A searchable, downloadable PDF of the original review appears below. Harold W. Dawes is a member of St. Giles’ Presbyterian Church, Prince George BC.
Keep in Step with the Spirit. J.I. Packer, Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1984.
The announced intention of Packer’s book is not to write another book on the theology, role, or place of the Spirit to swell the already crowded shelves of books on the subject, but to provide a practical focus on the Spirit that would fulfill Paul’s injunction to the Christian to both walk (Galatians) and be filled (Ephesians) by the Spirit. I can admirably attest to the fact that Packer has achieved his goal by providing a theological and historical perspective. Having been motivated to read the book because of the most recent emphasis on the Holy Spirit coming from the Signs and Wonders teaching of John Wimber, I found Packer’s treatment an invaluable means to focus and challenge my understanding of the Holy Spirit, though the book predates the increasing awareness of the Signs and Wonders conferences.
The first three chapters of the book, entitled “Getting the Spirit in Focus,” “The Holy Spirit in the Bible,” and “Mapping the Spirit’s Path: The Way of Holiness,” give what I would call a theological focus on the Spirit. The first of these chapters is almost worth the price of the book alone because in it Packer examines four influential concepts around which the Spirit’s ministry has been organized: “power for living, performance in service, purity of motive and action, and presentation for decision.” Having demonstrated the inadequacies of each of these concepts, Packer discusses his view expressed in the word presence, whereby he means “that the Spirit makes known the personal presence in and with the Christian and the church of the risen, reigning Saviour, the Jesus of history, who is the Christ of faith.”
Chapter four, “Mapping the Spirit’s Path: Versions of Holiness,” provides the historical perspective where Packer examines the strengths and problems of Augustinian Holiness, Wesleyan Perfectionism and Keswick Teaching from the perspective of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. I find Packer’s approach particularly helpful in providing the very necessary focus that is required for reflecting on the many current views of the ministry of the Spirit. In chapters five and six, “Mapping the Spirit’s Path: The Charismatic Life” and “Mapping the Spirit’s Path: Interpreting the Charismatic Life,” Packer gives both a theological and an historical perspective of the relatively recent Charismatic movement. Packer gives a sympathetic assessment of the movement detailing both positive and negative aspects, and in the latter chapter argues for the very necessary task of retheologizing the charismatic experience of the ministry of the Spirit.
In the final chapter, “Come, Holy Spirit,” Packer re-emphasizes his concept of the Spirit manifesting the presence of Christ and appeals for a renewed honouring of the Spirit which would bring a genuine knowledge and experience of revival. As a practical (thus the extensive use of scripture references) and non-technical theological treatment of the Spirit, Packer’s book is a compelling challenge for the presence of the Spirit in our lives and in our churches.