what the Scriptures internally testify of: both Old and New Testament writers understand the other's writings as but the word of the Lord, still speaking in the present ("the Holy Spirit [not said, but] says" (Heb. 3:7)).
Packer also defends other Protestant understandings of Scripture (the analogy of faith; the canon as recognized; Scripture's infallibility, inerrancy, and sufficiency) which he argues follow naturally from the foundation of inspired Scripture as God's verbal revelation. Packer doesn't spend as much time to argue these specific attributes, but I think that's okay, because his main defence of the inspiration of Scripture as God's revelation has stuck.
September 15, 2025
In this excellent and important book, JI Packer lays out perhaps his most detailed exposition of the doctrine of the Bible as God's inspired word, and in doing so, he has done the church a great service. This is especially the case if you are a reformed and evangelical Anglican like I am, but any Christian with a high view of scripture will be enriched theologically and doxologically by reading this. For any Christians with a non-evangelical view of scripture, you may find yourself persuaded to see things differently!
Packer begins by looking at the discipline of Biblical textual criticism. While acknowledging that critical study has done much to enrich our understanding of the biblical text, a serious problem arises when it drives "a wedge between the living God in His revelation and the written word of the Bible." This tendency leads to several consequent problems. The first is that it undermines preaching as "all one can do then is purvey from the pulpit either church teaching or else one's own private opinions." Other problems are that it undercuts teaching (as church leaders are left unsure what to inculcate as Christian truth), it weakens faith, discourages lay Bible reading, and lastly, it hides Christ from view.
He then sets the scene by outlining the main points in a reformational understanding of scripture, as documented in the Protestant formularies and with a particular focus on the 39 Articles, Homilies and Book of Common Prayer. The main headings he highlights are the fact of the inspiration of scripture as the word of God, the authority of scripture as a rule of life and faith, and our dependence upon scripture as a means of grace.
He ends this initial section of the book with a call to action: "We cannot recall the Holy Spirit and revive God's work among us by our own action: to quicken us again is God's prerogative, and His alone. But we can at least take out of the way the stumbling-stones over which we have fallen. We can set ourselves to rethink the doctrines of revelation and inspiration in a way that, while not refusing the light which modern study has thrown on the human aspects of the scriptures, cultural, linguistic, historical, and so forth, will eliminate its scepticism about their divinity and eternal truth. No task, surely, is more urgent."
Packer then goes on to consider God's word as spoken, explaining that revelation is a divine activity; that it is verbal in form; and that it is cumulative. He examines each of these points in turn.
Regarding revelation as a divine activity, Packer points out that it is therefore not a human achievement, discovery or the dawning of insight; that it is not man finding God but God finding man and showing us himself; that God is the agent as well as the object in revelation; and that in the Bible we have a message from God "to which all people in all ages are summoned to listen and to respond." In unpacking this, Packer explains that revelation is both personal and propositional: "To deny that revelation is propositional in order to emphasise its personal character is like trying to safeguard the truth that cricket is played with a bat by denying that it is played with a ball. The denial undercuts the assertion." In short, saying that revelation is non-propositional is to depersonalise it: "To maintain that we may know God without God actually speaking to us in words is really to deny that God is personal, or at any rate that knowing Him is a truly personal relationship...We only truly honour the God who has spoken to us in His Son to us blind sinners by listening humbly, teachably, and without interrupting, to what He has to say, and by believing, on His authority, all that He is pleased to tell us - about revelation, no less than any other subject."
Next, Packer considers the fact that revelation is a verbal activity - 'God spoke.' This is meant literally and is not a metaphor: "The writer means, quite simply, that God has communicated with man by means of significant utterances...spoken either in His own person or on His behalf by His own appointed messengers and instructors." While the psychology of prophetic inspiration is a mystery to us, we can be clear that is not mere natural insight or spiritual enlightenment, but rather "it was a unique process whereby the human messenger was drawn into such complete identification with the message God had given him to deliver that what he said could be, and indeed had to be, treated as wholly divine." As an aside, he also addresses the sense in which the OT law is still binding on Christians today, "It is in this sense - that is, as witnesses to abiding principles and obligations - that these sections of the Old Testament law abide in force." Very helpful! Even in the Gospels, as we see the Word made flesh, the principle of verbal revelation still holds: "This is richer revelation that words alone could ever give, yet the centrality of verbal revelation remains, and it is precisely to the divine words that the Gospel calls us to respond...if there is no verbal revelation, there is no revelation at all, not even in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth." Finally, in this section, Packer looks at revelation as cumulative. While we can contrast earlier revelation with its culmination in Jesus Christ, "It is the contrast, not between crude and refined, primitive and evolved, partly false and wholly true, but between promises and their fulfilment, types and the antitype, shadows and substance, incompleteness and perfection."
