Does God know the future?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Does God know the future?

  • Yes, but this causes no threat to free will.

    Votes: 58 78.4%
  • Yes, and I find this does present a challenge to free will.

    Votes: 10 13.5%
  • No, but this does not threaten his Godhood.

    Votes: 2 2.7%
  • No, and I find this does present a challenge to his Godhood.

    Votes: 3 4.1%
  • Question is sophomoric / Something else entirely

    Votes: 1 1.4%

  • Total voters
    74
Jan 24, 2012
1,299
15
0
Good question. Maybe it was just saying the Jesus while on earth and in the flesh didnt know???
It is kind of a hairy question. Jesus knew everything else though. He remembered his heavenly origin and as shown through his words and actions in the Bible, the feelings/enlightenment that comes with such a heavenly origin. I think it would be kind of an odd thing to not remember though lol.

It's a toughy.

There are many parts in the Bible that contradict the existence of a Trinity just as there are ones that support one. It's hard to see clearly on the subject sometimes.
 
Feb 4, 2012
83
0
0
what up dimitri? Who's da man. fancy meeting here you in lalaland. lol.



Does God know the future?

If He does not, can he be truly omnipresent?

If God indeed does know the future, where does our free will come in? Isn't He just setting up everything in advance? How can we, therefore, think that any justice, divine or earthly, is real? Aren't we all just pawns in a greater scheme?

Or, is there some middle ground I'm missing? Does God have a general idea of the future, but not the specifics? Does God intentionally remain unaware of the future in order to preserve free will? If so, then where do prophecies come into all of this?

Determinism is very disturbing, but whether one is religious or secular, free will ends up looking like an impossible idea.
 
Feb 4, 2012
83
0
0
why shouldn doing good be as effortless as doing evil. choose to accept ur fate.
 

TheKringledOne

Senior Member
Dec 25, 2009
423
4
18
I can't answer unless I know what the definition of godhood being used here is.
 
Feb 4, 2012
83
0
0
Love.....
it does exert a sort of force.......



blah blah blah, people come on. the answer is always "both" when you can apologize ad nauseum. go study koans till your heads all explode.
 

SweetShelly35

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2012
289
3
18
He knows every word before you utter it...he knows all.
 
L

Livi94

Guest
I think God knows every consequence (good or bad) to every one of our actions but they are still our decisions, our own choices.
 
T

TheComforter

Guest
My question to all of you is how do you worship a GOD that you don't UnderStand? The 'church' system and/or priests have failed mankind and sadly, it was done intentionally to create a global slave/trade/(house of)merchandise (not paradise~eden) system.
 

wolfwint

Senior Member
Feb 15, 2014
3,590
879
113
61
Does God know the future?

If He does not, can he be truly omnipresent?

If God indeed does know the future, where does our free will come in? Isn't He just setting up everything in advance? How can we, therefore, think that any justice, divine or earthly, is real? Aren't we all just pawns in a greater scheme?

Or, is there some middle ground I'm missing? Does God have a general idea of the future, but not the specifics? Does God intentionally remain unaware of the future in order to preserve free will? If so, then where do prophecies come into all of this?

Determinism is very disturbing, but whether one is religious or secular, free will ends up looking like an impossible idea.
I know i am saved through grace. The answers of the questions you have god knows best, even your heart
 
T

Tintin

Guest
Easy. God is Creator, everything else is the created. Time is part of Creation. God is outside of time since He created it. Therefore, yes, God knows the future. He knows the future of you and I and everyone who has lived, is living and will live. Nothing is a surprise to Him.
 

ArtsieSteph

Senior Member
Apr 1, 2014
6,194
1,319
113
33
Arizona
That's why God is amazing. He knows what we'll do, He loves us anyway, and He also gives us the chance to maybe "change" what will happen. It's like...I dunno, like you talk to your kid and say "Don't eat that cookie." You know they will eat the cookie, but you give them the option to do the right thing.
 

Jimbone

Senior Member
Aug 22, 2014
2,719
829
113
44
Depends on what you mean by "free will," actually. If by it you mean that you are not coerced or remotely controlled, sure. If by it you mean that you can choose anything without any criteria (abitrarily) or pre-existing context, then we have some problems - let me use kind of a silly example:

If God knows I am going to have waffles tomorrow, and that knowledge is of an actual, certain choice, then there is actually a restriction on my future choice. No matter what, I will not choose pancakes tomorrow, I cannot - since the future is certain and it is already known what I will choose. The problem of foreknowledge vs. unrestricted (libertarian) free will is one thing that causes some people to go the route of Open Theism, which believes that God cannot know the future because the future isn't knowable or certain.

A second problem is the undeniable nature of "choice." Choices aren't arbitrary, we make choices for reasons. There are inclinations, circumstances, and desires (among other things) that inform and direct every choice we make. If I choose waffles tomorrow, it's because I want waffles and not oatmeal. Did I choose to want waffles too? Did I choose to prefer them? Hopefully I haven't oversimplified in my analogy, but that's what I am getting at. We may have choice, but those choices are limited by our greatest inclinations and are subject to our desires. I am not of the opinion the we choose our greatest inclinations or desires.

Restricted or "compatablist" will, IMO, not libertarian "free will", is both the biblical and logical conclusion we have to make. This retains God as absolutely sovereign and not self-limiting AND man as responsible and not a robot. But it really depends on what people mean when they say "free will." In philosophical/theological circles, this is why people make a distinction on what they mean.
Nope all that and you're so very off. Just because God knows our choice doesn't mean we don't make that choice. Your problem is you put God on the same level as yourself and God is MUCH bigger than your small "thoughts and logic". Sorry you don't get to make God adhere to your limited idea of what He is. I had the same problem when I thought of this in a strictly worldly manner.
 
Jul 27, 2016
458
7
0
Does God know the future?

If He does not, can he be truly omnipresent?

If God indeed does know the future, where does our free will come in? Isn't He just setting up everything in advance? How can we, therefore, think that any justice, divine or earthly, is real? Aren't we all just pawns in a greater scheme?

Or, is there some middle ground I'm missing? Does God have a general idea of the future, but not the specifics? Does God intentionally remain unaware of the future in order to preserve free will? If so, then where do prophecies come into all of this?

Determinism is very disturbing, but whether one is religious or secular, free will ends up looking like an impossible idea.
Yes, he knows the future
 
T

thisguyisnyeh1

Guest
yes, it states this repeatedly throughout the book

(add to questionare)