How Much Does God Really Know? (Part 1)

By Knofel Staton

How much does God really know about us? Does he know everything we”ve thought or will think, spoken or will speak, and done or will do? If so, there are many other questions to ponder.

Questions to Ponder

“¢ If God knows everything ahead of time, is everything predetermined without the possibility of changes?

“¢ If not, why pray, change our plans, and repent?

“¢ If God knows and loves us, why doesn”t he stop the bad things?

“¢ If everything is known in advance, what is the value of having the freedom to choose?

“¢ If everything is known in advance, what role does God have in our day-to-day lives?

“¢ If God knew about our decisions and actions thousands of years ago, how can he authentically grieve, be disappointed, get angry, or be joyful as if the events happen spontaneously?

“¢ If God knows ahead of time who will go to Heaven and who will go to Hell, why allow those headed to Hell to be born?

The questions are legion, aren”t they? And many of us have wrestled with them.

The Openness of God Doctrine

One attempt at dealing with those kinds of questions challenges God”s ability to infinitely and holistically know everything in the future. The recently developed “openness of God” theology (or open theism) teaches that God knows everything in the past and present, but does not know what will happen, because there is nothing yet to know. The future is open not only to us, but also to God.

This doctrine is being taught in many evangelical seminaries, colleges, and universities educating some of our future church leaders. Those who hold the openness of God position (he cannot know what has not yet happened) do not believe they are challenging God”s omniscience (knowing everything), because if there is nothing to know then the power to know nothing is not challenged. Those who hold this position are not challenging the nature of God, but the nature of time””especially the future, which is open to be known and God will know every minute detail when the future becomes the present.

Those with this position believe an “open future” (events are not predetermined) enhances the relational characteristics of God, the almighty eternal Father who has compassion on us. He allows us to exercise our freedom of choice, and is moment by moment involved with us as events happen. So he rejoices, grieves, gets angry, is close to the broken hearted, and can be hurt and honored by our decisions and deeds. The future is open to change as we cooperate with God to bring about various possibilities.

The “openness of God” theologians believe this position more fully emphasizes the power of God, who is able to handle anything that happens without having known in advance it would happen. While some things might surprise him, nothing is beyond his almighty power to handle.

Scriptural Support

While some might instantly reject such teaching, several biblical texts seem to support the idea that God was not aware something would happen, was surprised something didn”t happen as he thought it would, and changed his mind (repented) about a decision he had announced or an activity he had set in place. Below are a few of many such texts:

“¢ God admitted he was sorry he had made mankind on earth, and his heart was grieved (Genesis 6:5, 6).

“¢ God regretted he had chosen Saul as king, “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has not carried out My commands” (1 Samuel 15:11; see also 15:35).*

“¢ God made many “if” statements, revealing what he would do if certain things would happen, not because they will happen or when they happen as if already known. Here are a few such statements:

“If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent [repent, change my mind] and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it” (Jeremiah 18:7-10).

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt” (Exodus 13:17).

“¢ God made several “perhaps” statements:

“Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house” (Ezekiel 12:3).

“Thus says the Lord, “˜Stand in the court of the Lord”s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah. . . . Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds”” (Jeremiah 26:2, 3).*

“Take a scroll and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you. . . . Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan . . . then I will forgive their iniquity and sin” (Jeremiah 36:2, 3).*

“¢ God mentions some things that did not seem to enter his mind:

“They have forsaken Me . . . and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as offerings to Baal, a thing which I never commanded or spoke of, nor did it ever enter my mind“ (Jeremiah 19:4, 5).* In this instance, what did not enter his mind may have been to have never commanded them to do such a thing, but it can also refer to never having entered his mind that they would do such things. (See also Jeremiah 7:31.)

“¢ Some things God thought would happen did not occur. For example, he admitted to Jeremiah, “Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there. And I thought, “˜After she has done all these things, she will return to Me”; but she did not return” (Jeremiah 3:6, 7).* Isaiah 5:1-7 reveals what God expected from his vineyard, the people of Israel and Judah: “He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced only worthless ones” (v. 2).*

“¢ God frequently changed his mind due to the prayers of his people or their decision to repent or not to repent. (See Exodus 32:9-13; Numbers 14:10-20; 2 Samuel 24:16; Psalm 106:45; Isaiah 57:6; Jeremiah 18:8; 42:10; Ezekiel 24:14; and Jonah 3:9, 10; 4:2).

“¢ God tested people in order to know their feelings or what they would do or not do. God tested Abraham to see if he would kill his son, Isaac, but just before Abraham brought down the knife, God stopped him and through the angel said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (Genesis 22:12).* At one time, God left king Hezekiah alone “only to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart” (2 Chronicles 32:31).*

But do the above texts mean God cannot know the future?

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*Indicates quote is from the New American Standard Bible.

All italicized and bracketed words in Scripture quotations are added by author for emphasis.

Knofel Staton maintains his teaching, speaking, and writing ministry from his home in Joplin, Missouri.

NEXT WEEK: How the Bible indicates that God knows everything, and how to reconcile seemingly paradoxical texts about God’s foreknowledge.