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Knowing God

By on in Theology

Today I completed the classic book Knowing God by J.I. Packer. It is 360 pages in length and in three parts about knowing the Lord, beholding God, and the recognition that God is for us. What follows is a review of the book. This book is about the wonder and joy of knowing God.

Introduction

J.I. Packer’s Knowing God serves as both a theological exploration and a heartfelt call to a deeper, more personal relationship with the Creator. Written with clarity and conviction, the book bridges the gap between doctrine and devotion, addressing the modern Christian’s need for both intellectual understanding and experiential knowledge of God. Packer’s central purpose is to guide readers toward a more profound realization that true life and joy are found in knowing God as He has revealed Himself in Scripture. He challenges the prevailing tendency to reduce God to abstract concepts or to approach Him superficially, instead urging believers to seek Him with reverence, faith, and a deep hunger for truth.

Packer’s purpose goes beyond simply conveying accurate theology; it is deeply pastoral. Knowing God involves more than just understanding doctrines; it is about having a transformative encounter with the living God. The book helps readers to appreciate the beauty, majesty, and love of God, drawing them into a deeper relationship with Him. By highlighting God’s attributes, works, and promises, Packer shows how truly knowing God transforms our lives. This knowledge fuels worship, encourages obedience, and provides comfort during life’s trials. Essentially, *Knowing God* serves as both an invitation and a guide for a lifelong journey of faith, rooted in the understanding that knowing the Creator is the greatest pursuit and ultimate joy of the human heart.

Book Review

This book is a significant work in evangelical theology, skillfully combining doctrinal truths with deeply personal applications. The book is divided into three main parts: Know the Lord, Behold Your God, and If God Be For Us. It functions as both a theological treatise and a devotional guide, encouraging readers to develop a deeper and more intimate relationship with God. Packer carefully unpacks the nature of God, the ways to know Him, and the transformative effects of that knowledge on a believer’s life across 22 chapters.

The first part, Know the Lord, lays the foundational premise: knowing God is the ultimate purpose of human existence. In Chapters 1-6, Packer distinguishes between knowing about God and truly knowing Him. He critiques modern Christianity’s intellectualism and emotionalism, urging believers to approach God through Scripture and a relationship rooted in faith. Chapters such as “The People Who Know Their God” emphasize that knowledge of God is not an abstract pursuit but one marked by personal transformation. Packer’s meditation on God’s self-revelation through Scripture and Jesus Christ invites readers to seek Him as He is, not as they might wish Him to be.

In the second part, Behold Your God, Packer guides readers through a systematic exploration of God’s character. Chapters 7-17 offer a vivid portrait of God’s majesty, justice, wisdom, and love, inviting readers to stand in awe of His holiness. Each chapter explores a specific attribute, such as God’s immutability in “God Unchanging” and His grace in “The Grace of God.” Packer avoids dry intellectualism, weaving Scripture, personal anecdotes, and historical theology into a tapestry of worship and reflection. The chapter “God the Judge” is particularly striking, challenging contemporary views of God’s justice while balancing it with His mercy. These chapters not only elevate the mind to contemplate God’s greatness but also draw the heart into worship.

The chapters on God’s love and goodness are deeply pastoral, emphasizing how these attributes undergird the believer’s hope and assurance. Packer’s discussion of God’s wisdom in “God Only Wise” offers profound comfort, showing how God’s plans are always for the ultimate good of His people, even when circumstances seem perplexing. Each chapter invites readers to meditate on how these attributes impact their daily lives, fostering a sense of trust and reverence for God’s character.

The third and final part, If God Be For Us, shifts focus to the practical implications of knowing God. In Chapters 18-22, Packer explores themes like adoption, guidance, and the promises of God. The chapter “Sons of God” is particularly moving, as it delves into the doctrine of adoption and the believer’s new identity as a child of God. Packer paints a picture of a relational God who not only redeems but also invites believers into His family, offering intimacy and security.