Packer moves on to consider the 'broad church' or liberal tradition, which he characterises as "Renaissance theology." By this Packer means that it is "characteristically rationalistic, anti-dogmatic, and agnostic in temper, ethical and humanitarian in its interests, and ready to hail almost any kind of religious outlook and belief about God...as having in it the substance of Christian faith, so long as it recognises the absoluteness of Christian moral values." In the years since Packer wrote this book, even that stop has failed in favour of taste, preference, and the concerns of wider society. This will have come as no surprise to Packer, however, who further outlines some characteristics of this way of thinking:
"First, these positions are all subjectivist in character - that is, they all depend on denying at some point the correlation between Scripture and faith, biblical revelation and inward illumination, the Spirit in the Scriptures and the Spirit in the heart, and on appealing to the latter to justify forsaking the former. In other words, one only reaches them by backing at some point one's private view of what the Bible is, or should be, driving against what it actually says, and jettisoning in practice part of what it teaches in order to maintain this private opinion."
"Second, these positions are all unstable, for they recognise no objective criterion of truth, nor method for establishing it, save the more or less speculative reasoning of individual theologians."
"Third, so far as they fail to uphold the authority of the Spirit in the Scriptures over the Spirit in the theologian, and deviate from the task of expounding and applying what the Bible actually says, these positions are really sub-Christian."
Next, Packer points out that we should not view the Bible statically, but dynamically. In other words, it is not merely what God said a long time ago to people in general but what he still says to individuals today. This is also a trinitarian doctrine as God the Father is the giver, God the Son the subject, and God the Holy Spirit the author, authenticator, and interpreter of the Bible. Further, having this view of Biblical inspiration helps us avoid several problems. The first concerns the nature of Biblical authority, as we are to understand and apply scripture rather than censure or correct it. Second, it helps us understand how we are to interpret the Bible and extract its teaching from it. This involves three distinct activities (exegesis, synthesis and application), embodies the principle that Scripture is self-consistent. In a super sentence, typical of Packer, he summarises the central themes of the Bible as "the kingdom, people, and covenant of God, and the person, place, work, and glory, of the Lord Jesus Christ; the achieving, and applying of redemption; the law and the Gospel." The third problem we avoid relates to the sufficiency of Scripture: Scripture is our final authority, over and against both tradition and human reason ("The Church no more gave us the New Testament canon than Sir Isaac Newton gave us the force of gravity.")
Finally, Packer turns to consider God's word as heard. He begins by explaining that "Hear, in its full biblical sense, implies attention, assent and application to oneself of the things learned; it means listening with a firm purpose to obey, and then doing as God's Word proves to require." Practically, a life of godliness depends on a life of hearing God's word, and Packer calls us to consider three aspects of it. The first is that "it is a life of faith in God's promises. Faith...is not...a leap in the dark, but rather a step in the light, whereby (to extend the metaphor) one puts one's whole weight on the firm ground of God's unshakeable promises." This links back directly to Packers' earlier assertions about the Bible as God's word, as if we cannot be sure that scripture's words are God's words, then we cannot be sure that He has actually made any of the promises ascribed to him in scripture.
Second, this life of godliness "involves obedience to God's laws. The Anglican view of the Bible is that it is a supremely practical book, not only leading us to know God through meeting Jesus Christ, but also giving us rules and maxims for bringing the whole of our life into line with God's will...But it is important to be clear as to what sort of rule for life it is. Its moral teaching is not a code of isolated externals, a Pharisaic formalism, but a connected series of principles and ideals, deriving directly from the revealed nature of God as His purpose for mankind, and calling for right motives as well as right types of action. The biblical law of God requires us to be persons of a certain kind, as well as to do things of a certain kind; and the biblical concept of love embraces both sides of the ideal." Thirdly and finally, "genuine godliness is always marked by delight in God's truth."
