Share this post:. Related Reading. Re-Thinking Divine Sovereignty April 3, Many people in the church have been taught that divine sovereignty is synonymous with unilateral control. Still others have proposed that if God is not sovereign over all, then he has no sovereignty at… Tags: Cross , God's Sovereignty , Open Theism , Power.
Hearing and Responding to God: Part 2 January 10, In this video, Greg continues his thoughts about the difficulties we can encounter when we try to hear God speaking to us. Topics: Hearing God, Prayer. What is the significance of 2 Chronicles ? Topics: Open Theism. These questions contain one of the most influential — and, in my opinion, one of the most disastrous — philosophical ideas of… Tags: Attributes of God , Blueprint Worldview , Change , God , Open Theism , Perfection , Plato , time.
For example, barring extenuating circumstances in which this paper is not graded, God knows what grade [the professor] will give this paper. God knows the grade before chronologically [the professor] actually grades the paper. According to Molinism, perhaps most notably defended today by Dr. William Lane Craig, [35] before the creation of the world, there were three logical not chronological!
This knowledge is essential to God. Out of all the possible worlds God could have created, God freely chose to create this actual world.
If God had created a world in which there was no [seminary I attend], there would be nothing really to know about this non-existent institution.
God would have this free knowledge in any possible world, but the content of this knowledge could plausibly be very different. Hence, according to Craig, the content of this knowledge is not essential to God.
Through middle knowledge, God is able to determine which possible worlds can be made actual. He also knows what I would be doing if I was not hired to work the Front Desk at all. And God knows what I would be doing if I decided not to apply to [the seminary] last Fall. As mentioned earlier, this knowledge is logically posterior and dependent on what I would freely do in those circumstances even though God would foreknow those free actions chronologically prior to the actions themselves.
Therefore, though God would have middle knowledge in any possible world, the content of such middle knowledge could be different. Hence, the content of this knowledge is not essential to God. As confusing as Molinism may appear, does support for it appear in Scripture?
Scholars often though, perhaps unknowingly affirm that God exhibited middle knowledge when he tells David what would have happened if he stayed in Keilah i. In addition, Elisha tells King Joash that he would have completely destroyed Aram if he had struck the ground five or six times instead of only three 2 Ki And that He knows what decision would result in the best outcome? If they do X, then He knows Y and Z would happen.
Since God would know if B and C were better than Y and Z, God could help guide the person to make the decision that would have the best result. For example, someone might ask God for guidance when deciding between a higher-paying job across the country or a lower-paying job close to home. If God has middle knowledge, God would know what the person would do in either set of circumstances, and what would ultimately be the result of their decisions. He would know everything about their potential job performance, job security, compatibility with co-workers, family life, safety, level of health, level of happiness, level of holiness, etc.
Thus, God could help point them towards the overall better path. If God lacks middle knowledge, however, He would not necessarily know what would happen in both sets of circumstances. He would only know what the person will choose and what will happen future knowledge.
This would not be much help. Not to mention, if God lacks future knowledge, as well, such a God would be even more unhelpful. He would not know what would happen nor what will happen — only what could happen.
It also resonates well with passages in Scripture which plausibly assert that God, in fact, does have knowledge of all future events — including human thoughts and actions.
God declares new things before they happen Isa A Molinist could claim that such a decree entails the free act of God choosing to create this actual world — out of all the possible worlds that could be made actual.
Such a decree could predestine a particular set of circumstances in which certain free creatures make certain free decisions in accordance with certain purposes. Simply put, middle knowledge is a plausible [means] by which God can providentially order future events without infringing upon human freedom.
Not in my view. For example, On November 27, , [the professor] lectured on theological anthropology past tense. Danny is currently thirty years old present tense. For not all knowledge is propositional. It appears that the propositional content of each statement is virtually identical; each person has the same propositional knowledge.
But each person would probably react differently to this propositional knowledge. My mother might rush to meet me at an emergency room. Furthermore, if it were possible for a super-computer to be programmed with all true propositional knowledge, one could argue that it would still lack appropriate self-knowledge.
All things considered, in my view, God knows all things. God cannot be surprised; God is omniscient. God knows the truth or falsehood of any and all propositions in the actual world — past, present, and future free knowledge. Moreover, God has perfect and exhaustive propositional knowledge of any possible world natural knowledge , and knowledge of any proposition concerning the decision of any free creature in any circumstance middle knowledge. I maintain that God is not a mere chess grandmaster or a really good gambler.
Nor is God the deterministic author of every instance of evil and suffering. Finally, God is more than [propositionally] omniscient. For God has non-propositional, appropriate self-knowledge — full comprehension of an incomprehensible being!
This is the mighty God I serve! This is the God in whom I put my trust! When faced with inexplicable circumstances in life, we invariably take refuge and find solace in the omniscience of God. Not only does He know what actually happened, but He knows what might have happened. He always knows what ultimate good and glory will come from events we cannot understand. Tozer [61].
Bloesch, Donald G. He desired to have a relationship with them on a real time, face-to-face basis. The Lord was at least a little surprised that Adam, whom he directly instructed Genesis - 17 , so quickly and easily caved in to sin.
One day Jesus, who was God in the flesh, traveled to his boyhood home of Nazareth and preached in the local synagogue Mark - 2. Those in attendance knew him, and his family who were still living in the city, quite well verse 3. Sadly, even though those who attended services were amazed at his wisdom, and acknowledged his miracles, they rejected him and his message.
As Jesus was leaving Nazareth and reflecting on what happened He was "amazed by their unbelief" Mark The Lord was somewhat surprised that those who knew him the best could so easily dismiss him. One of the greatest example of God being surprised was when Jesus visited Capernaum Matthew - 10, Luke - 9. A Roman commander, who had a trusted servant near death, sent Jewish messengers requesting he heal the man. As the Lord drew near to the Roman's house, other messengers came and said the centurion felt unworthy for him to enter his residence.
They also revealed, in a unique acknowledgment of his authority which the disciples had yet to reach , that the Roman knew Jesus only had to command his servant be healed for it to happen!
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