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book reviews, books, christian, christianity, doctrine, God, J.I. Packer, Knowing God, reformed, reformed theology, self-deception, theology
Do you have a short list of books that have had a profound impact on your life?
I do. And J.I. Packer’s Knowing God
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about Packer’s book because I’m just beginning a study of it in my Sunday School class. If I have time, I may post a few additional thoughts about the book as our study progresses.
I initially bought and read Knowing God almost 35 years ago. I was a new Christian, young and ignorant (even more ignorant than I am now, as far as I can tell); but as is true of many young people, I had no idea just how ignorant I really was.
I don’t think I can adequately express how thankful I am for Packer’s book. It was a Godsend to me. It taught me not simply how to approach theology, but how to approach God himself. It shaped my heart and my mind in ways that I’m certain saved me from making even more mistakes than I did in my exuberant, youthful ignorance.
(I vow not to use any form of the word ignorant for the rest of this post.)
One of the things I learned from Packer is that theology is not some stuffy, impractical academic pursuit. It is the study of God! What could be more important than that? We do ourselves a tremendous disservice, and our souls incalculable damage, if we casually dismiss the study of God. Or, as Packer put it in chapter one:
Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul.
What an awful tragedy it is to waste your life now and lose your soul for eternity.
Another thing I realized was that theology was a two-edged sword—having on the one hand immense value, and on the other potentially damning dangers. Packer went on to issue a warning in that first chapter that probably needs to be trumpeted more often (and more loudly) than it is.
If we pursue theological knowledge for its own sake, it is bound to go bad on us. It will make us proud and conceited. The very greatness of the subject matter will intoxicate us, and we shall come to think of ourselves as a cut above other Christians because of our interest in it and grasp of it; and we shall look down on those whose theological ideas seem to us crude and inadequate and dismiss them as very poor specimens. For, as Paul told the conceited Corinthians, “Knowledge puffs up…. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know” (1 Cor 8:1-2).
To be preoccupied with getting theological knowledge as an end in itself, to approach Bible study with no higher a motive than a desire to know all the answers, is the direct route to a state of self-satisfied self-deception.
Self-satisfied self-deception. The only thing I can think of worse than that is the Hell that it leads to. By the grace of God my goal is to do everything in my power to avoid self-satisfied self-deception. I know I haven’t always succeeded, but I have no intention of giving up the fight.
Those are just a few of the reasons that I’m thankful for Knowing God. If I could make it required reading for every new Christian, I would.
Now it’s your turn.
What are the two or three books that have had the greatest impact on your life?
As one with a fondness for theology, it is a bit unsettling to ponder that perhaps the “first sin” was not so much Eve eating of the fruit. Before she ate, she allowed herself to be drawn into a theological discusion “Did God realy say…?”
What did God say, what did He mean, and is this saying true and binding?
Obedience would seem much higher than theology.
Blessings!
R. Eric Sawyer
I’m fond of theology, too, and don’t think it’s necessary (or healthy) to choose between obedience and theology. We need both. I sincerely believe this is a case where we can’t afford to throw the baby out with the bath water. Theology has BOTH “immense value, and…potentially damning dangers.”
Thanks for visiting and commenting!
Barry, of course you’re right. To throw it ourt would be like saying that I love my wife, but I don’t want to learn anything about her.
Sone becomes loving the feeling of love, or of worship, and worshipping worship, my idea of god, to worshipping me.
This is a very sound warning and encouragement. Thank you.
I’ve experienced that “Self-satisfied self-deception” first hand. Thank God He did not leave me there. I, too, love theology and believe it is vital to Christian living, but apart from love it is worthless.
I’ve never forgotten the bit in the Preface to Knowing God, where he relates the analogy of the balconeers. It so perfectly described my “Christian” life for many years and the difference that conversion made. It’s been about 4 1/2 years since I’ve read that book. May be time for a re-read.
I’d say the Christian books that have had the greatest impact have been The Assurance of Our Salvation, (M. Lloyd-Jones) from which I first really understood that salvation is of the Lord, that if He had not saved me I would never have been saved. I would not have come to repentance on my own. From this book I began to also believe that God would keep me saved. After years in and out of church, I had thought it was up to me to stay saved. Being perfectly aware of my own natural inconsistencies, I was understandably terrified. The influential books would be The Rare Jewel of Christian contentment (J. Burroughs) and Charity and It’s Fruits (J. Edwards). (Two other books by Edwards have been very formative of my thinking are Religious Affections, and Freedom of the Will.)
Packer’s illustration (actually one he borrowed from John Mackay) made an unforgettable impression on me, too, the first time I read the book. I may post that whole paragraph some time later. It’s extremely helpful.