Packer modestly concludes by saying that his book is offered as a tract rather than a treatise, a mental and spiritual preparation and incentive to study the Bible for ourselves. Questions of the value and dangers of textual criticism, what it means for the Bible to be authoritative and inerrant, and what the practical consequences are for our walk of faith if we hold to these doctrines or not, are all timeless questions that Christians need to grapple with. Dr Packer did the church a great service in writing this book, and I recommend it unreservedly.
Packer begins by looking at the discipline of Biblical textual criticism. While acknowledging that critical study has done much to enrich our understanding of the biblical text, a serious problem arises when it drives "a wedge between the living God in His revelation and the written word of the Bible." This tendency leads to several consequent problems. The first is that it undermines preaching as "all one can do then is purvey from the pulpit either church teaching or else one's own private opinions." Other problems are that it undercuts teaching (as church leaders are left unsure what to inculcate as Christian truth), it weakens faith, discourages lay Bible reading, and lastly, it hides Christ from view.
He then sets the scene by outlining the main points in a reformational understanding of scripture, as documented in the Protestant formularies and with a particular focus on the 39 Articles, Homilies and Book of Common Prayer. The main headings he highlights are the fact of the inspiration of scripture as the word of God, the authority of scripture as a rule of life and faith, and our dependence upon scripture as a means of grace.
He ends this initial section of the book with a call to action: "We cannot recall the Holy Spirit and revive God's work among us by our own action: to quicken us again is God's prerogative, and His alone. But we can at least take out of the way the stumbling-stones over which we have fallen. We can set ourselves to rethink the doctrines of revelation and inspiration in a way that, while not refusing the light which modern study has thrown on the human aspects of the scriptures, cultural, linguistic, historical, and so forth, will eliminate its scepticism about their divinity and eternal truth. No task, surely, is more urgent."
Packer then goes on to consider God's word as spoken, explaining that revelation is a divine activity; that it is verbal in form; and that it is cumulative. He examines each of these points in turn.
Regarding revelation as a divine activity, Packer points out that it is therefore not a human achievement, discovery or the dawning of insight; that it is not man finding God but God finding man and showing us himself; that God is the agent as well as the object in revelation; and that in the Bible we have a message from God "to which all people in all ages are summoned to listen and to respond." In unpacking this, Packer explains that revelation is both personal and propositional: "To deny that revelation is propositional in order to emphasise its personal character is like trying to safeguard the truth that cricket is played with a bat by denying that it is played with a ball. The denial undercuts the assertion." In short, saying that revelation is non-propositional is to depersonalise it: "To maintain that we may know God without God actually speaking to us in words is really to deny that God is personal, or at any rate that knowing Him is a truly personal relationship...We only truly honour the God who has spoken to us in His Son to us blind sinners by listening humbly, teachably, and without interrupting, to what He has to say, and by believing, on His authority, all that He is pleased to tell us - about revelation, no less than any other subject."
Next, Packer considers the fact that revelation is a verbal activity - 'God spoke.' This is meant literally and is not a metaphor: "The writer means, quite simply, that God has communicated with man by means of significant utterances...spoken either in His own person or on His behalf by His own appointed messengers and instructors." While the psychology of prophetic inspiration is a mystery to us, we can be clear that is not mere natural insight or spiritual enlightenment, but rather "it was a unique process whereby the human messenger was drawn into such complete identification with the message God had given him to deliver that what he said could be, and indeed had to be, treated as wholly divine." As an aside, he also addresses the sense in which the OT law is still binding on Christians today, "It is in this sense - that is, as witnesses to abiding principles and obligations - that these sections of the Old Testament law abide in force." Very helpful! Even in the Gospels, as we see the Word made flesh, the principle of verbal revelation still holds: "This is richer revelation that words alone could ever give, yet the centrality of verbal revelation remains, and it is precisely to the divine words that the Gospel calls us to respond...if there is no verbal revelation, there is no revelation at all, not even in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth." Finally, in this section, Packer looks at revelation as cumulative. While we can contrast earlier revelation with its culmination in Jesus Christ, "It is the contrast, not between crude and refined, primitive and evolved, partly false and wholly true, but between promises and their fulfilment, types and the antitype, shadows and substance, incompleteness and perfection."
