So you are saying God predestined those people of Noah's day to be wicked against their own will? God made them/forced them to be wicked against their own will just so He could punish them with the flood?
Does God can change His mind?
- Thread starter conz
- Start date
-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
So you are saying God predestined those people of Noah's day to be wicked against their own will? God made them/forced them to be wicked against their own will just so He could punish them with the flood?
Maybe that why instead of letting a serpent tell you a lie, he let the serpent write a book.
No Seabass. I'm not suggesting anything. I'm saying I agree with Redtent that it is a paradox.
K
Kerry
Guest
The only place I can find where God changed His mind
Exodus 32
13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
14And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written
Exodus 32
13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
14And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written
No. Although God had that 'change' already predestined in His eternal wisdom, it does not mean God "predestined" the people of Noah's day to be wicked against their own will. It just means, God foreknew that the people of Noah's day, "thru exercising their freewill, will be wicked hence the pre-destination of His change.
However,
This will be a dangerous path, Crossnote,
Because this God's foreknowledge of the would-be wickedness of the people and the making of His "change" predestined in His eternal wisdom WILL make the future, our future, a post written book. This would render our salvation thru the death of His Son, a predestined act of the Lord. And it is NOT:
Luke 22:42
New King James Version (NKJV)
42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
All I am saying is 'whatever He has predestined in His eternal wisdom, would include the seeming changes of His (from our finite perspective) that are revealed to us in time.'
Ruth 4:18-22
[SUP]18 [/SUP]Now these are the generations of Perez: to Perez was born Hezron, [SUP]19 [/SUP]and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Amminadab, [SUP]20 [/SUP]and to Amminadab was born Nahshon, and to Nahshon, Salmon, [SUP]21 [/SUP]and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, [SUP]22 [/SUP]and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David.
Matthew 1:5-16
[SUP]5 [/SUP]Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. [SUP]6 [/SUP]Jesse was the father of David the king.David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. [SUP]7 [/SUP]Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa. [SUP]8 [/SUP]Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah. [SUP]9 [/SUP]Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. [SUP]10 [/SUP]Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah. [SUP]11 [/SUP]Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
[SUP]12 [/SUP]After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel. [SUP]13 [/SUP]Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor. [SUP]14 [/SUP]Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud. [SUP]15 [/SUP]Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob. [SUP]16 [/SUP]Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.
Oh, and to make an "on topic" comment.
I do believe that God knows everything: past, present, and future. And that His knowledge does not change our reality, while it is ours, that we decide if we want to follow Him or not. I know that a lot of people have a problem with this, but just because God knows what you will do does not change the fact that - THE CHOICE IS YOURS.
God is incapable of changing His mind. And I do know that there are quite a few verses that say that He did, but I believe this was so that our little human brains could deal with it.
If God can change His mind, then do we assume that "we" may have made a good point that "He" missed. Or that He was somehow, maybe, slightly wrong about how He has done something. No, God knew before He created Adam, that I would ask for something and whether or not He was going to grant, deny, or partially fulfill my request.
That is the way I see it anyway - but don't be troubled. When you pray tonight, God knew, eons ago, how He would answer your prayer. It is quite refreshing actually.
I do believe that God knows everything: past, present, and future. And that His knowledge does not change our reality, while it is ours, that we decide if we want to follow Him or not. I know that a lot of people have a problem with this, but just because God knows what you will do does not change the fact that - THE CHOICE IS YOURS.
God is incapable of changing His mind. And I do know that there are quite a few verses that say that He did, but I believe this was so that our little human brains could deal with it.
If God can change His mind, then do we assume that "we" may have made a good point that "He" missed. Or that He was somehow, maybe, slightly wrong about how He has done something. No, God knew before He created Adam, that I would ask for something and whether or not He was going to grant, deny, or partially fulfill my request.
That is the way I see it anyway - but don't be troubled. When you pray tonight, God knew, eons ago, how He would answer your prayer. It is quite refreshing actually.
