Growing in Christ

Growing in Christ emerged from J. I. Packer's decades of pastoral observation that many Christians, while secure in their justification, remained stunted in their actual spiritual development. Writing in the 1990s as a senior Reformed theologian, Packer addressed what he saw as a widespread confusion about sanctification—the process by which believers are transformed into Christ's likeness. The work consolidates his teaching on spiritual formation within a robustly evangelical framework, challenging both antinomian tendencies that minimize moral effort and legalistic approaches that obscure grace.

Packer argues that sanctification is neither automatic nor achieved through human willpower alone, but requires active cooperation with the Holy Spirit's transforming work. He grounds this cooperation in union with Christ, showing how believers participate in Christ's death and resurrection through daily repentance and faith. The book systematically addresses the means of grace—Scripture, prayer, fellowship, and the sacraments—as channels through which God effects spiritual growth. Packer emphasizes that maturity involves both moral transformation and deepening communion with God, rejecting any separation between behavioral change and relational intimacy with Christ. Throughout, he maintains that sanctification serves glorification, preparing believers for their eternal destiny while enhancing their present usefulness in God's kingdom.

Growing in Christ has remained influential because it provides theological clarity on contested issues within evangelicalism while maintaining practical accessibility. Packer's integration of Reformed theology with spiritual formation has shaped pastoral ministry and discipleship programs across denominational lines. His emphasis on both divine sovereignty and human responsibility in sanctification continues to offer a middle path between extremes that either paralyze or exhaust believers.

Who should read this: Christians seeking theological grounding for their spiritual formation, pastors designing discipleship curricula, and anyone confused about the relationship between grace and effort in Christian growth. This book is less suitable for those seeking primarily experiential or mystical approaches to spirituality, or readers uncomfortable with Reformed theological categories.