Packer moves on to consider the 'broad church' or liberal tradition, which he characterises as "Renaissance theology." By this Packer means that it is "characteristically rationalistic, anti-dogmatic, and agnostic in temper, ethical and humanitarian in its interests, and ready to hail almost any kind of religious outlook and belief about God...as having in it the substance of Christian faith, so long as it recognises the absoluteness of Christian moral values." In the years since Packer wrote this book, even that stop has failed in favour of taste, preference, and the concerns of wider society. This will have come as no surprise to Packer, however, who further outlines some characteristics of this way of thinking:
"First, these positions are all subjectivist in character - that is, they all depend on denying at some point the correlation between Scripture and faith, biblical revelation and inward illumination, the Spirit in the Scriptures and the Spirit in the heart, and on appealing to the latter to justify forsaking the former. In other words, one only reaches them by backing at some point one's private view of what the Bible is, or should be, driving against what it actually says, and jettisoning in practice part of what it teaches in order to maintain this private opinion."
"Second, these positions are all unstable, for they recognise no objective criterion of truth, nor method for establishing it, save the more or less speculative reasoning of individual theologians."
"Third, so far as they fail to uphold the authority of the Spirit in the Scriptures over the Spirit in the theologian, and deviate from the task of expounding and applying what the Bible actually says, these positions are really sub-Christian."
Next, Packer points out that we should not view the Bible statically, but dynamically. In other words, it is not merely what God said a long time ago to people in general but what he still says to individuals today. This is also a trinitarian doctrine as God the Father is the giver, God the Son the subject, and God the Holy Spirit the author, authenticator, and interpreter of the Bible. Further, having this view of Biblical inspiration helps us avoid several problems. The first concerns the nature of Biblical authority, as we are to understand and apply scripture rather than censure or correct it. Second, it helps us understand how we are to interpret the Bible and extract its teaching from it. This involves three distinct activities (exegesis, synthesis and application), embodies the principle that Scripture is self-consistent. In a super sentence, typical of Packer, he summarises the central themes of the Bible as "the kingdom, people, and covenant of God, and the person, place, work, and glory, of the Lord Jesus Christ; the achieving, and applying of redemption; the law and the Gospel." The third problem we avoid relates to the sufficiency of Scripture: Scripture is our final authority, over and against both tradition and human reason ("The Church no more gave us the New Testament canon than Sir Isaac Newton gave us the force of gravity.")
Finally, Packer turns to consider God's word as heard. He begins by explaining that "Hear, in its full biblical sense, implies attention, assent and application to oneself of the things learned; it means listening with a firm purpose to obey, and then doing as God's Word proves to require." Practically, a life of godliness depends on a life of hearing God's word, and Packer calls us to consider three aspects of it. The first is that "it is a life of faith in God's promises. Faith...is not...a leap in the dark, but rather a step in the light, whereby (to extend the metaphor) one puts one's whole weight on the firm ground of God's unshakeable promises." This links back directly to Packers' earlier assertions about the Bible as God's word, as if we cannot be sure that scripture's words are God's words, then we cannot be sure that He has actually made any of the promises ascribed to him in scripture.
Second, this life of godliness "involves obedience to God's laws. The Anglican view of the Bible is that it is a supremely practical book, not only leading us to know God through meeting Jesus Christ, but also giving us rules and maxims for bringing the whole of our life into line with God's will...But it is important to be clear as to what sort of rule for life it is. Its moral teaching is not a code of isolated externals, a Pharisaic formalism, but a connected series of principles and ideals, deriving directly from the revealed nature of God as His purpose for mankind, and calling for right motives as well as right types of action. The biblical law of God requires us to be persons of a certain kind, as well as to do things of a certain kind; and the biblical concept of love embraces both sides of the ideal." Thirdly and finally, "genuine godliness is always marked by delight in God's truth."
Packer modestly concludes by saying that his book is offered as a tract rather than a treatise, a mental and spiritual preparation and incentive to study the Bible for ourselves. Questions of the value and dangers of textual criticism, what it means for the Bible to be authoritative and inerrant, and what the practical consequences are for our walk of faith if we hold to these doctrines or not, are all timeless questions that Christians need to grapple with. Dr Packer did the church a great service in writing this book, and I recommend it unreservedly.
January 6, 2025
A beautifully written little book. J.I. Packer has a style of writing that is a joy to experience as he brilliantly explores a topic that is so well known to many. The depth with which he considers arguments and counter-arguments is genuinely encouraging to ones confidence in God's word. If you have been a Christian for any period of time, you are unlikely to come across any brand new concepts in this book but a sincere reading of it will leave you enthused to delve into God's word with renewed confidence in it's truth, it's worth, and it's power.
