Knowing God by J. I. Packer - “The People Who Know Their God” (Chapter 2)

Knowing God by J. I. Packer
“The People Who Know Their God” (Chapter 2)

“I’ve Known God”

⦁ Can we say without hesitation that we “know God”?
⦁ Because we know God, do we have a “joy unspeakable and full of glory”?
⦁ Because we know God, can we count life’s disappointments as gains and not as losses or “might-have-beens”?

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:7–11, NIV)

Knowing vs. Knowing About

1. One can know a great deal about God without much knowledge of him.
2. One can know a great deal about godliness without much knowledge of God.

Evidence of Knowing God

1. Those who know God have great energy for God.

“…the people who know their God will display strength and take action.” (Daniel 11:32, NASB)

⦁ In standing for God against the world
⦁ In effectual, fervent prayer

2. Those who know God have great thoughts of God.

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.” (Daniel 2:20–22, NIV)

3. Those who know God show great boldness for God.

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13, NIV)

4. Those who know God have great contentment in God.

“There is no peace like the peace of those whose minds are possessed with full assurance that they have known God, and God has known them, and that this relationship guarantees God’s favor to them in life, through death and on forever.” –J. I. Packer

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:1, NIV)

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 8:1, NIV)

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NIV)

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31, NIV)

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39, NIV)

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21, NIV)

First Steps

⦁ First, we must recognize how much we lack knowledge of God.
⦁ Second, we must seek the Savior.