God's foreknowledge

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Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
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#41
While we were YET sinners, God loved us.

Hmm so, OP how did you come to know God? Was there a time in your life when you didnt? How did you come to hear about Jesus and do tell us how you repented. Or were you just born a christian out of your mothers womb.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
16,542
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#42
Many people embrace the fact that God has an elect people, but, they limit God's grace by saying his elect are those that he saw, by his foreknowledge, that would seek him. Psalms 53:2-3 says that God looked down on the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back; they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Isa 64:6, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags. We all are by nature depraved and have no righteousness of our own except the imputed righteousness of Christ and that is given to us in the new birth. 1 Cor 2:14 says that the natural man cannot discern spiritual things until he is born of the Spirit.
According to the following Scripture, when does God know you?

Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,181
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#43
Um no

I just look at scripture as a whole

1. The bible says we are DEAD because of SIN
2. it says the PENALTY OF SIN is death
3. Thus in order to be made ALIVE, the penalty would have to be removed.


This is called redemption. Also called Justification. Which was paid for by the atoneing sacrifice of Christ.

This, by defenition. One can not be quickened (made alive) until the penalty of sin is removed. Ie. Justification MUST come first.

We are justified BY FAITH, thus by defenition, Justification MUST precede regeneration

Eph 1 5 says we were predestined, i agree.. We are predestined based on foreknowledge.

God can not contradict himself. His truth and all truth must always be true. Otherwise God is a liar.
Jesus made us just before God by his sacrifice for us on the cross. When God looks at those that Christ died for (which was not all mankind) He looks at us (as far as heaven is concerned) as Holy and without blame, however as long as we live here in this world we carry the sin nature of Adam. When God regenerates us we take on a dual nature of the flesh and the Spirit and have to battle with that the rest of our natural life, as Paul explains in the book of Galatians. The penalty of sin has been removed, as far as eternal life is concerned. We do, however have our sins to deal with, even after we are made alive in regeneration.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#44
Jesus made us just before God by his sacrifice for us on the cross. When God looks at those that Christ died for (which was not all mankind) He looks at us (as far as heaven is concerned) as Holy and without blame, however as long as we live here in this world we carry the sin nature of Adam. When God regenerates us we take on a dual nature of the flesh and the Spirit and have to battle with that the rest of our natural life, as Paul explains in the book of Galatians. The penalty of sin has been removed, as far as eternal life is concerned. We do, however have our sins to deal with, even after we are made alive in regeneration.
Wrong

Jesus took the sins of the whole world. But the whole world will nto recieve his gift. Thats why he is to be praised. And the world left without excuse.

God predestined based on his foreknowledge

So please. Stop limitiing what God can know and not know. And hos power to be able to convince people to freely chose him.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,181
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#45
According to the following Scripture, when does God know you?

Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
We are known of God before he ever formed the world. We do not know God until God regenerates us, however, God has known us before time began.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
16,542
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#46
We are known of God before he ever formed the world. We do not know God until God regenerates us, however, God has known us before time began.
Not according to Scripture, Galatians 4:9. It reads, but now, after ye are known of God...

How can you twist this around and fit your theology?
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,181
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#47
How silly to say the regenerated seek God when we already have Him! One needs to seek God BEFORE being regenerated.

Its like saying a mother seeks to have children when she already has them.
You can say that someone seeks to be a mother when she does not already have them. Before she even falls pregnant. But you cant say she seeks to have children after shes given birth. Shes alteady a mother by then!

Cart before horse.
The children after they are born, seek to please their parents, or at least should seek to. The children before they were born could not seek to do anything.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,181
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#48
Not according to Scripture, Galatians 4:9. It reads, but now, after ye are known of God...

