In his book, Knowing God, J. I. Packer writes: ‘There is tremendous relief in knowing that God’s love for me is based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst in me. No discovery can disillusion Him in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself or quench His determination to bless me. There is great cause for humility in the thought that He sees all the twisted things about me that others don’t see. Indeed He sees more corruption in me than I see in myself. Yet he wants me as His friend, and desires to be my friend, and has given His Son to die for me in order for me to realise this purpose.’