Comments by Readers.
Profound book about the God of the Bible
First, I must admit that Knowing God is the first book by Packer that I have read. Luckily, I was not disappointed. Considered a modern Christian classic by many, Knowing God lives up to its reputation. In it Packer presents a balanced view of God - who He is, what He is like, what He has done for us, and what He expects from us in return. I had a pretty good understanding of some subjects before reading this book, but found myself learning a lot as Packer challenged me to dig deeper into the Bible, and apply my faith in order to get a clearer picture of God.
I really enjoyed this book because I have been looking for "deep" Christian books that are neither full of fluff (like a lot of the recent self-help style Christian books), or too full of theology to grasp (thick, boring tomes that most Pastors can't even finish). I found that Knowing God fits nicely into this category. Packer's thoughts about God are deep, yet concise. He includes a lot of scripture to support his perspective, which indicates that it is not written for a "new" or "baby" Christian, and he also includes some historical and academic material as well. I liked the fact the he quotes many sources which enabled me to write down the titles to other books which go deeper into subjects of interest to me.
Overall, I recommend this book to Christians who have a firm grasp of their faith, and are looking for guidance on how to grow a deeper relationship with God. One of the keys is gaining a better understanding of God, and this book offers an excellent starting point for that journey.
Knowing God has been a Christian classic for over 35 years. Packer is often brilliant in his insight, like his chapters on God's will, knowledge and the struggle of the Christian life. These are comprehensive discussions on vital Christian life topics. At other times he gets so involved in the minutiae that it is difficult to stay with him. Examples include his...
Tremendous Book!
This book was a tremendous book on the attributes of God by a tremendous theologian. My favorite part is when Packer quotes the Puritans. He quotes them a lot, too. The Puritans are an often forgotten group, except for the negative things that happened. Packer shows that the Puritans were amazingly following after God and His statues.
This is the only devotional-type book that I have ever enjoyed. While it was fairly devotional in content, Packer put Theology into it. He doesn't just put milk in the content, but also adds meat to it. I love it when he talked about such things as the atonement, election, etc. These are topics that most devotional writers will not even touch, because they are "too controversial". But, Packer tackles the issues with tenacity.
I love the chapter on the Grace of God. That was my very favorite chapter. Packer talked about how most Christians today really don't believe in the grace set forth in the Word. He also quotes a bunch of hymns that the Puritans wrote. This just shows how amazing they really were. This is a great read for someone wanting to study the attributes of God.
A Modern Spiritual Classic
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.
Highest recommendation,
This is a great book. I have used it in no less than three different Bible studies. By now, my copy is bent and worn from use and I have grown a great deal through studying with it. I would recommend this book highly, particularly if you are looking for a book to go through as a group. Packer's book has been used to introduce thousands to the theological study of God's word. Indeed, it was the first Christian book I read as a youth that engaged my mind in a meaningful way. "Knowing God" is theological - and completely grounded in the Bible - but it is also very readable and includes suggested questions at the end of each chapter. There is something in this book for both mature and beginning Christians.
The book is divided into three parts. The first concerns (roughly) how we can know God, the second speaks of the attributes and character of God, and the final reflects on the Christian life and the way in which knowing God affects that life. Buy it and read it.
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