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Quotes

Secondhand Learning About Jesus

Whatever else may be said about this state of affairs, it certainly makes it possible to learn a great deal secondhand about the practice of Christianity. Moreover, if one has been given a good bump of common sense one may frequently be able to use this learning to help floundering Christians of less stable temperament to regain their footing and develop a sense of proportion about their troubles, and in this way one may gain for oneself a reputation for being quite a pastor.

Yet one can have all this and hardly know God at all.
–J. I. Packer

Dr. Packer makes a great point that with all the information available to us from the Bible to the mass of Christian literature in the bookstores to the tons of websites about God and Christianity we can obtain much learning about God and His Word. But just gaining head knowledge about God does not mean you “know” God and have a personal, intimate, saving relationship with Him. And that is what you need.

I can know a lot about the President without knowing him personally.
I can know a lot about past historical people without ever knowing them personally.
And I can know a lot about Jesus without knowing Him personally – without ever making Him my Savior and my Lord.

Make sure that you aren’t one who knows about God but who doesn’t actually know God.
Ask someone who you know has a relationship with Him about how to start your own personal relationship with Him.