Knowing God by J. I. Packer Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Knowing God
Book Review: A Modern Christian Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
Knowing God, though not yet thirty years old, is already considered by many to be a classic. Mr.Packer identifies and emphasizes the most important thing there is in life; to know God. Another salient feature of Packer's 'Knowing God' is that it encourages the reader to direct their thoughts Godward and shows some of the great benefits that are reaped by so doing. On p.14 the author makes this illuminating comment "Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest,continued investigation of the great subject of the deity." Surely there is no greater subject that can engage our minds. Of course to contemplate about God is desirable,profitable,necessary and of the utmost importance. However, our thoughts of God must be formed by His self revelation given to us in His Holy Word if they are to be accurate. Thus more than a third of the book is devoted to the setting forth of some of the attributes or characteristics of the God with whom we are to dwell upon. Another important and crucial emphasis of this book, is that it seeks to lead us to not just a theorhetical knowledge of God, but how our knowledge of God should be applied , and that if rightly applied, it should have a transforming effect upon our lives. If this book under God's blessing is sucessful in doing that, it will result in a life that is more holy and God centered, which I would venture to guess was the authors main intent.Book Review: A Modern Spiritual Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
Packer's Knowing God is a modern classic, focusing on both the theology and the spirituality of knowing and loving God. Packer lives up to his name in that he "packs" his book(s) with incredible truths, yet he writes with a smooth prose in easily digestible chapters. This book covers the doctrine of the Trinity, the incarnation of Christ, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, but especially focuses on the character and attributes of God and their relevance and application to our spiritual lives. This is probably the best popular treatment of "theology proper" written in the past century and deserves to be read by any Christian. This would be a great book to give a young and hungry Christian who is beginning to be discipled. Few things are more important to one's long-term spiritual health than having a high view of God. This book goes a long ways to helping us lift our gaze upwards. Buy all means, buy this book.Book Review: A Must-Read for the Christian
Summary: 5 Stars
No work - obviously excepting the divinely inspired Word of God - has taught me more truth, opened my eyes more often, or spurred me to love God more strongly. As the dustcover says, "J.I. Packer's classic has revealed to over a million Christians around the world the wonder, the glory and the joy of knowing God." I can't think of a better, more enticing tagline to put on a book than that.
Quoted on the cover of another book is Packer's sentiment that, "To rush to God...with no pause to realize his greatness and grace and our own sinfulness and smallness, is at once to dishonor him and to make shallow our own fellowship with him." I believe that the true worth of Knowing God is that it leads the reader to meditate on each of those issues by sharing Dr. Packer's own meditations on God. The book builds up God's greatness and glorifies his grace, while it forces the reader to realize his own sinfulness and smallness in light of God's character. In so doing, this book leads the reader to honor God rightly, thereby deepening his fellowship with the Lord.
In a chapter entitled "The Majesty of God," Dr. Packer asks, "How may we form a right idea of God's greatness?" His answer is that the Bible shows us the two steps we must take:
"The first is to remove from our thoughts of God limits that would make him small. The second is to compare him with powers and forces which we regard as great."
To serve this end, the author gives a stirring exhortation at the end of the chapter: "How slow we are to believe in God as God, sovereign, all-seeing and almighty! How little we make of the majesty of our Lord and Savior Christ! The need for us is to `wait upon the Lord' in meditations on his majesty, till we find our strength renewed through the writing of these things upon our hearts."
I, personally, have committed to reading this book at least once a year, because it has done more in bringing me to meditate upon God's majesty rightly than has any other book I have read. I feel strongly that every Christian ought to read through Knowing God at least once, for Dr. Packer's simultaneous uses of wisdom and encouragement lead the reader into a deeper knowledge of God. It seeks to drive the reader from a passive, intellectual knowledge `about God' to a powerful, life-changing knowledge `of God.' This book, more than any other, has taught me what it means to seek to be "knowing God."
Book Review: A seeming contradiction.
Summary: 1 Stars
Mr. Packer confuses me a bit. He seems to say 'seek Godly knowledge but don't dig too deep lest you become conceited'. All Christians need to 'know' for certain the entire gospel of Christ, how can anyone follow God unless they 'know' exactly what He's saying to us? The Corinthians had a 'wrong' knowledge of God and that's why Paul was admonishing them because they were following 'after men' (wrong knowledge) rather than Christ. The 'knowledge of God' is good and brings humility but the 'commandments of men'corrupts.Book Review: Best, most-concise theology book I've ever read.
Summary: 5 Stars
When people ask me what I believe, I always refer them to this book as the best summary of my "statement of faith."