I wrote this review during this semester in Dr. Malcolm Yarnell's Systematic Theology class at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
J. I. Packer, Knowing God.
20th Anniversary Edition. Downers Grove, Illinois:
InterVarsity Press, 1993. 286 pages.
J. I. Packer, the well-praised author of Knowing God, has seen his book sell over one million copies and translated into over a dozen languages. Packer serves as a professor of systematic and historical theology at Regent College in Vancouver, where he is also Sangwoo Youtong Chee Professor of Theology, a title of great respect. In addition to Knowing God, Packer has written many other books, including Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God and God Has Spoken: Revelation and the Bible (the sequel to Knowing God) just to name a couple. Because of his profound writings, Packer has become a well-respected world statesman for evangelicalism based on uncompromising, biblical principals.
Although the material for Knowing God started out as a series of articles written for the late Evangelical Magazine, it has grown into something that far surpasses Packer’s original plans or dreams for his book. Packer believes “that ignorance of God—ignorance both of his ways and of the practice of communion with him—lies at the root of much of the church’s weakness today” (12). He wrote that in 1973, but it still hold true even to this day, which is a very good reason it has sold over one million copies. People desire to know God, either for the first time ever, or for a deeper relationship. Packer denies that Knowing God is a treatise on God, but rather it is “at best a string of beads: a series of small studies of great subjects” (11). Packer desires for his book to convert the seeking and buildup the believer.
One could present a summary of Packer’s material in a host of different ways, but perhaps the best way to do so is to follow his own divisions. Packer has divided his twenty-two chapters into three main sections: Know The Lord, Behold Your God, and If God Be For Us…. The first section, Know The Lord, deals with the study of God proper. Chapter one lays it out plainly why one needs theology. Chapters two and three move on to dealing with the person studying or seeking God. Packer deals with the age-old match-up, knowing God versus knowing about God. He makes it plain that humans were made to know God, and describes what all that involves. Chapter four takes a stand and presents the only true God, and stirs up some controversy over the use of images and statues (more discussion on chapter four later). Chapters five and six lay out the doctrines of the incarnation and the Trinity, respectively.
In section two, Behold Your God, Packer moves his writing into dealing with the various attributes of God. Chapters seven, eight, nine, and ten present God’s unchanging nature, His majesty, and His wisdom. Chapter eleven jumps to God’s Word, but chapters twelve and thirteen tell of God’s love and grace, respectively. Chapters fourteen and fifteen move on to God’s role as Judge and treat the wrath of God in the biblical context, respectively. Chapter sixteen deals with God’s goodness, and chapter seventeen explains that God is a jealous God.
The third section, If God Be For Us, presents the Gospel and our response to God. Chapter eighteen gets at the very heart of the Gospel. Chapters nineteen and twenty present the believer’s roles and God as Guide, respectively. Chapters twenty-one and twenty-two addresses the trials a believer faces, but then treats the adequacy of God to bring the believer through those trials, respectively.
With the basic outline of the book out of the way, one must turn his attention toward more specific issues in dealing with Packer’s Knowing God. It seems like many authors of many books have set out to deal with the aforementioned topics dealing with God. What makes Packer’s work so well received, respected, and widely read? What gives Knowing God an edge over other similar works? A good test to put this book through is Dr. Malcolm Yarnell’s seven points of good theology.
Does it glorify God? It does not take long to figure out that Packer is interested in bringing glory to God instead of to himself or anyone else other than God. He himself approaches his writing in humbleness by stating, “I do not ask my readers to suppose that I know very well what I am talking about” (14). Packer also lifts God up by quoting Charles Spurgeon as saying, “The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father” (17). God is worthy to be sought after and known, although we can never fully know God in His entirety.
Is it Trinitarian? Packer, quite appropriately, takes extra care in presenting God as three in one. On one particular occasion, he affirms the Trinity by writing, “Praise to one God in three persons” (65). Again he writes concerning the triune Jehovah, “The heart of Christian faith in God is the revealed mystery of the Trinity” (65). Packer affirms, “God is triune; there are within the Godhead three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and the work of salvation is one in which all three act together, the Father purposing redemption, the Son securing it, and the Spirit applying it” (20).
Is it biblical? By all means, yes! At the end of the publication, Packer has included an index of biblical passages. Of the sixty-six books of the Bible, fifty-seven are referenced throughout the book, most of them quite extensively.
Is it historically attested? Packer has certainly done his homework when it comes to the doctrines concerning God. He quotes documents and people from history that have held the same views that he is espousing in the book. Packer quotes the Athanasian Creed, Charles Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, and the Westminster Shorter Catechism, just to name a few. Certainly, orthodox Christianity has upheld the doctrine of the Trinity and the Incarnation for ages upon ages. History is definitely on Packer’s side.
Is it logically defensible? Certainly, Packer has communicated in a logical, easy to read form. The reader will have no complaints as far as not being able to understand him. Logic is ingrained in our language; without it we could not even begin to communicate with one another.
