Keeping the Ten Commandments
Overview
In Keeping the Ten Commandments, Packer probes the purpose and meaning of the commandments, which he believes are often mistakenly viewed as a legalistic list of dos and don’ts. Under Packer’s guidance, readers discover that these precepts are God’s blueprints for the best life possible—containing the wisdom everyone needs for relational, spiritual, and societal blessing.
Delivered in brief, readable segments with discussion questions and ideas for further study at the end of each chapter, Keeping the Ten Commandments will challenge you to view the commandments with new eyes and appreciate the heritage of health and hope that they offer.
Save on this book and more from J.I. Packer with Crossway J.I. Packer Collection (10 vols.).
Key Features
- Presents a key work on the Christian life by renowned Bible scholar J.I. Packer
- Offers questions and suggested Scripture passages for further study
- Addresses contemporary, spiritual issues through a biblical lens
Contents
- The Way to Life
- Blueprint for Behavior
- I and You
- Law and Love
- The Lord Your God
- Who Comes First?
- Imagination
- Are You Serious?
- Take My Time
- God and the Family
- Life Is Sacred
- Sex Is Sacred
- Stop, Thief!
- Truth Is Sacred
- Be Content
- Learning from the Law
- The Cement of Society
Top Highlights
“Your god is what you love, seek, worship, serve, and allow to control you.” (Page 47)
“The ten directives, which embody the Creator’s intention for human life as such, are here presented as means of maintaining a redeemed relationship already given by grace.” (Page 31)
“Heart-loyalty is the soil out of which holy living grows.” (Page 48)
“Because Scripture calls God’s Ten Commandments ‘law’ we assume they are like the law of the land, a formal code of dos and don’ts, restricting personal freedom for the sake of public order. But the comparison is wrong. Torah (Hebrew for ‘law’) means the sort of instruction a good parent gives his child. Proverbs 1:8 and 6:20 actually use torah for parental teaching.” (Page 24)
“First, the Commandments show what sort of people God wants us to be” (Page 109)
Praise for the Print Edition
Packer is lucid, often illustrates well, and is orderly. A good brief discussion appears on what would be true for Christianity if Jesus had not risen. Packer also has good reasons Christians can validly believe that Jesus did rise. A number of other fine discussions are helpful, such as what heaven means, Christ’s public future coming, the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, bodily resurrection, everlasting life, baptism, baptism in the Spirit.
—James E. Rosscup, professor of Bible exposition, The Master’s Seminary
Maturity in the spiritual life, like its counterparts in the social and emotional realms, requires conscious effort. Renowned author J.I. Packer gives the benefit of his extended experiences in achieving growth in Christ. Don’t expect a book of doctrines that only theologians can understand. Packer clothes doctrine with practical everyday living applications.
—Glen H. Jones, Pulpit Helps
- Title: Keeping the Ten Commandments
- Author: J. I. Packer
- Publisher: Crossway
- Print Publication Date: 2007
- Logos Release Date: 2014
- Pages: 128
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Ten Commandments › Criticism, interpretation, etc
- Resource ID: LLS:KPNGTNCMMNDMNTS
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-10-18T18:37:15Z
J. I. Packer (1926–2020) is regarded as one of the most influential evangelicals in North America. He was Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, and his writings include books such as Knowing God, A Quest for Godliness, Growing in Christ (Crossway) and Rediscovering Holiness. He preached and lectured widely in Great Britain and North America and served as general editor of the English Standard Version of the Bible published in 2001, and theological editor of the Study Bible version. In 2014, Packer was named Author of the Year by the Association of Logos Bookstores. He was a frequent contributor to and an executive editor of Christianity Today and wrote numerous articles published in journals such as Churchman, SouthWestern Journal, Reformation Revival Journal and Touchstone. He received a BA, MA and PhD from Oxford University.