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Theologian J.I. Packer wrote a book on how to better know God, and while there is much more to be said — and known — about God, these five basic truths serve as a reliable foundation for further study and a trustworthy compass to guide the way.
The late great Presbyterian preacher R.C. Sproul would often quip: “Every Christian is a theologian.” He was right.
To press the point further, it’s not just every Christian who’s a theologian, it’s every person currently drawing breath on planet Earth. Everyone, Christian or not, has a theology — whether they realize it or not.
Furthermore, your theology matters more than most people realize, even most Christians. Theology, literally “the knowledge of God,” from the Greek “theos,” meaning God, and “logos,” meaning “word.” Theology is your “words about God.”
It’s critical, then, that as Christians we have the right words about God; that is, biblically sound knowledge about who God is, who we are in relation to Him, and what He expects — and demands — of us as His imager-bearers.
Another well-known theologian, J.I. Packer, produced what is arguably one of the best modern and practical distillations of Christian theology in his bestselling and classic book Knowing God, originally published in 1973. I’ve recommended Knowing God for many years now. This summer, I started re-reading it for what might be my fifth time.
In an early section of the book, Packer lays out five foundational principles that must support our quest to rightly know the Lord. If Christians want to know God — and we should — then we must seek to know Him rightly.
They are simple, straightforward, and easy to understand. Here are Packer’s “five basic truths, five foundational principles of the knowledge about God” that Christians must know, believe, and proclaim.
This principle underscores that God has taken the initiative to communicate with humanity. It’s not that humans sought God but that God chose to reveal Himself. This act of revelation is seen as an act of grace, where God, out of love, desires a relationship with His creation.
God has not left us in the dark. He has spoken to us, and He has done so clearly. Christians believe God’s communication is not vague or mystical but clear and direct through the Scriptures. The Bible is not just a book full of good moral principles — it is the inerrant, infallible revelation of the Creator to His creation. It answers the most important question facing sinful man: “What must we do to be saved?” All sound theology begins here: Believing that the Bible is the Word of God given to man.
Any theology that does not put God on the throne of the universe is worth placing in the trash can. Here Packer succinctly explains what is often referred to as the “sovereignty” of God. God is not a distant deity, He is the active, omnipotent, and omnipresent Lord of all.
Packer immediately connects that sovereignty to worship. Because God is King, we ought to bow before Him in humble worship and adoration. God is indeed worthy of our praise.
This is the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. Not only has God spoken to us, not only is He Lord and King, but He is also Savior. Why did mankind need saving? Because, as Packer explains, we are guilty of sin and enslaved under its power. This has been the truth about man’s spiritual condition since Genesis 3. As Paul puts it in Romans 3:23-24: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
There are few theological truths that modern man hates more than this: That we are sinners. The “theology” of progressivism knows nothing of indwelling sin and the need for a savior, but only the need for better “systems” and “programs” for self-improvement. But Christians cannot abandon the biblical doctrine of sin, no matter how loudly the LGBTQ and other secular activists demand it.
The Gospel is only good news to those who know they need salvation. Therefore, this foundational pillar of theology must be accepted, proclaimed, and defended by all true Christians.
Trinitarian theology is one of the most debated topics of Christian doctrine. Many ancient and modern heresies spring from a faulty understanding of our Triune God. You’ve probably heard a preacher try to give some analogy about what the Trinity is like before — maybe the classic, “water, gas, and liquid” one — and I’m here to tell you it was probably wrong; the “water, gas, and liquid” one definitely is.
Though Packer doesn’t delve into the deep end of the Trinity here, his summary is sound and helpful. What we sing in the Doxology, “God in three persons, blessed Trinity,” stands the test of time. One God, three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This foundational theological truth stands against the widespread heresy of “modalism.” Modalism is the belief that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not distinct persons within the Godhead, but rather different modes or aspects of God’s interaction with the world. One popular televangelist, T.D. Jakes, is a modalist.
It’s okay, you don’t have to be a theological expert to rightly understand the basics of the Trinity. If you are ever confused, come back to this excellent summary from Packer: One God, three persons, all acting together in the plan of salvation.
Fifth, and finally, Packer gives a brief description of what it means to live a godly life. We could call this “theology applied.”
The fact that God has revealed Himself to us, both in the world and through the Word, requires a response. We respond with repentance, trust, and obedience. In short, we have faith — the essence of the Christian life.
Good theology is not just a matter of cold, detached, academic study. No, good theology leads to increasing godliness. Godliness is not merely about religious activities but about a holistic transformation of life in response to God’s revelation. It’s about aligning one’s entire being — thoughts, actions, and relationships — with God’s will as revealed in Scripture.
Packer rightly argues that a life of faith, obedience, worship, prayer, praise, submission, and service is what constitutes true religion — not just outward rituals or moralism but an inward and outward transformation by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Imagine building a house. The foundation is the first and, arguably, the most critical part of the construction process. If the foundation is laid on unstable ground or if it’s not level, every subsequent layer of the house will be affected. Cracks might appear in the walls, doors won’t close properly, and over time, the structural integrity of the entire building could be compromised.
A solid foundation ensures that the house can withstand the test of time, environmental pressures like wind and rain, and even seismic activity to some extent. Without it, even the most beautifully constructed house might eventually collapse or require extensive, costly repairs.
Now, consider Christian theology as the foundation of the Christian faith. Just like the foundation of a house, the theological underpinnings of Christianity — our beliefs about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, salvation, and Scripture — must be robustly understood and correctly interpreted.
If these foundational elements are misunderstood or misinterpreted, the faith built upon them can become unstable. Heretics, for instance, might be seen as builders who lay the foundation on shaky ground or with incorrect materials. Their teachings might lead followers astray, creating a version of Christianity that, while perhaps appealing or novel, lacks the structural integrity to withstand scrutiny, moral challenges, or the passage of time.
In the quest to know God rightly, Packer gives us these five foundational truths to help, as he puts it, to “plot our course.”
There is much more to be said, and known, about God. But these truths serve as a reliable foundation for further study and a trustworthy compass to guide the way. Embrace them, believe them, and apply them — and your Christian faith and walk with God will be stronger for it.
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