Does it edify? One of the reasons that Packer has written Knowing God is for the church and the individual believer to be built up in faith, hope, and love as evidenced in reading the book. It would be very difficult for one to put the book down without being confronted with responding to God in some way. Packer writes, “Godliness means responding to God’s revelation in trust and obedience, faith and worship, prayer and praise, submission and service” (20).
Is it proclaimatory? Can one preach the theology presented in Knowing God? Of course one can. These doctrines should be preached. Every pastor and evangelist, in effect, every preacher of the Word of God, can use Packer’s text as a resource for orthodox, biblical, Christ-centered theology. In fact, each chapter could be considered a separate sermon. Knowing God is also useful for devotion material for any Christian, regardless of spiritual maturity. It is written in a way that the average person sitting in the pew can understand it.
One specific item that must be addressed is in relation to chapter four because it concerns the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Chapter four deals with images and statues, items that can be seen by taking a casual stroll around the campus. Packer quotes Charles Hodge; “Idolatry consists not only in the worship of false gods, but also in the worship of the true God by images” (44). The second commandment states, “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:4-5). Packer explains, “In its Christian application, this means that we are not to make use of visual or pictorial representations of the triune God, or of any person of the Trinity, for the purposes of Christian worship. The commandment thus deals not with the object of our worship, but with the manner of it; what it tells us is that statues and pictures of the One whom we worship are not to be used as an aid to worshipping him” (44). Should there be statues of Jesus on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary? Packer offers two reasons why the statues should not be in use: 1) “Images dishonor God, for they obscure his glory” (45) and 2) “Images mislead us, for they convey false ideas about God” (46). We as Christians should not be looking for visible symbols for God, but instead seeking to obey His Word. Just pray that the Southwestern statues do not start bleeding or something worse!
In final thoughts, one must consider whether or not Packer has achieved his purposes for writing Knowing God. He has taken great care to present God in light of His Word. He has presented God as the triune God. In regards to his goal of reaching and teaching the church the things of God, well, the magnitude of sales should answer that concern. The book has definitely made it into the hands of over one million people. Hopefully, the timeless truths are being put into practice as a result. Knowing God has indeed edified the church; just read the long list of praises the book received from numerous Christian writers and leaders. Perhaps only God knows whether or not Packer’s goal of leading one to conversion has been met at this point. At least one believer has been strengthened theologically by reading this great work, and that person’s name is attached below.
Brian P. Leverett
Southwestern Seminary
Fort Worth, Texas
20th Anniversary Edition. Downers Grove, Illinois:
InterVarsity Press, 1993. 286 pages.
J. I. Packer, the well-praised author of Knowing God, has seen his book sell over one million copies and translated into over a dozen languages. Packer serves as a professor of systematic and historical theology at Regent College in Vancouver, where he is also Sangwoo Youtong Chee Professor of Theology, a title of great respect. In addition to Knowing God, Packer has written many other books, including Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God and God Has Spoken: Revelation and the Bible (the sequel to Knowing God) just to name a couple. Because of his profound writings, Packer has become a well-respected world statesman for evangelicalism based on uncompromising, biblical principals.
Although the material for Knowing God started out as a series of articles written for the late Evangelical Magazine, it has grown into something that far surpasses Packer’s original plans or dreams for his book. Packer believes “that ignorance of God—ignorance both of his ways and of the practice of communion with him—lies at the root of much of the church’s weakness today” (12). He wrote that in 1973, but it still hold true even to this day, which is a very good reason it has sold over one million copies. People desire to know God, either for the first time ever, or for a deeper relationship. Packer denies that Knowing God is a treatise on God, but rather it is “at best a string of beads: a series of small studies of great subjects” (11). Packer desires for his book to convert the seeking and buildup the believer.
One could present a summary of Packer’s material in a host of different ways, but perhaps the best way to do so is to follow his own divisions. Packer has divided his twenty-two chapters into three main sections: Know The Lord, Behold Your God, and If God Be For Us…. The first section, Know The Lord, deals with the study of God proper. Chapter one lays it out plainly why one needs theology. Chapters two and three move on to dealing with the person studying or seeking God. Packer deals with the age-old match-up, knowing God versus knowing about God. He makes it plain that humans were made to know God, and describes what all that involves. Chapter four takes a stand and presents the only true God, and stirs up some controversy over the use of images and statues (more discussion on chapter four later). Chapters five and six lay out the doctrines of the incarnation and the Trinity, respectively.
In section two, Behold Your God, Packer moves his writing into dealing with the various attributes of God. Chapters seven, eight, nine, and ten present God’s unchanging nature, His majesty, and His wisdom. Chapter eleven jumps to God’s Word, but chapters twelve and thirteen tell of God’s love and grace, respectively. Chapters fourteen and fifteen move on to God’s role as Judge and treat the wrath of God in the biblical context, respectively. Chapter sixteen deals with God’s goodness, and chapter seventeen explains that God is a jealous God.
