God’s Omniscience is sort of a non-issue because of God’s Omnipotence. God knows everything that will happen, not because He is All-Knowing, but because He is All-Doing.
Problem 1: If God ordains everything, then God is the author of all the world's sin and evil.
Problem 2: If God ordains everything, humans have no free will and cannot reasonably be held accountable for actions that weren’t their own free will choice.
Problem 1: If God ordains everything, then God is the author of all the world's sin and evil.
Problem 2: If God ordains everything, humans have no free will and cannot reasonably be held accountable for actions that weren’t their own free will choice.
Creatures have Free Will, but God knows everything they will choose to do. He sits outside of Time looking at the entire history of humanity. There is no past, present, and future for Him; it is all Now to God.
Problem 1: But how can humans have anything but the illusion of Free Will if God already knows what they are going to do? Even though God does not ordain their choices, every human being is destined to act out what God knows in advance he or she will do.
Problem 2: More importantly, with this view, God is in the same trap as human beings. If God already knows what He Himself is going to do, God Himself has lost all freedom of action. Worse still, God does not even have the illusion of freedom that human beings have. His Omnipotence is curbed by His Omniscience: God is not free to do something He doesn’t foresee Himself doing.
Problem 1: But how can humans have anything but the illusion of Free Will if God already knows what they are going to do? Even though God does not ordain their choices, every human being is destined to act out what God knows in advance he or she will do.
Problem 2: More importantly, with this view, God is in the same trap as human beings. If God already knows what He Himself is going to do, God Himself has lost all freedom of action. Worse still, God does not even have the illusion of freedom that human beings have. His Omnipotence is curbed by His Omniscience: God is not free to do something He doesn’t foresee Himself doing.
There are some things logically impossible even for God. For instance, God cannot make a rock too heavy for Himself to lift or make a square circle. (Once it’s a square, the shape ceases to be definable as a circle.)
Open Theism believes that God knowing the choices of Free Creatures falls into the same category as God making a rock too heavy for Himself to lift: If God already knows what a human being is going to do, that human being can no longer be defined as 'free.'
Most Evangelicals reject Open Theism, but OT does have a Biblical foundation. It is built on those Scriptures that suggest God is surprised by events.
Gen 3:11 '11 And he said, 'Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?'
Gen 6:6 'The LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and he was deeply grieved.'
Jer 19:5 'They have built high places to Baal on which to burn their children in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, something I have never commanded or mentioned; I never entertained the thought.'
I think an Aquarium analogy makes Open Theism clearer. If I have fish in an aquarium, I know they're not going to invent the wheel or discover fire and then began developing tools that will help them breath out of water and escape my control. They're fish. They have limitations. and they're in an escape proof environment I built and maintain. They're free to do anything they are able to inside that environment.
Open Theism believes that God knowing the choices of Free Creatures falls into the same category as God making a rock too heavy for Himself to lift: If God already knows what a human being is going to do, that human being can no longer be defined as 'free.'
Most Evangelicals reject Open Theism, but OT does have a Biblical foundation. It is built on those Scriptures that suggest God is surprised by events.
Gen 3:11 '11 And he said, 'Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?'
Gen 6:6 'The LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and he was deeply grieved.'
Jer 19:5 'They have built high places to Baal on which to burn their children in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, something I have never commanded or mentioned; I never entertained the thought.'
I think an Aquarium analogy makes Open Theism clearer. If I have fish in an aquarium, I know they're not going to invent the wheel or discover fire and then began developing tools that will help them breath out of water and escape my control. They're fish. They have limitations. and they're in an escape proof environment I built and maintain. They're free to do anything they are able to inside that environment.
Human beings are free because God knows not only what each human will do, He knows all the free choices they could have made but didn't make.
A lot of modern Superhero Science Fiction has to do with the multiverse, i.e. a set of alternative universes where everything that could possibly happen actually has happened in one of those universes. (There's a Batman who looks like Michael Keaton, and a Batman who looks like Christopher Bales, and a Batman who looks like Ben Affleck, and a Batman ...) With Molinism, the multiverse is real, but only in the mind of God.
A lot of modern Superhero Science Fiction has to do with the multiverse, i.e. a set of alternative universes where everything that could possibly happen actually has happened in one of those universes. (There's a Batman who looks like Michael Keaton, and a Batman who looks like Christopher Bales, and a Batman who looks like Ben Affleck, and a Batman ...) With Molinism, the multiverse is real, but only in the mind of God.
▢ Reformed
▢ Classical
▢ Open Theist
▢ Molinist
▢ None of the Above
▢ Classical
▢ Open Theist
▢ Molinist
▢ None of the Above
▢ Reformed
▢ Classical
▢ Open Theist
▢ Molinist
▢ None of the Above
▢ Classical
▢ Open Theist
▢ Molinist
▢ None of the Above
Part II: What God Knows - Basic Bible Truths
(What you need to know to get into Heaven AND have a triumphant Christian walk)
God knows all the mysteries of nature we have not yet discovered.
Job 38 Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
We do not live in a chaotic universe. God has ordered all the processes and laws of the spiritual and natural worlds.
Job 38 Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
We do not live in a chaotic universe. God has ordered all the processes and laws of the spiritual and natural worlds.
Jn 2:25 He [Jesus] did not need anyone to testify about man; for he himself knew what was in man.
Gen 6:6 The LORD saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time
Jer 17:9 '9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable--who can understand it? 10 I, the Lord, examine the mind, I test the heart'
Gen 6:6 The LORD saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time
Jer 17:9 '9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable--who can understand it? 10 I, the Lord, examine the mind, I test the heart'
This includes every secret of your heart, including those secrets you have even hidden from yourself.
I Corinthians 14 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, `God is really among you!`
I Corinthians 14 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, `God is really among you!`
Is. 1:5, 6 5 Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. 6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness—only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil.
Some of us are blessed enough to see the damaging effects of our sins. Others are hardened by their sin and also harden themselves at those rare points when their conscience or the Holy Spirit shows them the truth.
Some of us are blessed enough to see the damaging effects of our sins. Others are hardened by their sin and also harden themselves at those rare points when their conscience or the Holy Spirit shows them the truth.
John 10:3,14 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out...14 I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.
God doesn't just know your name like a boss may know the name of an employee, but not anything about that employee. God knows you intimatately.
Luke 12:7 Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!
Luke 12:7 Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!
Matthew 6:8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.
- YOUR TEMPTATIONS
I Cor 10:13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity... - YOUR LIMITATIONS
I Cor 10:13 But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able,...
- YOUR ESCAPE ROUTE FROM SIN
I Cor 10:13 but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.
Jeremiah 29:11 `For I know the plans I have for you`—this is the Lord’s declaration—`plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.`