Are you suggesting that God LIED? That He only said He changed His mind so that our finite minds could deal with it? You do error if you think this. If the Word of God teaches that He changed His mind, then i assure you, He changed His mind exactly as the Word of God said He did. Many who find verses that they do not agree with, will try to rationalize why they do not apply. Even as you are doing, you do not believe God changes His mind, therefore all the verses which said He did change His mind has to be rationalized away somehow, to make them void, and not mean what they say, you then rationalize that He said He changed His mind because of our little human brains couldn't handle the Truth. So what you are saying if that is the Truth is that God LIES. He said something that was not True. i assure you if God said He changed His mind, He changed His mind. It would be better for you to change what you believe to match with the Word of God, instead of changing the Word of God to match what you believe.
After re-reading this post, it seems i may have come across a little strong, i do apologize for that, it is nothing personal, nor against you, what i wrote is to all who read this, NOT just to you. love you.
^i^
Actually, God's future foreknowledge is what gives Him the ability to not change His mind of the choice He was already going to make based upon His Almighty divine plan thru out all of time. However, if you believe that God lives in the present and can be influenced to change His mind in the heat of the moment like a human being can based on the situation or circumstance alone, then you are in contradiction of Scripture.
For Malachi 3:6 declares, “I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” Similarly, James 1:17 tells us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” The meaning of Numbers 23:19 could not be more clear: “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” No, God does not change His mind. These verses assert that God is unchanging and unchangeable.
For the narrative in Exodus chapter 32 is not a case of a mere man changing the mind of God because Moses doesn’t tell or give God any new information in this passage that the Lord didn't already know. Instead, Moses remembers the promises that God had already made in the past.Exodus 32:11 “You have brought out from the land of Egypt… with a mighty hand” is an allusion to Exodus 15:6 “Your right hand… shatters the enemy”. Moses recalls the reason why God rescued the Jews from Egypt in the first place (Exodus 32:12), and he repeats the promises that God had already made, regarding the Abrahamic covenant (Exodus 32:13; c.f. Genesis 12:1-3). In other words, Moses wasn’t telling God anything new. Therefore, the focus of this passage is not the unknown future; but it is the known past.
For God doesn’t change. God’s attitude toward sin has always been wrath and anger; and God's attitude toward true repentance has always been love and mercy. Because the circumstances changed (i.e. Moses’ prayer of intercession/repentance), God appeared to change from Moses’ point of view. This is a case of anthropomorphic language. Think about it like this. From our perspective, the sun appears to rise and set. However, this is man-centered language. The sun doesn’t actually set into the ground or orbit us; the Earth and it's inhabitants are the ones who actually move around the sun. But yet we use a language that suggests that sun has changed. The same is true with God. From Moses’ perspective, God changed. If the story had been written from the perspective of God’s divine counsel, it would have stated that the people changed. However, because it was written from the perspective of Israel’s history, it states that God changed.
Also, God appearing to not know something on the surface does not mean that He doesn't actually know either. For example, in Genesis 3:9, after Adam's sin, God calls to Adam and asks"Where are you?"
Now, are we to say that God did not know where Adam was in the garden? Of course not. God makes statements often designed to reveal to us a truth that needs to be presented. In fact, God often asks questions He already knows the answer to. In Adam's case, the "where" is dealing with a spiritual condition, and not a physical location.
For God is not some aloof sky-god who merely dictates. Instead, he relates. By asking questions, by appearing to change His mind, by claiming to have found something, He relates and allows man to play an active, and not a passive role in His personal relationship with him.
Besides, God telling Moses what He was going to do to Israel does not effect God's future foreknowledge and make God out to be a liar either because it was not an unmovable future decree. For the Scriptures say…
Exodus 32:10 - "Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath MAY wax hot against them, and that I MAY consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation."
To put it to you another way, the words "may" here suggest something God "may" do. It was not a permanent decree written in stone as a future promise. For the Lord was simply testing Moses here just as God had tested Abraham with Isaac.