The third section, If God Be For Us, presents the Gospel and our response to God. Chapter eighteen gets at the very heart of the Gospel. Chapters nineteen and twenty present the believer’s roles and God as Guide, respectively. Chapters twenty-one and twenty-two addresses the trials a believer faces, but then treats the adequacy of God to bring the believer through those trials, respectively.
With the basic outline of the book out of the way, one must turn his attention toward more specific issues in dealing with Packer’s Knowing God. It seems like many authors of many books have set out to deal with the aforementioned topics dealing with God. What makes Packer’s work so well received, respected, and widely read? What gives Knowing God an edge over other similar works? A good test to put this book through is Dr. Malcolm Yarnell’s seven points of good theology.
Does it glorify God? It does not take long to figure out that Packer is interested in bringing glory to God instead of to himself or anyone else other than God. He himself approaches his writing in humbleness by stating, “I do not ask my readers to suppose that I know very well what I am talking about” (14). Packer also lifts God up by quoting Charles Spurgeon as saying, “The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father” (17). God is worthy to be sought after and known, although we can never fully know God in His entirety.
Is it Trinitarian? Packer, quite appropriately, takes extra care in presenting God as three in one. On one particular occasion, he affirms the Trinity by writing, “Praise to one God in three persons” (65). Again he writes concerning the triune Jehovah, “The heart of Christian faith in God is the revealed mystery of the Trinity” (65). Packer affirms, “God is triune; there are within the Godhead three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and the work of salvation is one in which all three act together, the Father purposing redemption, the Son securing it, and the Spirit applying it” (20).
Is it biblical? By all means, yes! At the end of the publication, Packer has included an index of biblical passages. Of the sixty-six books of the Bible, fifty-seven are referenced throughout the book, most of them quite extensively.
Is it historically attested? Packer has certainly done his homework when it comes to the doctrines concerning God. He quotes documents and people from history that have held the same views that he is espousing in the book. Packer quotes the Athanasian Creed, Charles Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, and the Westminster Shorter Catechism, just to name a few. Certainly, orthodox Christianity has upheld the doctrine of the Trinity and the Incarnation for ages upon ages. History is definitely on Packer’s side.
Is it logically defensible? Certainly, Packer has communicated in a logical, easy to read form. The reader will have no complaints as far as not being able to understand him. Logic is ingrained in our language; without it we could not even begin to communicate with one another.
Does it edify? One of the reasons that Packer has written Knowing God is for the church and the individual believer to be built up in faith, hope, and love as evidenced in reading the book. It would be very difficult for one to put the book down without being confronted with responding to God in some way. Packer writes, “Godliness means responding to God’s revelation in trust and obedience, faith and worship, prayer and praise, submission and service” (20).
Is it proclaimatory? Can one preach the theology presented in Knowing God? Of course one can. These doctrines should be preached. Every pastor and evangelist, in effect, every preacher of the Word of God, can use Packer’s text as a resource for orthodox, biblical, Christ-centered theology. In fact, each chapter could be considered a separate sermon. Knowing God is also useful for devotion material for any Christian, regardless of spiritual maturity. It is written in a way that the average person sitting in the pew can understand it.
One specific item that must be addressed is in relation to chapter four because it concerns the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Chapter four deals with images and statues, items that can be seen by taking a casual stroll around the campus. Packer quotes Charles Hodge; “Idolatry consists not only in the worship of false gods, but also in the worship of the true God by images” (44). The second commandment states, “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:4-5). Packer explains, “In its Christian application, this means that we are not to make use of visual or pictorial representations of the triune God, or of any person of the Trinity, for the purposes of Christian worship. The commandment thus deals not with the object of our worship, but with the manner of it; what it tells us is that statues and pictures of the One whom we worship are not to be used as an aid to worshipping him” (44). Should there be statues of Jesus on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary? Packer offers two reasons why the statues should not be in use: 1) “Images dishonor God, for they obscure his glory” (45) and 2) “Images mislead us, for they convey false ideas about God” (46). We as Christians should not be looking for visible symbols for God, but instead seeking to obey His Word. Just pray that the Southwestern statues do not start bleeding or something worse!
In final thoughts, one must consider whether or not Packer has achieved his purposes for writing Knowing God. He has taken great care to present God in light of His Word. He has presented God as the triune God. In regards to his goal of reaching and teaching the church the things of God, well, the magnitude of sales should answer that concern. The book has definitely made it into the hands of over one million people. Hopefully, the timeless truths are being put into practice as a result. Knowing God has indeed edified the church; just read the long list of praises the book received from numerous Christian writers and leaders. Perhaps only God knows whether or not Packer’s goal of leading one to conversion has been met at this point. At least one believer has been strengthened theologically by reading this great work, and that person’s name is attached below.
Brian P. Leverett
Southwestern Seminary
Fort Worth, Texas