December 20, 2023
A solidly Reformed approach to understanding the doctrine of special revelation and inscripturation, complete with nods to Van Til and use of Reformed Confessions, although I would have liked to see the Belgic Confession used.
December 19, 2022
Clear and helpful arguments supporting the inerrancy of the Bible, from an Anglican viewpoint, supported by scripture and the 39 Articles
December 6, 2017
What I liked:
- Packer is a faithful God-fearing man, and it comes through in his writing.
- At many points, he very ably unfolds various aspects of the doctrine of revelation which are very useful.
What I thought was lacking:
- The big issue with the topic of revelation, in my opinion, is the nature of faith. As Christians, we unashamedly take the Bible as our ultimate epistemic authority. I think any handling of the doctrine of revelation needs to handle both the nature of this faith-commitment, and the epistemic problems faced by those who do not. Packer touches on these matters here and there, but he does not seem to be self-conscious about it nor thorough. For this reason, this book does not engage his opponents well. It does not set forth fully the nature of his own position, and it does not destroy the foundations of theirs. If the book did that, it would probably be the best one available on the topic.
- Packer is a faithful God-fearing man, and it comes through in his writing.
- At many points, he very ably unfolds various aspects of the doctrine of revelation which are very useful.
What I thought was lacking:
- The big issue with the topic of revelation, in my opinion, is the nature of faith. As Christians, we unashamedly take the Bible as our ultimate epistemic authority. I think any handling of the doctrine of revelation needs to handle both the nature of this faith-commitment, and the epistemic problems faced by those who do not. Packer touches on these matters here and there, but he does not seem to be self-conscious about it nor thorough. For this reason, this book does not engage his opponents well. It does not set forth fully the nature of his own position, and it does not destroy the foundations of theirs. If the book did that, it would probably be the best one available on the topic.
April 25, 2018
This is a well-written book defending the inspiration, infallibility, inerrancy, and authority of Scripture against the pervasive theological liberalism of Packer's youth. It's also a balanced riposte to the onset of evangelical apathy towards the sufficiency and beauty of Scripture. The book can be dry at times, and is not nearly as engaging as his classic "Knowing God", but there are moments where Packer's warmth still comes through. For example, this paragraph about the purpose of God:
He also shows that the canon is not a product of the church, but rather a product of God, to be discovered and witnessed by the church. Overall, though I would not say that this book is for everyone. I think that anyone who is encountering ideas like "historical criticism", or Rob Bell's brand of "Love Wins" theology, or who might be in doubt about whether the words of the Bible are really the very words breathed out by God, will find in this book a helpful defense.
The truly staggering answer which the Bible gives to this question is that God's purpose in revelation is to make friends with us. It was to this end that He created us rational beings, bearing his image, able to think and hear and speak and love; He wanted there to be genuine personal affection and friendship, two-sided, between Himself and us—a relation, not like that between a man and his dog, but like that of a father to his son, or a husband to his wife. Loving friendship between two persons has no ulterior motive; it is an end in itself. And this is God's end in revelation. He speaks to us simply to fulfill that purpose for which we were made; that is, to bring to being a relationship in which He is a friend to us, and we to Him, He finding His joy in giving us gifts and we finding ours in giving Him thanks.
He also shows that the canon is not a product of the church, but rather a product of God, to be discovered and witnessed by the church. Overall, though I would not say that this book is for everyone. I think that anyone who is encountering ideas like "historical criticism", or Rob Bell's brand of "Love Wins" theology, or who might be in doubt about whether the words of the Bible are really the very words breathed out by God, will find in this book a helpful defense.
December 23, 2020
I love Packer's writing just as much as his theology. In this short book, he offers a defense of inerrancy and infallibility, largely from Hebrews 1:1-2. He addresses the positions of Catholicism, neo-orthodoxy, modern critical scholarship, and charismatics (he calls them the Anabaptist sect), and contrast them with the historic, Reformed (he argues Anglican) perspective. The book concludes with the Chicago statement on inerrancy from 1978.
This quote is worth the price of admission: “Holy Scripture should be thought of as God preaching—God preaching to me every time I read or hear any part of it—God the Father preaching God the Son in the power of God the Holy Ghost. God the Father is the giver of Holy Scripture; God the Son is the theme of Holy Scripture; and God the Spirit as the Father’s appointed agent in witnessing to the Son, is the author, authenticator, and interpreter, of Holy Scripture.”