How can you twist this around and fit your theology?
Are you saying that we were not known by God until after we were regenerated? That is really limiting God's foreknowledge.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,167
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#49
Many people embrace the fact that God has an elect people, but, they limit God's grace by saying his elect are those that he saw, by his foreknowledge, that would seek him. Psalms 53:2-3 says that God looked down on the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back; they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Isa 64:6, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags. We all are by nature depraved and have no righteousness of our own except the imputed righteousness of Christ and that is given to us in the new birth. 1 Cor 2:14 says that the natural man cannot discern spiritual things until he is born of the Spirit.
FGC,

You've become an expert at misunderstanding and misapplying Scriptures. So to clear the air about God's foreknowledge -- THAT HE KNOWS THE END FROM THE BEGINNING -- let's address the Scriptures you have posted and put things in perspective.

1. Ps 53:2-3, Isa 64:6, etc. are all confirmation that all human beings are separated from God, and without the Gospel all would be lost. As Scripture says, the whole world is guilty before God.

2. God also saw in His divine foreknowledge that Christ -- the Lamb of God -- would die for the sins of the whole world.

3. God also saw in His divine foreknowledge that when the Gospel was preached, many would repent and be converted (as seen in Acts 2).

4. Therefore God could also elect or predestine (in His divine foreknowledge) those who would believe "to be conformed to the image of His Son" (1 Pet 1:2; Rom 8:29,30)

As you can see, this is not rocket science. As to the misuse of 1 Cor 2:14, that applies to "the deep things of God" -- everything which comes after a person is born again and understands spiritual things. It does not apply to the simple Gospel which says "You are a sinner and Christ died for your sins. Therefore repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ". See Acts 16:30,31.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
16,542
3,503
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#50
Are you saying that we were not known by God until after we were regenerated? That is really limiting God's foreknowledge.
I'm aligning my beliefs with what Scripture says. Explain Galatians 4:9. When is one known of God?

And btw, I have not limited God's foreknowledge, God Himself has done so in His word.
 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
#51
His mercy

Romans 9:16
So then it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that sheweth mercy.
It is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance. Mercy is certainly Gods goodness. Gods love for us is shown in His sacrifice of His Son Christ.

Why do some men refuse to see Christ and turn from their sin? How can some men love sin more than Gods goodness? This the question that drives men to Calvinism. They cannot understand how God can be sovereign and still permit men to choose light over darkness.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 
Mar 23, 2016
6,732
1,630
113
#52
Those spoken of in Psalms 53 (children of men) are all mankind.
Psalm 53:4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.

Who are "they" that do not call upon God?
Are "they" the workers of iniquity who have no knowledge?
Or are "they" the ones God refers to as my people?

I believe the "they" referred to in vs 4 as the workers of iniquity who have no knowledge are those who:

vs 1 - are fools who say there is no God; they are corrupt and work abominable iniquity and do no good.

vs 2 - they do not seek God.

vs 3 - they are altogether filthy and not one of the workers of iniquity who have no knowledge of God does good.


Then we have those who God considers His people:

vs 4 - the workers of iniquity who have no knowledge of God eat God's people.

vs 5 - God will scatter these workers of iniquity and put them to an open shame.


God keeps His promises to His people and He will deal with those fools who say there is no God.

God's people are to remain steadfast in the midst of the strife generated by the workers of iniquity.



 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
36,530
13,098
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#53
We do not know God until God regenerates us
He created us such that we learn in time - how long does it take an average human ((regenerated, for sake of argument)) to come to complete knowledge of infinite God? what's the unit-knowledge-of-God/unit-of-time rate ?
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
36,530
13,098
113
#54
Why do some men refuse to see Christ and turn from their sin? How can some men love sin more than Gods goodness? This the question that drives men to Calvinism. They cannot understand how God can be sovereign and still permit men to choose light over darkness.
well, people say that, but as for me i never had any misgiving over how sovereign God can allow some to be damned and others saved.
i asked what true, perfect, real sovereignty is, because this is the kind of sovereignty God must have, because He is true, perfect and very real. and i looked for what that answer has to look like - and how that the things in that question you asked must be measured, if God is truly sovereign - whether the way men measure them, or how God measures them, if indeed those are two different measures.


The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ 
(Matthew 13:24-30)


 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,181
1,177
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#55
Psalm 53:4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.

