Book Study: Chapter 2

I appreciate all your comments on chapter one, I am sure there was a lot of iron sharpening iron going on with no comment posts at all. Maybe it is the busyness of the season, the bad writing of the blogger, or the timidity of the bloggee, whatever the case, let's try to encourage one another through this.

As you enter into chapter two you see that it is entitled, The People Who Know Their God. In Jeremiah 9:23-24 we read the following:
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me..."

That is what this chapter, that is what this book, that is what this study is about, Knowing God. As you read through, I believe you saw a huge concern of Packer's and I believe of my own, do we know God or do we just know about Him.

There is a difference in the greek and hebrew concepts of knowledge. Greeks felt no obligation for what they knew, hebrews did. To know for a hebrew meant responsibility.
Knowledge for the sake of knowledge-and much of the basis for our current thinking in science and technology-is greek. The greek view avoids responsibility. The epitome of this is the tv cameraman who records an attrocity on film but does nothing about it. This is what we have been speaking of so often on Sunday evenings in the study of the book of James. It is not enough just to have knowledge, that knowledge should change the way that you live. My prayer is that I would change the more I grow into the likeness of Christ, not just my intellect would change, but my life.

As you read this chapter, Packer shows examples of those who know their God, answer the following questions about the text and grow in your knowledge of Him:

1. List the four characteristics that Packer says is common to those who know God. Are any of these areas of weakness or strength to you?
2. Why would knowing God create a great energy for Him? How does Daniel illustrate this fact?
3. Where does Packer argue that real energy to pray comes from? What is the test he says we can apply to our prayers to check out how well we know God?
4. Every journey has a starting point. Packer concludes this chapter with two things that are necessary for us to begin this journey. What are they? What can you do to keep these things with you for the whole voyage?

For Next Week
Please go ahead and read chapters 3 and 4. This will allow you to read the chapter on the incarnation next week during Christmas. We will never read more than two chapters at a time, so you will not fall too far behind if you miss a week. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to make this more beneficial to you. Should I post questions? Should I just post my thoughts? Help me help you.