In times of crisis, it’s more important than ever to stay focused on God.
We need to be rooted and grounded in the truth in order to effectively combat the fear around us.
And this classic book reveals just how we can do that.
A.W. Tozer was a prominent 20th-century pastor and theologian.
Outspoken about the perils facing the American church, he became known as a “modern day prophet.” – Read: 20 Quotes from A.W. Tozer, a Modern-Day Prophet
His Christian life was characterized by prayer, study, and faithful proclamation of Biblical truth and his most well-known book, The Knowledge of the Holy, is a summary of much that he learned about God.
It’s a deep study of the attributes of God and a call for the modern church to know God personally and seek to understand His ways.
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us,” Tozer writes.
In other words, we are not defined by our struggles, our victories, or our possessions, but by our knowledge of the Holy God.
In times of crisis, like we’re facing now, our focus as believers must never shift from God, Tozer asserts.
“The gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like,” Tozer continues.
The theologian goes on to say that the modern American church is severely lacking in proper understanding of—and reverence for—the Most High God.
Surely our view of God and the way we discuss Him has never been more important than in the current crisis! Our conception of God’s ways shapes how we interpret and react to every situation.
“The man who comes to a right belief about God is relieved of ten thousand temporal problems,” Tozer writes – for that person comes to understand that he is in desperate need of God, and that God’s work through the Gospel lifts all burdens.
Tozer asserts that modern believers have cheapened their knowledge of God and their worship of Him by entertaining “thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.”
This pattern is toxic for the church, especially during seasons of struggle when we need to lean on truth more than ever.
But how can we conquer these theological errors in order to “purify and elevate [our] concept of God until it’s once more worthy of Him”?
Tozer argues that we must do two things: first, we must admit that we cannot fully understand God, and second, we must strive to study the truth about Him found in the pages of Scripture.
Tozer’s first assertion—that humans are not capable of fully understanding God—may seem discouraging at first glance, but he explains himself clearly and succinctly.
“Left to ourselves we tend immediately to reduce God to manageable terms,” the theologian writes. “We want to get Him where we can use Him, or at least know where He is when we need Him.”
“We need the feeling of security that comes from knowing what God is like.”
Of course, there is nothing on earth that God is truly “like,” so any comparisons fall far short and may easily lead us astray into idolatry.
That’s why Tozer’s second point—that we must study Scripture to learn more about Who God is—is so critical.
The rest of The Knowledge of the Holy is devoted to brief, clear descriptions of attributes of God, such as His self-existence, immutability, justice, and grace, among others.
Drawing upon passages of Scripture and the work of past scholars and theologians, Tozer outlines each attribute in beautiful language that is easily understandable even to the layperson.
From infinitude to omnipresence, Tozer describes characteristics of God that many of us find difficult to understand.
Along the way, he discusses how a proper understanding of God’s character—as proper an understanding as humans can have—is transformative for believers.
How could a renewed understanding of God change your life? How will your view of current circumstances change when you begin to grasp His mercy, wisdom, and love?
Get your copy of The Knowledge of the Holy today and find out!