Who are "they" that do not call upon God?
Are "they" the workers of iniquity who have no knowledge?
Or are "they" the ones God refers to as my people?


I believe the "they" referred to in vs 4 as the workers of iniquity who have no knowledge are those who:

vs 1 - are fools who say there is no God; they are corrupt and work abominable iniquity and do no good.

vs 2 - they do not seek God.

vs 3 - they are altogether filthy and not one of the workers of iniquity who have no knowledge of God does good.


Then we have those who God considers His people:

vs 4 - the workers of iniquity who have no knowledge of God eat God's people.

vs 5 - God will scatter these workers of iniquity and put them to an open shame.


God keeps His promises to His people and He will deal with those fools who say there is no God.

God's people are to remain steadfast in the midst of the strife generated by the workers of iniquity.
Workers of iniquity describes all of us until we have been regenerated.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,181
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#56
He created us such that we learn in time - how long does it take an average human ((regenerated, for sake of argument)) to come to complete knowledge of infinite God? what's the unit-knowledge-of-God/unit-of-time rate ?
Different times for each person and we all never come unto a complete understanding of the truth.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
36,530
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#57
Different times for each person and we all never come unto a complete understanding of the truth.
So it takes infinite time - who then knows Him? That is why, I think, Paul said 'rather you are known by Him'

It will take all of eternity, and we are only beginning to know Him - 'but then we shall know fully'
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#58
He created us such that we learn in time - how long does it take an average human ((regenerated, for sake of argument)) to come to complete knowledge of infinite God? what's the unit-knowledge-of-God/unit-of-time rate ?
Since God made us all individuals. And god would will not overrule our free will, I would say it varies with each person. Some it may take a lifetime
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,181
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#59
FGC,

You've become an expert at misunderstanding and misapplying Scriptures. So to clear the air about God's foreknowledge -- THAT HE KNOWS THE END FROM THE BEGINNING -- let's address the Scriptures you have posted and put things in perspective.

1. Ps 53:2-3, Isa 64:6, etc. are all confirmation that all human beings are separated from God, and without the Gospel all would be lost. As Scripture says, the whole world is guilty before God.

2. God also saw in His divine foreknowledge that Christ -- the Lamb of God -- would die for the sins of the whole world.

3. God also saw in His divine foreknowledge that when the Gospel was preached, many would repent and be converted (as seen in Acts 2).

4. Therefore God could also elect or predestine (in His divine foreknowledge) those who would believe "to be conformed to the image of His Son" (1 Pet 1:2; Rom 8:29,30)

As you can see, this is not rocket science. As to the misuse of 1 Cor 2:14, that applies to "the deep things of God" -- everything which comes after a person is born again and understands spiritual things. It does not apply to the simple Gospel which says "You are a sinner and Christ died for your sins. Therefore repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ". See Acts 16:30,31.
First of all, Jesus did not die for all mankind. He only died for those that God gave him., John 6. He says that all that he died for will live in heaven eternally. If he had died for all mankind, then all mankind will live in heaven with him eternally. and we know the scriptures will not uphold that to be true. The natural man cannot come unto a knowledge of the truth of the gospel until after they have been regenerated Eph 2. Coming unto a knowledge of the truth of the gospel can deliver an already regenerated person here in time, but the gospel cannot deliver a person eternally. Jesus said " In the gospel, ye think that ye have eternal life, but they a words talking about me." Believing in spiritual things comes after regeneration. These people in Acts 2:38 and Acts 30 were already regenerated, else, they could not have been pricked in their hearts. The unregenerate men who stoned Steven to death had a completely different response and were not pricked in their heart, but were cut to the heart.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,181
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#60
So it takes infinite time - who then knows Him? That is why, I think, Paul said 'rather you are known by Him'

It will take all of eternity, and we are only beginning to know Him - 'but then we shall know fully'
Now you are seeing the picture, but you cannot limit God's foreknowledge of all things from the beginning of time to the end.