Does God know the decisions of our future choices?

Question

So, I do believe that God knows we are going to be privy to making choices. I believe He even knows all the different paths we CAN take. My question is this: "Does he KNOW what the results of those options will be...does he know what we will choose?"

If so, does that mean we actually have a choice at all, or is it pre-determined for us?

Answer 1

He knows every step we will take, which is what makes the hard times we go through in life so important. He knows we will make wrong decisions, which, when we live through the consequences of those decisions, means that He can bring us closer to Him. We do have a choice, and it is also pre-determined at the same time. It's a paradox to be sure, but that's what makes Him so awesome.

Answer 2

I'm not a physics major, but I did take some, and do study layman's quantum physics which does give some ideas w/o all the math equations and such. I think it's along the same lines, that's why I put this. At the 'lower' levels, it's all over the place. Apparently sub-atomic particles are BOTH...wave and particle UNTIL we look, and then it goes one way or the other. Lots of experiments going on now about this. You might want to look into that aspect. BECAUSE it ties in with your question. At the lower levels, all kinds of choice but BECAUSE you are you, and yes, you are NOT unlimited (forget winning ice skating contests for example or if you DO that, then leading symphony orchestras) You are limited, and are thus DETERMINED by those very limitations. Just like you, if you're a Dad can actually tell what your little daughter will do (pretty much, not 100%, but a lot), same idea. So while there's plenty of free will...you SEEM to decide to go to this place (but do you REALLY?). Do you really or are the odds stacked that you LIKELY will do this? (eg. the weather, the jobs, the housing index etc). So, no problem for God to know, none at all. I just love the account of Bobby Fisher, remember him?, worldclass chess player?, who played 6, read SIX games of chess simultaneously! He just swung his chair around and did this, KNEW what these people would do. See, the board is limited, and Bobby knew that board and could figure out the players. God knows both. Sorry but it's checkmate.

Answer 3

To God, the past, the present and the future are all like open books. Therefore, He knows.

I believe a person have a choice between or among alternative paths (of decision or action), but the results of those actions or decisions are pretty well pre-determined.
No one can change the results.

HOWEVER, just as a skilled programmer can make his program immune to changes by others, i.e., only he can alter it.

In the same way only God can alter the results of his program for his every creation. (Very shallow parallel, admittedly, but it serves to illustrate a point.)

If one is pre-destined for hell, (and to be on the safe side, one must assume that he is, "worst scenario," ), he must, through sincere prayers and good works invoke the mercy of God to change that predestination from hell to heaven.

With God nothing is impossible. Belief, prayer and good works are the key(s).

Answer 4

Assuming there is a god, which has not been proven, the prediction of future events does not make common sense...god or no gods.

The speculation that we have no free will defies common sense and our everyday experience of life. With the intervention of free will, our future, and thus the future of the universe, will follow a path different from the path it would have pursued without our intervention.

In addition to scientific considerations, common sense insists that Free Will exists. Who would deny that we have Free Will when we put one foot in front of the other and decide, of our own volition, of our own Free Will, to go for a walk or not go for a walk? It is clearly irrational to believe that a chain of causality (pre-determination) at the time of the Big Bang determines if we go for a walk this afternoon, or not.

Answer 5

Personally I don't believe in God, but for the sake of answering this question, here it goes. IF you believe in the all powerfull all present a;; knowing gd then you have no choice in what you are doing, did do and what you will do. There is no way to escape it, you can say that just because god knows doesn't mean we know but its still predetermined. If you believe in this you are just a pawn in the whole adveture known as life, and god is just a lazy being who sits around and watches you. And besides if that is true how BORING would it be to sit around and KNOW what was going to happen to everyone at everypoint in time.

Answer 6

Very good question! I believe some people are screwed in their own choices. If everyone made the right choice, there would be no sin and no reason to have a fear of hell. So some people are pre-determined to make bad choices to create a balance of good and evil or right and wrong.

Answer 7

According to my knowledge on the bible we all have choices, the free will to choose, and the knowledge of what is spiritually right and wrong just as we have since the sin in the garden of eden.

Our choices are not predetermined, but the outcome is already known by God. According to Psalms, He percieves our thoughts from afar, and he knew us before the earth was even formed. Although God knows the outcome, he doesn't give up on giving us chances especially for salvation.

hope this helps.

Answer 8

One way to look at this is from the perspective of infinity. If God is infinite, and has no beginning or end, then time (as we know it) does not exist for him. The past, present, and future are all present at the same time to him. He sees the beginning, middle, and end of everything at the same time, but because he has given us the privilege and responsibility of free will, he does not interfere.

This is an age old question that has gone through many evolutions of thought in the Christian and non-Christian world. Historically, people have been tortured, imprisoned, and executed because they disagreed with the prevailing theological authority. Lots of interesting history behind this one.

Answer 9

God knows everything. That's why he's Almighty.

He knows about the past, present and future of each of us in this world. He knows when and how we will die. He knows about what will be the consequences of your actions.

However, God purposely gave us options in life so that we can choose. This is because God create us with a soul to desire and a brain to think, compared to animals which their purpose in life is to hunt and kill. He wants us to think of our choices carefully; whereby if I choose this option in life what will be the consequences.

Take for example this situation:
A student takes up a job as an intern in a very well-known corporate. His pay is helps him to finance his university studies. However, one day, his Boss came up to him with exciting news --he was given an offer to work permanently in the company. He love working there but that's also means that he would have to quit his studies. He has 2 options: Take the offer and quit his studies, or Decline the offer and continue his studies.

Each choice has its consequences. And God knows what they are. But he purposely not give you direct answers, because he wants you to think about what you're doing.

Answer 10

God does know what the outcome of our life holds and He knows what we will do when certain situations arise, but we are the ones that control what is going to happend in our lives and where we end up(Heaven or Hell) by the choices we make. He doesnt say i want this one to end up in Heaven or this one is going to Hell....that is our decision. You should read Romans chapters 6-8 b/c this not an easy topic to grasp, but it will help clear up things.