GROWING in CHRIST

J. I. PACKER

CROSSWAY BOOKS

a publishing ministry of

good news publishers

wheaton, illinois

Growing in Christ

Copyright 1994 by J. I. Packer

Published by Crossway Books

a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers

1300 Crescent Street

Wheaton, Illinois 60187

Published originally under the title I Want to Be a Christian

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law.

Biblical quotations, unless otherwise specified, are from the Revised Standard Version. JB is the Jerusalem Bible, NEB the New English Bible, and Phillips is J. B. Phillips.

Cover design: Georgia Bateman

Cover photo: iStock

First printing 1994

First printing new cover, 2007

ISBN 13: 978-1-58134-852-1

ISBN 10: 1-58134-852-5

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Packer, J. I. (James Innell)

Growing in Christ / J. I. Packer.

p. cm.

Originally published: I want to be a Christian. Wheaton, Ill. :

Tyndale House Publishers, c1977.

ISBN 13: 978-0-89107-794-7

ISBN 10: 0-89107-794-4

1. Apostles’ Creed. 2. Baptism. 3. Lord’s prayer. 4. Ten commandments. I. Title.

BT993.2.P33

1994

230—dc20

93-50566

To

Jim, Tom,

and Elisabeth

who by what they

are even more than

by what they say

share the strength they

have been given

Contents

Introduction

Part One

AFFIRMING THE ESSENTIALS:

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

Preface

1 I Believe in God

2 The God I Believe In

3 The Father Almighty

4 Almighty

5 Maker of Heaven and Earth

6 And in Jesus Christ

7 His Only Son

8 Born of the Virgin Mary

9 Suffered under Pontius Pilate

10 He Descended into Hell

11 The Third Day

12 He Ascended into Heaven

13 He Shall Come

14 I Believe in the Holy Spirit

15 The Holy Catholic Church

16 Forgiveness of Sins

17 Resurrection of the Body

18 The Life Everlasting

Part Two

ENTERING IN:

BAPTISM AND CONVERSION

Preface

1 The Lord’s Command

2 What the Sign Says

3 A Sacrament of Good News

4 Conversion and Baptism

5 Baptized in Jesus’ Name

6 Washing

7 United with Christ

8 Baptism and the Holy Spirit

9 Basic Christianity

10 Baptism and Infants

11 Baptism, Confirmation, Confession

12 Baptism and Body life

13 Baptism Improved

14 Third Birthday

Part Three

LEARNING TO PRAY:

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Preface

1 When You Pray

2 Pray Then Like This

3 Our Father

4 Which Art in Heaven

5 Hallowed Be Thy Name

6 Thy Kingdom Come

7 Thy Will Be Done

8 On Earth As It Is in Heaven

9 Our Daily Bread

10 Forgive Us

11 Not into Temptation

12 Deliver Us

13 From Evil

14 The Kingdom and the Power

15 And the Glory

16 Amen

Part Four

DESIGN FOR LIFE:

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Preface

1 Blueprint for Behavior

2 I and You

3 Law and Love

4 The Lord Your God

5 Who Comes First?

6 Imagination

7 Are You Serious?

8 Take My Time

9 God and the Family

10 Life Is Sacred

11 Sex Is Sacred...