Knowing God, 50th Anniversary ed.

by J. I. Packer

Publisher:

IVP

, 2011

Overview

For half a century, J. I. Packer’s classic has helped Christians around the world discover the wonder, the glory, and the joy of knowing God.

Stemming from Packer’s profound theological knowledge, Knowing God brings together two key facets of the Christian faith—knowing about God and knowing God through a close relationship with Jesus Christ. Written in an engaging and practical tone, this thought-provoking work seeks to renew and enrich our understanding of God.

Knowing God was named by Christianity Today as one of the top fifty books that have shaped evangelicals.

Key Features

• Explores the wonder, the glory and the joy of knowing God
• Brings together two key facets of the Christian faith—knowing about God and knowing God through a close relationship with Jesus Christ
• Explains both who God is and how we can relate to him

Contents

• Foreword
• Preface to the 2005 Edition
• Preface

Part One: Know the Lord

• 1. The Study of God
• 2. The People Who Know Their God
• 3. Knowing and Being Known
• 4. The Only True God
• 5. God Incarnate
• 6. He Shall Testify

Part Two: Behold Your God!

• 7. God Unchanging
• 8. The Majesty of God
• 9. God Only Wise
• 10. God’s Wisdom and Ours
• 11. Thy Word Is Truth
• 12. The Love of God
• 13. The Grace of God
• 14. God the Judge
• 15. The Wrath of God
• 16. Goodness and Severity
• 17. The Jealous God

Part Three: If God Be For Us . . .

• 18. The Heart of the Gospel
• 19. Sons of God
• 20. Thou Our Guide
• 21. These Inward Trials
• 22. The Adequacy of God

Praise for Knowing God

Jesus Christ taught that eternal life is knowing God (John 17:3). This book by J. I. Packer helps us to do just that. Short chapters (originally magazine articles) are arranged to draw us to study more closely various aspects of God’s nature and character. What could be more edifying? Over the last fifty years, I have found countless people who have been informed, encouraged, and brought to worship by the pages of this book. I know I have been and pray that you will be too.

—Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church

There are very few books that communicate such glorious truth—and communicate it as succinctly and as well—as Knowing God. Through Packer’s penetrating mind and gifted pen, the majesty of God and the wonder of the gospel shine through on every page. Easily one of the most influential books of the last half century.

—Kevin DeYoung, senior pastor of Christ Covenant Church and associate professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte

[Packer’s] style is succinct, vivid, and epigrammatic. His perspective is mind stretching, as he surveys the whole biblical scene. And the truth he handles fires the heart. At least it fired mine and compelled me to turn aside to worship and to pray.

—John R. W. Stott

I was four years old when J. I. Packer wrote Knowing God. Fifty years later, it is abundantly clear that he heeded the call to commend God’s mighty acts from one generation to the next. To revisit this book (or to read it for the first time) is to recognize its influence over countless Christian thinkers, preachers, teachers, and writers—a generation who stood at a crossroads and followed Packer’s call to walk the ancient paths. He offered nothing new or novel, but a well-trodden way worn clear by the feet of the faithful who came before. In Knowing God, he restored to us a much-needed and transforming vision of God high and lifted up. I am a direct beneficiary of this good guide, and I pray it will endure as a signpost for generations to come.

—Jen Wilkin, Bible teacher and author of Women of the Word

I first encountered J. I. Packer’s Knowing God as a young Christian many years ago. As numerous generations have read this book, it has helped Christians hungry to know God to learn how—by growing in their walk with Jesus Christ. This fiftieth anniversary edition of Dr. Packer’s classic book will help the next generation of Christians grasp what it means to know God.

—Jarvis J. Williams, associate professor of New Testament interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Product Details

• Title: Knowing God
• Author: J. I. Packer
• Publisher: IVP
• Print Publication Date: 2011
• Logos Release Date: 2024
• Era: era;contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
• Subjects: Study Bible; Spiritual growth
• ISBNs: 9781444717969, 9780830848706, 0830848703, 9780830848614, 0830848614, 1444717960
• Resource ID: LLS:9780830869459
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-06-04T20:34:01Z

About J. I. Packer

J. I. Packer (1926–2020) is regarded as one of the most influential evangelicals in North America. He was Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, and his writings include books such as Knowing God, A Quest for Godliness, Growing in Christ (Crossway) and Rediscovering Holiness. He preached and lectured widely in Great Britain and North America and served as general editor of the English Standard Version of the Bible published in 2001, and theological editor of the Study Bible version. In 2014, Packer was named Author of the Year by the Association of Logos Bookstores. He was a frequent contributor to and an executive editor of Christianity Today and wrote numerous articles published in journals such as Churchman, SouthWestern Journal, Reformation Revival Journal and Touchstone. He received a BA, MA and PhD from Oxford University.