Thanks also for your list of influential books. I have Burroughs’ work but have never read it. I know I need to, although it would probably be more accurate to say that it would read me!
Barry,
You are right we certainly need both.
As Martin Lloyd Jones would say, “We need theology with fire.” Theology that doesnt burn deep inside of us isnt true theology. We ought to be changed and transformed by the theology that we claim to know.
Good point, Matt. I like the light and heat analogy used by Jonathan Edwards in Religious Affections:
By the way, brother, where’s your list of books??!!
Barry, you are right. it is up there on my shelf with things to be read again, along with items by Tozer, Spurgeon and Bonhoeffer. Loved the book and got so much from it. You made me move it higher on the re-read list!
Good to hear from you, Andy. I agree—Tozer, Spurgeon, Bonhoeffer, and Packer have all had a tremendous impact on my life, too.
In addition to Knowing God, Mere Christianity by Lewis, and Holiness by Ryle are on my short list of must reads. Three Anglicans! Or, would they be modern Puritans?
Well, two out of three of those would certainly qualify as modern Puritans in my book. Although I love “Mere Christianity” (it’s on my short list, too), it’s quite different from anything any of the Puritans would have written. Excellent list, Biff. Thanks for visiting!
1. The Pursuit of God (Tozer)
2. Desiring God (Piper)
Piper’s book had a profound impact on my theology (light) and Tozer’s book had a profound impact on my pursuit and love for God (heat). They both came at critical times in my life (or to borrow your language they were both “Godsends”). I often to this day find myself praying Tozer’s prayer that closes his first chapter: “O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still.”
wm
Both of those books are excellent, William. “Desiring God” was the first book of Piper’s that I read, and the one that introduced me to Edwards’ insistence on the need for both light and heat in our lives. It had a tremendous impact on me, but when I read “The Pleasures of God” a few years later it became my favorite Piper book, and still is. That’s a great list, though—thanks!
Oh,William reminded me of my other favorite: The Pleasures of God, by John Piper. Sorry, the list keeps growing.
Barry,
My short list:
JI Packer- Knowing God
Martin Lloyd Jones- Preaching and Preachers
Spurgeon- Lectures To My Students
Tozer- Pursuit of God
This is a VERY short list… These are the 4 books that have most shaped me as a Christian and future minister more than any other books, outside the Bible, of course! I have 4 Piper books that are close to this list, but not quite there… This makes me want to do a “My favorite 30 books” list…
Thanks, Matt. Your short list is excellent. I would have to put one Piper book (The Pleasures of God) on my own short list.
Put that long list together and then come back here and post a link to it!
Barry,
This is a deeply convicting warning from Packer. It reminds me of Jesus comment, “if the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
It’s tough to narrow down the best books, but here are a few of the authors that have helped me most:
Augustine of Hippo, John Calvin, Martin Luther (Treatise on Justification by Faith), Blaise Pascal (The Pensees), Francois de Fenelon (letters and other writings), John Bunyan (especially Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners and The Pilgrim’s Progress), Richard Baxter (The Saints’ Everlasting Rest), Charles Spurgeon, Horatius Bonar (The Everlasting Righteousness), Jonathan Edwards, C.S. Lewis, A.W. Tozer (especially the Pursuit of God), Andrew Murray, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, C.J. Mahaney (The Cross-Centered Life), Ed Welch, Lou Priolo, John Piper, Paul Tripp, Jerry Bridges . . . I could go on, but I guess I’ve gone way over the limit!
I was also strongly influenced by David Wilkerson and Leonard Ravenhill . . .
And the inimitable Rex B. Andrews (What the Bible Teaches About Mercy) shook the legalism right out of me.
A modern blogger whom I would include with these others is Tony Hayling. His blog is my all time favorite (sorry Barry, you’re a close second on my favorite blog list!)
Blessings,
Derek
That’s an impressive and actually pretty eclectic list, Derek. I know that you’ve read a lot wider and deeper than I have, although I’ve read a little bit by most of the men on your list, including Fénelon! And I’m not at all offended that I’m second on your blog list. I don’t deserve to be that high. Since you mentioned Tony, though, I want to take the opportunity to recommend his blog and include a link to it: Agonizomai
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Great post Barry! I love the emphasis being on the pursuit of THE ONE who gives knowledge and understanding… Not just the knowledge and understanding! Good stuff!
Hey, Chad. Thanks for stopping by. I’ll tell you, that’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. We just finished studying it in my Sunday School class, and now the guys are wanting to give copies to their friends!
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