"God is a person and can be known in increasing degrees of intimate acquaintance as we prepare our hearts for the wonder."
- A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy, Chapter 23, pg 116
"The Knowledge of the Holy" is yet another great book that I've read from the 20th century author and preacher A.W. Tozer. In this book Tozer goes into reverential detail about the nature of God. Since Tozer was himself a man who daily bowed down to God's holiness and majesty, it is therefore very fitting that this book was the last book Tozer wrote (he passed away two years after its publication).
The importance of understanding God's nature can (and will) have an impact on an individual's life and very soul. As Tozer wrote, "The mightiest thought the mind can entertain is the thought of God." And equally important is being aware of false views of God, which could directly damage and erode a person's mind through the act of idolatry, as Tozer explains "Wrong ideas about God are not only the fountain from which the polluted waters of idolatry flow; they are themselves idolatrous. The idolater simply imagines things about God and acts as if they were true." If you believe something "true" about God, your life (and worship) will reflect that truth; if you believe something "false" about God, your life (and worship) will reflect that falsehood.
In "The Knowledge of the Holy" Tozer devotes chapters to each of God's attributes, including the self-sufficiency of God, the eternality of God, His faithfulness, His justice, His mercy, His grace, and His holiness. If you love God, you will want to know Him. Ignorance of God and love for God are not synonymous acts. This book will enlighten and educate your mind to the right knowledge of God, to ensure that your life and thoughts will reflect His true character. As Tozer concludes,
"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man's spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God."
- A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy, Chapter 1, pg 1
The importance of understanding God's nature can (and will) have an impact on an individual's life and very soul. As Tozer wrote, "The mightiest thought the mind can entertain is the thought of God." And equally important is being aware of false views of God, which could directly damage and erode a person's mind through the act of idolatry, as Tozer explains "Wrong ideas about God are not only the fountain from which the polluted waters of idolatry flow; they are themselves idolatrous. The idolater simply imagines things about God and acts as if they were true." If you believe something "true" about God, your life (and worship) will reflect that truth; if you believe something "false" about God, your life (and worship) will reflect that falsehood.
In "The Knowledge of the Holy" Tozer devotes chapters to each of God's attributes, including the self-sufficiency of God, the eternality of God, His faithfulness, His justice, His mercy, His grace, and His holiness. If you love God, you will want to know Him. Ignorance of God and love for God are not synonymous acts. This book will enlighten and educate your mind to the right knowledge of God, to ensure that your life and thoughts will reflect His true character. As Tozer concludes,
"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man's spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God."
- A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy, Chapter 1, pg 1
