Week 1: Part One — The Study of God (Chapters 1–2)

1.Packer begins by insisting that "ignorance of God — ignorance both of His ways and of the practice of communion with Him — lies at the root of much that is amiss in Christendom today." Do you agree? What evidence, from your own church experience or personal life, would you offer for or against that diagnosis?

2.Packer distinguishes sharply between knowing *about* God and truly *knowing* God. In his analogy, knowing about a person through their biography is very different from being their personal friend. Where do you honestly locate yourself on that spectrum — and how did you arrive at that assessment?

3.In Chapter 2, Packer draws on Daniel 11:32 ("the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action") to sketch four characteristics of people who know God: they have great energy for God, great boldness for God, great contentment in God, and great thoughts of God. Which of these four is most evident in your life right now, and which is most noticeably absent?