That is, does God see the entire future? I've asked 2 ministers this and gotten 2 different answers. The first one said yes, God sees everything including the future and knows what will happen ahead of time.
The second minister said that God CAN know the future, but often chooses NOT TO. That is, he doesn't wan't to know what will happen all the time.
Here's the issue: If we believe that God DOESN'T always look into the future, that means he doesn't always KNOW what will happen. That's kind of unsettling.
If however we believe that God DOES always know the future, that means that he knows what we'll do before we do it, and that means that all the times in the Bible that speaks of Him 'testing' us
is a problem. If he knows what we'll do before we do it, testing us makes no sense. If He knew in advance that Abraham would be willing to sacrifice Isaac and that his faith was pure, it makes no sense to test him. If he knew Eve would eat the apple, why tell her not to? Wheres the test?
2006-06-28 05:38:13 · 10 answers · asked by choko_canyon 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I believe that God does know the future. As for why He does things, we may not understand them. But, they are all within His plan.
2006-06-28 05:44:42 · answer #1 · answered by Geoff C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The testing is necessary for our benefit and our spiritual growth. It is not so God can see what we will do. As far as God knowing the future, time can be compared to a movie and we are the characters in the movie. God knows how the movie ends but the characters still have to go through all the processes that lead up to that ending.
2006-06-28 12:50:04 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes He knows everything and He knows all eventualities. the test is free will, He tells us as He told her. The moral choice isn't between whats right or wrong. The test and morality is between 2 or more right ways to do. The choose then is which of those right ones, is whats best for all not just us solely. He isn't selfish, and loves us freely. He is our example to live & love as He does for us. He couldve taken it to heart that abraham was indeed willing. To teach abraham how deep abrahams faith was, was for abrahams sake not Gods. if He told you and He knew you could fly. you might believe it in w/all your heart. However, til you actually are tested, you wont know. the more we do,even in faith the more we grow stronger. Amen
2006-06-30 22:25:32 · answer #3 · answered by Mr Spock 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God sees the future based on Jeremiah 29:11 " For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord plans for good and not for evil to give you an expected end". Yes he knows what we will do before we ever do it. It is humans who can't see the future. God allows the testing for the deepening of our faith in God. Some events are for our benefit. Take Job chapter 1 for example the story starts off with God and Satan talking about Job. Satan says that Job only follows God because of the blessings he recieves from him, but if God were to take everything away Job would curse him to his face. God allowed Satan to take everything from Job but his life. By the end of Job, He realizes that God allows things to happen to good people. He doesn't want a surface relationship with us, where He is our cosmic errand boy. He wants a deep relationship with us one of a Father and child. As a child you relied on your Father and Mother for everything you needed. You didn't question why or how you freely accepted their love, and trust. But as you got older your parents allowed you more freedoms and helped you make decisions about the direction of your life. My mother was famous for saying "Well if that's what you want to do, go ahead." Even though she knew it wasn't necessarily the best plan she would let me fall and get bruised up and then I would run home crying and upset. She told me once I got older that the reason she did this was so that I could learn that not everything I wanted was best for me. There was no other way to teach me this lesson. I think God is the same way. He allows things to happen so that we can see that it is not the best for us then we come running home so that He can fix our broken hearts and wounded feelings.
The story of the Fall of Man is one of disobedence. In order for real love to exist you must have freedom to love with out following like a zombie. It has to come from your free choice or else its not real love. The test is in are you really willing to follow and trust that the Lord knows what is best for you or do you want to go your own way and make your own plans. The choice is yours to make God is not going to force you to make it.
2006-06-28 12:57:23 · answer #4 · answered by Monique B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This tiny idea of God that you have been given is incomplete. Each situation that you are confronted with requires some action by you. You may have several choices available to you for each situation, each of which will create a different outcome, or set you off on a new path. God is aware of each of these paths and their eventual outcome. This gets quite complex so If you want to discuss this further click on my name and send your email address to me as an answer to my question “ what do you think” On the page clicking my name takes you to.
2006-06-28 12:52:19 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its not a test to prove it to him, if he knows it, but rather for us to learn from.
Eve goes back to free will. He gave them one rule, but free will. He let her make the choice, with no interference at all. That was the very fullfillment of free will. People say "then he shouldn't have given her the chance", okay, sure, but then free will would not exist. No choice, no chance to choose.
God rewarded Abraham. Abraham proved his faith, proved his devotion, and was rewarded. The test wasnt for God to know what he would do, but rather for Abraham to show his faith, and was rewarded for it.
I think God knows all, but on the other hand, I think maybe he doesn't. SO Im not sure on that point, but as far as the testing thing goes, its not for Gods benefit, but our own.
2006-06-28 12:44:54 · answer #6 · answered by sweetie_baby 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ministers are just people. Asking two people and getting two opinions is not unusual in the topic of religion or philosophy.
2006-06-28 12:43:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He has a plan, and He wanted Adam and eve to choose to obey, not be forced into it. Testing us does make sense...because then he knows we have faith in Him and fear Him as we ought to.
2006-06-28 12:43:23 · answer #8 · answered by megan w 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are asking the right questions!!! Keep asking and some day you'll realize just how much things don't make any sense at all and be using your brain completely.
2006-06-28 12:45:51 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it's still a matter of debate today. You can't really know how much of what we do is out of free will and how much is out of God's plan.
2006-06-28 12:47:22 · answer #10 · answered by courtney m 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