In “Guidance,” Packer provides a balanced view of discerning God’s will, addressing both the spiritual and practical aspects of decision-making. This chapter is a standout for its clarity, blending theological depth with practical wisdom. Packer’s emphasis on trusting God’s promises in “He Shall Testify” reinforces the idea that knowing God is not merely an intellectual exercise but a relationship marked by trust and dependence. The closing chapter, “The Adequacy of God,” ties the book together, assuring readers that God’s sufficiency meets every need in the Christian life.

What makes Knowing God genuinely impactful is Packer’s skill in connecting theology with devotion. His writing is intellectually rigorous yet spiritually nourishing, providing readers with the tools they need to deepen their understanding of God while also encouraging them to develop a personal relationship with Him. Packer’s style is clear and concise, infused with a pastoral heart, making complex theological ideas accessible to a broad audience.

In conclusion, Knowing God is more than just a book; it is a journey into the heart of God. By systematically exploring who God is, how He reveals Himself, and how this knowledge transforms the believer, J.I. Packer offers a roadmap for a life filled with faith and intimacy with God. Each of the 22 chapters builds on the previous one, providing both theological depth and practical application. For anyone seeking to deepen their relationship with God, “Knowing God” remains an essential and timeless resource, guiding readers toward a life of worship, trust, and communion with the Creator.

Hymn of Knowing

I asked the Lord that I might grow

I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace,
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.

’Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer;
But it has been in such a way
As almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that in some favored hour
At once He’d answer my request,
And by His love’s constraining power,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart,
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

Yea, more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

“Lord, why is this?” I trembling cried,
“Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?”
“‘Tis in this way,” the Lord replied,
“I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ,
From self and pride to set thee free,
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st seek thy all in Me.”

by John Newton (1725–1807), the former slave trader turned Anglican clergyman and hymn writer. Newton is best known for penning “Amazing Grace.”

Summary

J.I. Packer’s Knowing God is a timeless theological masterpiece that urges Christians to embrace the highest purpose of their lives: to genuinely know the living God and be transformed by that knowledge. Across its 22 chapters, Packer skillfully guides the reader through the foundations, attributes, and implications of knowing God. He combines theological accuracy with a pastoral warmth that encourages deep reflection and personal transformation. The book’s lasting appeal lies in its ability to lead readers beyond superficial religion into a profound relationship with God that influences every dimension of life—intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.

The journey of knowing God, as depicted in Packer’s work, is not without its challenges. In many ways, it mirrors the themes of John Newton’s hymn, “I Asked the Lord That I Might Grow.” Newton’s hymn poignantly describes the paradox of spiritual growth: the yearning for deeper faith often leads through trials and revelations of our own insufficiency. This same dynamic unfolds in Knowing God as Packer reveals that to know God is to see His majesty and grace more clearly, but also to confront the depths of our own sin and need for redemption. Like Newton’s hymn, Packer’s book reminds readers that God often uses hardships to draw us closer to Himself, stripping away self-reliance so that we might rest fully in His love and sovereignty.

In the end, Knowing God serves not only as a theological guide but also as a devotional manual for the heart. It points readers toward the ultimate joy and purpose of life: communion with God. This book equips believers for a lifetime of seeking, serving, and worshiping the Creator, reminding us that every trial and every revelation of God’s character works together for our good and His glory. As Newton concludes in his hymn, the trials we face are meant to “break our schemes of earthly joy,” so that we might be lifted to higher and holier pursuits. In the same spirit, Packer’s work leaves readers with the unshakable truth that knowing God is the greatest treasure, the ultimate fulfillment, and the anchor that sustains us through all of life’s seasons.