This quote is worth the price of admission: “Holy Scripture should be thought of as God preaching—God preaching to me every time I read or hear any part of it—God the Father preaching God the Son in the power of God the Holy Ghost. God the Father is the giver of Holy Scripture; God the Son is the theme of Holy Scripture; and God the Spirit as the Father’s appointed agent in witnessing to the Son, is the author, authenticator, and interpreter, of Holy Scripture.”
March 7, 2025
Forgotten Treasure: Making What We Thought was “Irrelevant”, Relevant.
I liked this book by J.I. Packer because it caused me to comprehend that the Bible is indeed God speaking to us. It is harmful to ourselves if we cast off the word as irrelevant. They are the voice of God seeking our friendship and lifelong commitment. God is the one who took the initiative to reveal love to us and seeks our response.
I recommend J.I. Packers book, God Has Spoken, to everyone who has lost their hope in this world. I also encourage people to read it and understand why different people have different views of the Bible. Consider, and discover this hidden treasure. It will transform your life if you’re willing and respond.
I gave five stars because J.I. packer is able to put complex philosophical and theological concepts into understandable words.
I liked this book by J.I. Packer because it caused me to comprehend that the Bible is indeed God speaking to us. It is harmful to ourselves if we cast off the word as irrelevant. They are the voice of God seeking our friendship and lifelong commitment. God is the one who took the initiative to reveal love to us and seeks our response.
I recommend J.I. Packers book, God Has Spoken, to everyone who has lost their hope in this world. I also encourage people to read it and understand why different people have different views of the Bible. Consider, and discover this hidden treasure. It will transform your life if you’re willing and respond.
I gave five stars because J.I. packer is able to put complex philosophical and theological concepts into understandable words.
November 1, 2025
Excellent exhortation on the reliability of Scripture and its central place in the life of the Christian. Packer can speak for himself:
“The comfort of knowing that every one of God's ‘very great and precious promises’ (2 Pet. 1:4) in Holy Scripture is ‘yes’ in Christ for me (cf. 2 Cor. 1:20) is as unspeakable as is the misery of not knowing this in times of hardship, loneliness, and depression. But such is the state to which those who deny the biblical doctrine of inspiration sentence themselves; for if we cannot be sure that what Scripture says, God says, we cannot be sure that he has actually made any of the promises which Scripture ascribes to him. (Indeed if we deny that revelation is propositional, we make it quite certain that he has not. A God who uses no words cannot make any promises).”
“The comfort of knowing that every one of God's ‘very great and precious promises’ (2 Pet. 1:4) in Holy Scripture is ‘yes’ in Christ for me (cf. 2 Cor. 1:20) is as unspeakable as is the misery of not knowing this in times of hardship, loneliness, and depression. But such is the state to which those who deny the biblical doctrine of inspiration sentence themselves; for if we cannot be sure that what Scripture says, God says, we cannot be sure that he has actually made any of the promises which Scripture ascribes to him. (Indeed if we deny that revelation is propositional, we make it quite certain that he has not. A God who uses no words cannot make any promises).”
July 30, 2025
This book is a solid introduction to the doctrines of biblical inspiration, inerrancy, and infallibility. Written to address biblical liberalism of the early 20th century, this book faces the same issue as C.S. Lewis’ “Mere Christianity:” it is written with an assumption about the audiences cultural, theological, and philosophical preconceptions which are actually changing in every generation. This makes the book feel dated in spots, though the children and grandchildren of these ideologies are around now and still resemble their parents in many respects.
One thing that does transcend generations in this work is Packer’s theological work on the fundamental doctrines of biblical authority which he explains clearly and well.
One thing that does transcend generations in this work is Packer’s theological work on the fundamental doctrines of biblical authority which he explains clearly and well.
March 23, 2018
I've read a couple of other books by J.I. Packer, so I had some idea of what to expect. This is an updated version of a book originally written in 1979, and is primarily about Christian scripture.
As with the previous books I had read by J.I. Packer, this was not an easy book, quite densely written, so while I enjoyed reading it, I didn't exactly remember that much about what I read; I just tried to take away a few key points, mostly about the authenticity of all Bible scripture.
It's not a great book for people new to Christianity, but nevertheless it was very well-written, and showed the extent of its author's knowledge.
