Review : Knowing God – J.I.Packer

What is God really like? Who is He? What is His character? More importantly, do we personally know God and who He is? Unfortunately, many people are probably unable to give solid answers based on God’s own revelation of Himself in the Bible. This may be due to a general unfamiliarity with the Bible, or it may be due to selective interpretation of the Bible.

In Knowing God, J.I. Packer takes an in–depth look at God’s character as He has truly revealed Himself through Scripture. Whether the reader considers themselves familiar with the Bible or not, Packer’s thoughtful and powerful analysis serves to reveal to the reader exactly what God has revealed of himself in Scripture.

The book has been in publication since 1973, and is highly regarded by influential and prominent pastors and writers:

“I need a new edition… I’ve worn my original copy out!” (Bill Hybels)
“A masterpiece by a master theologian” (R.C. Sproul)
“Dr. Packer has the rare ability to deal with profound and basic spiritual truths in a practical and highly readable way” (Billy Graham)
“For years I have been asked to list the ‘top twenty’ Christian books I have read. Knowing God has been on that list since the mid–1970s.” (Chuck Swindoll)
Certainly a book so highly acclaimed by such prominent pastors and writers deserves a closer look.

Structure of the Book

Part 1:Know the Lord
– The Study of God
– The People Who Know Their God
– Knowing and Being Known
– The Only True God
– God Incarnate
– He Shall Testify
Part 2:Behold Your God!
– God Unchanging
– The Majesty of God
– God Only Wise
– God’s Wisdom and Ours
– They Word is Truth
– The Love of God
– The Grace of God
– God the Judge
– The Wrath of God
– Goodness and Severity
– The Jealous God
Part 3: If God Be For Us…
– The Heart of the Gospel
– Sons of God
– Thou Our Guide
– These Inward Trials
– The Adequacy of God
– Reader’s Experience & Assessment

I’m going to tell you right off the bat the bottom line on my review: If you want to know God for who He truly is, consider this book the ultimate companion to the Bible.

This book came highly recommended to me, and I am incredibly glad I read it! Not only does this book cover the fundamentals of God’s nature, character, and what it means for us as Christians, but it delves into enough depth in each topic that each chapter feels like a meal unto itself.

The book is a veritable feast, written with such intelligence and insightful observation and thought that if you asked me what 2 books I’d be allowed to take with me onto the proverbial desert island, I’d say the Bible and this book. Yet, at the same time, Packer has written this book in such a way that the power and fullness of his thought and observations comes through easily.

It is extremely well–written, being so very easily understood while at the same time very clearly conveying intelligent thought and observation.

Some books are easily understood because the language is conversational. This is not the case here. This book is written by an author who would be at home writing for academics.

Some books have tremendous depth and content, but are written in a manner that only academics would dare work their way through the pages. This is not the case here. This book is written by an author who knows how to convey his thoughts clearly and concisely without adding complexity and difficulty in order to exaggerate his intelligence or expertise.

Packer has found the magical middle–ground where powerful, cogent thoughts, observations and discussions are conveyed in a manner that is both readily understood and engaging. It is like a feast for the mind and Christian heart that never overwhelms the guest – it is an experience prepared by a master chef.

If I seem to be on the verge of gushing and if I seem to be heaping extraordinary praise, it is because Knowing God is one of the best books I have ever read. I’ve already talked about how well the book is written, yet I’ve only alluded to the quality of the content. This book has impressed me to this extent not only because it says what it says so well, but also because it has so much to say! Packer covers material and topics that I would say every Christian believer has thought about at some time or another, but may not have received satisfying answers.

The book opens by discussing what it means to truly know God. It is a discussion that addresses the differences between knowing about God and knowing God in a personal relationship. That is an important starting point because the rest of the book would otherwise serve only as an intellectual or academic exercise, with little or no impact on the reader’s life and thought.

The third chapter is a discussion about how subtly and tricky the trap of idolatry can be. Here, Packer argues that Christians can fall into idolatry without intending to. I agree with his analysis and conclusion. Though you may not, this chapter is the first of many chapters that will help give rise to fruitful thought and reflection.

The entire second section of the book deals with various aspects of God’s character. We are all familiar with the general topics addressed by the first few chapters in this section – God’s unchanging nature, God’s love, God’s majesty, God’s righteousness. Each of these chapters is still a worthwhile read because we can all benefit from being reminded of just how wonderful and how grand each of these elements of God’s character truly are.

However, it is in the latter chapters of this section that Packer begins to address topics that are seldomly addressed in sermons or Christian literature – God’s wrath, God’s severity, God’s jealousy. These qualities are equally wonderful and grand, but don’t seem to be so to many of us when we first begin contemplating them.

Much of Christian literature and much of the Christian message to nonbelievers centers around God’s love and grace. God’s wrath is seldomly talked about. I’ve even heard someone saying that God’s wrath no longer applies in our era because of the finished work of Christ. That is not entirely true – God is unchanging and God is just. With that comes his righteous wrath. God’s wrath is still something to consider, and indeed, it is God’s righteousness and wrath that makes Christ’s sacrifice and atonement so necessary. It is God’s righteousness and wrath that our salvation in Christ is the Good News!

What about God’s jealousy? Jealousy is a sin, isn’t it? Yet we read in the Bible that God declares himself to be jealous. How can that be? Packer’s discussion about God’s jealousy very effectively shows its consistency with the rest of God’s character. His discussion very convincingly illustrates why God’s jealousy is part and parcel of his righteousness and his love.

The third section of the book talks about the impact and importance of a relationship with God. Packer talks about what it means to be children of God and what it means to walk in faith with God. It is a strong, effective way to bring the discussions about God’s character to bear on the reader’s personal relationship with the Lord.

The book which I’ve read and to which Knowing God compares most directly is A.W. Tozer’s Knowledge of the Holy. Tozer’s book is a good book, with solid, illuminating content and also addresses questions about the God’s character. Between the two of these books, I much prefer Packer’s Knowing God. Tozer’s writing style is more dense and requires more concentrated effort to understand and absorb. Tozer’s book is also written into a number of much shorter chapters than Packer’s. I would surmise it’s because Tozer would be a serious, serious challenge to read if each chapter were the length and depth of some of Packer’s chapters in Knowing God.


A number of my friends are fans of Tozer’s works. Having read but one of his works at this point, I would say that indeed there is good, solid content in Tozer’s writing. If Knowledge of the Holy is representative of the rest of Tozer’s work, then Tozer will certainly help a reader to deepen his understanding of theological and spiritual matters.

Packer’s Knowing God, however, hits me not only with the solidity of its content, but also with a writing style that so masterfully combines depth with comprehension. Both authors have great love for the Lord and aim to help readers to understand the majesty of God better. It is my opinion that Packer does a better job of putting that on paper. Both Knowledge of the Holy and Knowing God are worth re–reading, but I am certain I will be re–reading Knowing God first – and likely, more often.

I’m very keen on this book, and I highly recommend it. Knowing God has solid, thoughtful content – all rigorously backed up with specific Scriptural references – and is extremely well written. Reading this book will help you to gain a greater appreciation for the magnificence and wonder of God and the Gospel.

Well–written, solid content, and effectively leads the reader to a greater appreciation for the Lord and his love… you can see why I can unabashedly consider this book the ultimate companion to the Bible when it comes to learning more about God’s character, his majesty, and his grace!