About J.I. Packer

James Innell Packer, widely known as J.I. Packer, was one of the most influential evangelical theologians of the 20th and 21st centuries. Born on July 22, 1926, in Gloucester, England, Packer’s early life was marked by a deep love of books and an enduring intellectual curiosity. At the age of seven, he suffered a severe head injury in an accident, which left him physically fragile but profoundly shaped his contemplative nature. He attended Oxford University, where he studied theology at Wycliffe Hall. It was during his time at Oxford that Packer experienced a spiritual awakening, committing his life to Christ and embracing a lifelong passion for Scripture and doctrine. His studies at Oxford also brought him into contact with influential Christian thinkers like C.S. Lewis, whose writings profoundly shaped his faith.

Packer was an ordained priest in the Church of England and maintained a firm commitment to Reformed theology throughout his life. His denominational convictions were rooted in a high view of Scripture, the sovereignty of God, and the doctrines of grace as articulated in the Reformation. Packer’s Anglican heritage played a significant role in shaping his ecclesiology and spiritual practice, as he valued the richness of liturgical worship alongside the centrality of biblical preaching. Although he served within the Anglican tradition, his theological reach extended across denominational boundaries, earning him respect among evangelicals, Reformed Christians, and beyond. His work often bridged divides, uniting believers around shared convictions about the authority of Scripture and the necessity of personal holiness.

Over the course of his career, Packer authored or contributed to over 40 books, with Knowing God being his most celebrated work, beloved for its clarity, theological depth, and pastoral warmth. He also served as a professor at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada, where he taught theology for decades and mentored countless students. Despite his academic achievements, Packer remained deeply humble, emphasizing the importance of personal piety and the transformative power of the gospel. His later years were marked by significant contributions to the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible translation and efforts to preserve orthodox Christian theology in the face of modern challenges. Until his death on July 17, 2020, Packer remained a towering figure in evangelicalism, remembered for his unwavering commitment to Christ and his ability to articulate profound truths in ways that inspired both the mind and the heart.

Circus of the Centuries

By on in Theology

The developments of evangelicalism from its fundamentalist roots in contrast to liberal and Catholic forms of religious tradition read as contentious and challenging. By denominational identity of historical, traditional, and theological commitments, it appears that individuals and groups situated themselves as counter positional to the preferences or convictions of people and entities who did not share a common interest or unity in Protestantism. The propagation of evangelical thought appeared in a continuous search for stability and coherence with fragmented organizations of influence and stature.

Through the historical development of evangelical theology or evangelicalism, the formation of the Kingdom to involve discipleship, the gospel, missions do not appear to elevate these as imperative matters of course from Christ across generations and cultures. The history of evangelical theology suggests such pursuits were merely incidental or adjacent to defense against liberalism and anti-intellectualism. The ever-present pressures of modernism and liberalism have taken a toll on the growth and development of Protestant interests. To such an extent that they had a leavening effect upon the Church. Especially from early institutions such as Princeton Theological Seminary and Fuller Theological Seminary, among others (Union, Vanderbilt, etc.).

Reactions from the Presbyterian General Assembly sought to establish pillars of unity around essential beliefs to include five fundamentals that countered theological Liberalism and Modernism. These convictions were centered and interrelated around the gospel, but their stated purpose read like an abbreviated form of confession to stave off theological dilution. It opened the door to a type of Walmart Christianity that brought about stigma and derision among unbelievers within Western culture. While fundamentalists sought to defend against Liberal Christianity, they instead achieved forms of isolation and separation of culture from society at large. The efforts of fundamentalists had an insulative effect as it withered in decline until it took on a new identity by the use of the respectable term “evangelical.”

Evangelicalism represented the transformation of fundamentalism as it valued academic scholarship, reformed tradition, confessional loyalty, and intellectual theologians to build a rightful and necessary stature around doctrine and revealed truth. Notably to gain its footing upon grounded theology as a formidable defense that took shape in the form of apologetic and eristic disciplines while making use of the sciences, philosophy, logic, and human reason to support its cause. Evangelicalism served as a reset from earlier fundamentalism that was repugnant to Western society. That is, it wasn’t an accommodation or capitulation to Liberal theological thought but a growing answer to its growth, influences, and pressures within the Church and academic institutions.