As with the previous books I had read by J.I. Packer, this was not an easy book, quite densely written, so while I enjoyed reading it, I didn't exactly remember that much about what I read; I just tried to take away a few key points, mostly about the authenticity of all Bible scripture.
It's not a great book for people new to Christianity, but nevertheless it was very well-written, and showed the extent of its author's knowledge.
April 8, 2020
As is usual, Packer clearly and wisely sets forth the doctrines of Inspiration, Inerrancy, Infallibility, and sufficiency from a, particularly Anglican perspective. This book was unique in that Packer argues that the Anglican tradition, and Christianity as a whole, is centered and founded upon God's special revelation of Himself through the Scriptures. The end appendix included the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, well-placed at the end of a book by one of its framers. While this book is geared mainly towards Anglicans, it is of great use for all evangelicals- those who can meaningfully identify as Bible-believing Christians.
August 20, 2025
Decent enough book. Nothing groundbreaking but still helpful. The best paragraph was this:
‘the decisive qualification is not academic scholarship, but rather a praying, humble, teachable heart. The rule that applies is that to him that hath shall be given: it is only as we obey God up to the limit of our present insight into His will that our insight will be deepened and our vision enlarged. Live by the light you have as to the bearing of Scripture on your life, and you shall have more light; neglect the light you have, and you will actually darken it, so that in the outcome you will have less. This solemn alternative faces every Christian every day of his life.’
‘the decisive qualification is not academic scholarship, but rather a praying, humble, teachable heart. The rule that applies is that to him that hath shall be given: it is only as we obey God up to the limit of our present insight into His will that our insight will be deepened and our vision enlarged. Live by the light you have as to the bearing of Scripture on your life, and you shall have more light; neglect the light you have, and you will actually darken it, so that in the outcome you will have less. This solemn alternative faces every Christian every day of his life.’
February 12, 2018
Important thoughts and cultural critique on how we look at the word of God. It could easily have been written in this decade instead of fifty years ago.(There really is nothing new - some of his critiques brought current teachers of false doctrine to mind.)
Read, be reminded, and act upon this needed exhortation!
*Note: Much mention is given to “the Anglican view” since Packer obviously is coming from that church and point of view. I felt like the book would have been just as compelling without this particular denomination being so oft mentioned, but it wasn’t a spoiler for me.
Read, be reminded, and act upon this needed exhortation!
*Note: Much mention is given to “the Anglican view” since Packer obviously is coming from that church and point of view. I felt like the book would have been just as compelling without this particular denomination being so oft mentioned, but it wasn’t a spoiler for me.
March 15, 2023
Packer writes from an Anglican perspective, but this work is one the best works on the Protestant and Evangelical (biblical) doctrine of Scripture. He begins by noting the famine of the Word of God in modern evangelicalism despite a plethora of biblical studies and says (rightly) that the direct cause is the modern critical view of Scripture. The rest of the book is thus a corrective to that erroneous view.
November 4, 2025
*3.5
Very helpful for displaying the vital truth that God has revealed Himself in His Word and what that means and doesn't mean! He touches on Infallibility, inerrancy, interpretation, application, synthesis etc and I found it very thought through and Biblical!
Last two chapters were especially good!
I found it a bit too Anglican-centric and difficult at times to track exactly what he was saying as a lay-person but overall very good!
Very helpful for displaying the vital truth that God has revealed Himself in His Word and what that means and doesn't mean! He touches on Infallibility, inerrancy, interpretation, application, synthesis etc and I found it very thought through and Biblical!
Last two chapters were especially good!
I found it a bit too Anglican-centric and difficult at times to track exactly what he was saying as a lay-person but overall very good!
October 19, 2021
Very good look at revelation from someone expert at explaining technical concepts clearly. The battle of the Bible may have been "won" by the inerrantists in the '60s and 7'0s, but don't think these issues aren't still important. This is an evergreen issue, unfortunately, and kudos to Crossway for reissuing this important work (in hardcover!).
December 20, 2023
This outstanding book establishes the truth that the Bible is indeed God’s written word and draws out its implications.
April 27, 2020
Solid treatment of the authority and inerrancy of scripture. It’s a little dated and has a lot about Anglicanism in particular. But he indicates as much in the preface.
December 31, 2015
Originally published in 1963, the content of this book shows some signs of age. Packer acknowledges that this book was shaped by its historical context and what he saw as its immediate concerns. Also, again as Packer notes, this book also responds from Packer's Anglican context and so refers the reader to a the Westminster Confession.
