"God looks down the corridors of time, saw who would choose Him based on their free-will, and chose only those who would choose Him"
This a very common argument coming from our Arminian brothers. And it would be true, if we were maybe using Webster's dictionary in order to derive what the word "foreknowledge" means. But we are called to be theologians, and theologians derive what theological words mean from SCRIPTURE. Is this not also the fault of the Arminian when it comes to the word "world"? A presumption that world means every single person alive, when clearly that is not the case (e.g, John 3:17, John 17:9, John 7:4). We ought to let scripture speak for itself, and place aside our comfortable traditions, that get us accepted to the tables and meetings of men. According to our Ariminan brethren, foreknowledge simply means God has knowledge of what free creatures will do (How God knows for certain what they will do, if they are free, is a question they still have to answer). Certainly He does have such knowledge, since He decreed the future as such. But when Scripture uses the word foreknowledge, it means more than cognition.
Foreknowledge in the Old-Testament
There is no use of the word foreknowledge in the O.T. But what we do have is to "know". Again, jumping to our presuppositions, we would assume that to know just means to acknowledge or have knowledge of, but this is not the way the word is used in scripture. To know (as with foreknowledge), denotes God's intimate love with His people, in a saving sense.
Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, " I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord"- (Gen 4:1, ESV)
The Lord said to Moses, " I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name." - (Exodus 33:17, NASB)
You have been rebellious against the Lord from the day I knew you- (Deuteronomy 9:24 NASB)
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish (Psalm 1:6 NASB)
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations- (Jeremiah 1:5 NASB)
You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities- (Amos 3:2 NASB)
Foreknowledge in the New-Testament
The word to know is also used in the in N.T- the same way as the old. Here are some examples, and then we'll look at the term Foreknowledge:
" Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'- (Matthew 7:23 NASB)
I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know me, - (John 10:14 NASB)
But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him- (1 Cor 8:3 NASB)
..The Lord knows those who are His..(2 Timothy 2:19 NASB)
It is obvious by the verses above, that to know (or when it says God knew), means more than simple cognition. Rather, it implies by its usage, that to know denotes to love, to regard with favor, or to appoint. Further, when we look at verses such as Acts 2:23, Romans 8:29, Romans 11:2 and 1 Peter 1:2 it is people that are foreknown, not what they will do. To further complicate the problem- If God looks down the corridors of time, He would not "foresee" people believing in Him. Why? Because no one believes in God apart from God's work (of electing, quickening, etc). And what if God looked down the corridors of time and elected those who would choose Him? Well, what would be the point of election? Why would God elect those whom He knows will already elect Him? What's the point? The reality of that matter is that God predestines those whom He foreknows. And this foreknowledge is not based on some foreseen faith in individuals; it is based on the good pleasure of God (Ephesians 1:9).
Your salvation is like a chain that extends back into eternity and forward into eternity. It is an unbreakable chain. Wherever you look on this chain, you find links of iron forged by God himself. - John Piper
In Christ, Awretchsaved
No comments:
Post a Comment