Conservative theologians of a Reformed heritage became further engaged within the Protestant Church and academic institutions to again bring scholarship as a grounded set of disciplines around doctrines, dogmatics, and a coherent repudiation of anti-intellectualism. Moreover, some had ecumenical aspirations to build limited solidarity around meaningful theological thought against Liberalism and Socialist Theology. As cases on point, Emil Brunner (1889-1966) regularly reached out to Catholic and Interdenominational organizations, while Carl F.H. Henry (1913-2003) founded the Institute for Advanced Christian Studies. Notably, while various other enterprises stood against earlier fundamentalist perspectives, further advancements were made in Europe with the growth of Neo-Orthodoxy from leaders Karl Barth, Rudolf Bultmann, and Emil Brunner.

There were tensions between rationalist reformed theologians like Carl Henry and formative leaders of neo-orthodoxy. Adherents to traditional confessional heritage were at odds with the Enlightenment’s challenges to theological methodologies. While more developed Protestant orthodoxy from the theology of Karl Barth and others was at odds also, it was best able to come to terms with the Enlightenment and more effectively assert Christian rationale and doctrines. The direction of theological discourse took a turn for the better. New and innovative methodologies emerged from the Bible and proper interpretation as supported by divine revelation with more meaningful presuppositional criteria, historicity, and compelling traditions.

The new theological trajectory of the 20th century was cast forward from fundamentalism by key influential figures. While Cornelius Van Til, E.J. Carnell, and Carl Henry stood in opposition to a new modern theology of Barth and other Neo-Orthodox theologians, it was C.G. Berkouwer and Bernard Ramm who called attention to the need for an answer to the Enlightenment (i.e., Immanuel Kant, Francis Bacon, and others). Consequently, the appeal of Barth’s neo-orthodox theology gained strength to adapt to changing social conditions brought about by more advanced philosophical thought.

Clark Pinnock (1937–2010), a Canadian theologian, sought to define the essence and identity of Christianity through narrative theology that involved community traditions like creeds, liturgies, hymns, prayers, and various actions unique to the faith. His efforts appealed to human interest in Christianity as a whole, where no single individual had the right to change its traditions. His perspective focused upon human benefit, the practice of worship, and the use of Scripture for the betterment and consumption of people. The idea of narrative theology to Pinnock was primarily a “Christian story” and secondarily a God-centered form of understanding through revelation. Pinnock emphasized the humanness of Scripture and the work of the Holy Spirit within it as he questioned the doctrine of inerrancy and aligned with the Pentecostal tradition of the Church. He sought to dissuade against the inspiration and illumination of Scripture but directed attention to the work of the Holy Spirit within people.

According to Livingston, some additional postmodern thinkers centered themselves on social and individualistic interest around tradition for religious meaning and truth within the greater evangelical sphere. They centered themselves around a contextual view of doctrine due to historical and cultural conditions that prevailed over time. Clark Pinnock and Stanley Grenz gave more weight to social interests concerning theological truth than to what divine revelation specifies about new covenant obligations, the life of faith, discipleship, and the gospel. It is highly suspect that this form of evangelical theology contributed to the rise of the social gospel and the enormous growth of “exvangelicals” in recent years. The expected course of liberal theology empties the use of divine revelation and its historical presence. It de-values the meaning and weight of redemptive intervention with the necessary truth claims made through Scripture. It helps explain trends toward individuals deconstructed from their faith where apostasy is on the increase, church attendance is significantly reduced, and evangelical theology is set on a trajectory of dissolution. Until Protestant interests return to the principles of Christ-centered theology, rather than the Wesleyan “quadrilateral” (i.e., Scripture, tradition, experience, reason), it has nowhere to go but inward while fraught by contradiction and confusion.