Nevertheless, Packer is a lucid writer who has the ability to make difficult concepts comprehensible to the laity. This book offers either a good refresher or an introduction to an evangelical perspective on the nature of revelation and scripture. Moreover, he cautions against the kind of bibliolatry that characterizes some of those on the extreme end of the spectrum of sola scriptura and infallibility.
The book is divided into the danger of losing the word, and then turns to the nature of revelation as spoken word, the written word, and heard word.
As always, I find Packer's writing to refresh my Spirit and remind me of the essentials of theology, especially as theology witnesses to Christ and draws us into relation to Him.
Packer always begins his lectures with a reminder that "Theology is for Doxology." All theology should be able to be sung and/or turned into praise.
For a more thorough reflection on this books see my blog www.popchrist.com
Nevertheless, Packer is a lucid writer who has the ability to make difficult concepts comprehensible to the laity. This book offers either a good refresher or an introduction to an evangelical perspective on the nature of revelation and scripture. Moreover, he cautions against the kind of bibliolatry that characterizes some of those on the extreme end of the spectrum of sola scriptura and infallibility.
The book is divided into the danger of losing the word, and then turns to the nature of revelation as spoken word, the written word, and heard word.
As always, I find Packer's writing to refresh my Spirit and remind me of the essentials of theology, especially as theology witnesses to Christ and draws us into relation to Him.
Packer always begins his lectures with a reminder that "Theology is for Doxology." All theology should be able to be sung and/or turned into praise.
For a more thorough reflection on this books see my blog www.popchrist.com
February 15, 2014
This book is most certainly a book written by an Anglican, for Anglicans, but there definitely is benefit for low-churchmen like myself to listen in on the in-house debate.
J.I. Packer summarises some of the current discussions within the Anglican communion regarding the inerrancy, infallibility and most of all the authority of Scripture, and gives his own conservative view in an apologetic/polemic manner.
I enjoyed reading it, particularly his section on the canon of scripture. One of my favourite quotes: "The church no more gave us the New Testament canon than Sir Isaac Newton gave us the force of gravity. God gave us gravity, by his work of creation, and similarly he gave us the New Testament canon, by inspiring the individual books that make it up."
J.I. Packer summarises some of the current discussions within the Anglican communion regarding the inerrancy, infallibility and most of all the authority of Scripture, and gives his own conservative view in an apologetic/polemic manner.
I enjoyed reading it, particularly his section on the canon of scripture. One of my favourite quotes: "The church no more gave us the New Testament canon than Sir Isaac Newton gave us the force of gravity. God gave us gravity, by his work of creation, and similarly he gave us the New Testament canon, by inspiring the individual books that make it up."
November 29, 2023
Appreciated this most for it's clear articulation of the orthodox view of biblical inspiration and authority. Some of his lines are very quotable.
At a few points I left with questions unanswered. Not disagreeing, just not with enough to settle my questions. At times I did fell he overstated his point for the sake of simplicity or clarity. My only other note would be that some of his arguments take feel dated, and might be skipped where he engages arguments of past decades.
At a few points I left with questions unanswered. Not disagreeing, just not with enough to settle my questions. At times I did fell he overstated his point for the sake of simplicity or clarity. My only other note would be that some of his arguments take feel dated, and might be skipped where he engages arguments of past decades.
November 14, 2013
Superb book. J.I Packer is very insightful and makes a very good case not only for the authority of scripture but also of revelation and the means by which scripture is revealed. I would highly recommend this book especially because of his highly apologetic approach to the issues at hand.
September 26, 2020
Excellent overview regarding a number of issues pertaining to the inspiration, authority and sufficiency of the Bible. Although targeted to the Anglican denomination, there is plenty of helpful insights for anyone in or outside of the Anglican tradition.
June 30, 2009
I read this book for a Sunday School class during my years in grad school. It's a good exposition of how Protestant Christians treat and understand the Bible.
October 26, 2014
I enjoyed reading this book. In this day and age, a periodic reading of a book that defines and defends the doctrine of inspired scripture is a must. This is a fine example of just such a book.
August 6, 2015
An excellent sequel to Knowing God. I now appreciate Anglican liturgy. A good text for a sampling of Biblical Theology and how accurate study draws us closer to God.
October 2, 2016
Great book but very theological.
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