Knowing God (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A lifelong pursuit of knowing God should embody the Christian's existence. According to eminent theologian J.I. Packer, however, Christians have become enchanted by modern skepticism and have joined the "gigantic conspiracy of misdirection" by failing to put first things first. Knowing God aims to redirect our attention to the simple, deep truth that to know God is to love His Word. What began as a number of consecutive articles angled for "honest, no-nonsense readers who were fed up with facile Christian verbiage" in 1973, Knowing God has become a contemporary classic by creating "small studies out of great subjects." Each chapter is so specific in focus (covering topics such as the trinity, election, God's wrath, and God's sovereignty), that each succeeding chapter's theology seems to rival the next, until one's mind is so expanded that one's entire view of God has changed. Author Elizabeth Eliot wrote that amid the lofty content Packer "puts the hay where the sheep can reach it--plainly shows us ordinary folks what it means to know God." Having rescued us from the individual hunches of our ultra-tolerant theological age, Packer points the reader to the true character of God with his theological competence and compassionate heart. The lazy and faint-hearted should be warned about this timeless work--God is magnified, the sinner is humbled, and the saint encouraged. --Jill Heatherly

Review

A spiritual classic ... The truth he handles fires the heart. -- John Stott Dr Packer's volume says it simply, says it best. -- Joni Eareckson Tada Has the rare ability to deal with profound and basic spiritual truths in a practical and highly readable way. -- Billy Graham This book is strong meat. To read and digest it is an experience no discerning reader is likely to forget. -- Church Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 286 pages
• Publisher: InterVarsity Press; 20th Anniversary ed. edition (July 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 083081650X
• ISBN-13: 978-0830816507
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (88 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,184 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Eye Opener - In My Top 50 All time Favorite Books, July 31, 2000

By	T. B. Vick "Learn 2 Discern" (The Lone Star State) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Fortunately for me I read this book about the third year that I was a Christian. The book had such an impact on me that several years later I read it again. Packer shoots a straight shot into the heart of Theology Proper. The attributes, nature, and actions of God are delineated with great care and sound theology. The book is divided into three major parts and each part discusses the God who is, Knowing God, and the God who acts. For a better grasp of theology proper (direct study of God Himself) this book along with a solid translation of the Bible will carry you a long way.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Profound book about the God of the Bible, April 27, 2003

By	D. Keating (Bristow, VA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ground yourself in the truth of who God is!, May 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Knowing God: Study Guide (Paperback)

If you want to be grounded in the truth and find out who God is, I recommend you to read `Knowing God'. This book tells of the attributes of the almighty, loving, compassionate God. However, for those who perhaps are not ready for such heavy reading, it would be best to use the `Knowing God Study Guide' to supplement the book. This will further explain what is already discussed in the book such as God's grace, love and majesty, and can also be used as a resource in your devotional time to help you grow as a Christian.