For God was letting Moses act as intercessor on Israel's behalf to protect them just as Jesus Christ acts as intercessor on our behalf. For that was the whole point of the scenario. God was testing Moses just as God was going to go thru the test Himself thru the flesh of a man to pay the price for our sins.
As you know, the words of God in Genesis 22:12 are spoken after Abraham was about to sacrifice his Son Isaac on the altar. Abraham had raised the knife by which he would slay Isaac and that is when God tells Abraham to stop. God says, " ...for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
However, does this mean that God did not know for sure what Abraham would do until He saw the raised knife? Does it also mean that God did not know whether or not Abraham feared Him as the verse states? But, the Open theist is presented with a problem because in Openness, God knows all the present completely and totally. If God knows all present things exhaustively, then did God not know the state of Abraham's heart regarding Abraham's reverent fear for God? How could He not? 1 Chronicles 28:9 says, "...for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts..." Since God knows even the intent of the heart, then He knows what the intent of Abraham's heart was during the three day journey to the place of sacrifice as well as whether or not Abraham feared Him. Again, He would have known that Abraham feared Him and the test was unnecessary to establish this fact.
Yet we know that...
God tries men to find out what is in their heart
"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God." ~ (Genesis 22:12)
"Remember how the LORD your God lead you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and test you in order to know what was in your hearts." ~ (Deuteronomy 8:2)
"The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul." ~ (Deuteronomy 13:3)
Now, could it be that these three instances simply serve to reveal and verify to man that which is already known by God? For anyone who has ever had a college chemistry course can probably relate to the following. A chemistry professor comes into class, and says,
"I will now add acetic acid to this compound to see what happens."
The professor already knows what will happen! After the experiment, he might even add,
"I now know that such and such results will occur after adding the acid."
In other words, the chemistry professor is simply putting himself in the place of the class, and speaking for them. This is a similar thing that happened between God and Abraham. For Abraham now knew that God knew his heart. And he also knew God's knowledge was true in light of the 'test' that he just went through.
In fact, many critics have perceived ignorance on the part of God because of a belief that an Omniscient God ought to dictate. However, why can't an Omniscient God refrain from dictating, and simply relate in a way which intimately involves humanity?
Anyways, I hope this helps, my friends.
And may the Lord our God bless you all greatly today.
Please be well.
With loving kindness to you in Christ:
Sincerely,
~Jason.
...
For Malachi 3:6 declares, “I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” Similarly, James 1:17 tells us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” The meaning of Numbers 23:19 could not be more clear: “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” No, God does not change His mind. These verses assert that God is unchanging and unchangeable.
For the narrative in Exodus chapter 32 is not a case of a mere man changing the mind of God because Moses doesn’t tell or give God any new information in this passage that the Lord didn't already know. Instead, Moses remembers the promises that God had already made in the past.Exodus 32:11 “You have brought out from the land of Egypt… with a mighty hand” is an allusion to Exodus 15:6 “Your right hand… shatters the enemy”. Moses recalls the reason why God rescued the Jews from Egypt in the first place (Exodus 32:12), and he repeats the promises that God had already made, regarding the Abrahamic covenant (Exodus 32:13; c.f. Genesis 12:1-3). In other words, Moses wasn’t telling God anything new. Therefore, the focus of this passage is not the unknown future; but it is the known past.
For God doesn’t change. God’s attitude toward sin has always been wrath and anger; and God's attitude toward true repentance has always been love and mercy. Because the circumstances changed (i.e. Moses’ prayer of intercession/repentance), God appeared to change from Moses’ point of view. This is a case of anthropomorphic language. Think about it like this. From our perspective, the sun appears to rise and set. However, this is man-centered language. The sun doesn’t actually set into the ground or orbit us; the Earth and it's inhabitants are the ones who actually move around the sun. But yet we use a language that suggests that sun has changed. The same is true with God. From Moses’ perspective, God changed. If the story had been written from the perspective of God’s divine counsel, it would have stated that the people changed. However, because it was written from the perspective of Israel’s history, it states that God changed.
Also, God appearing to not know something on the surface does not mean that He doesn't actually know either. For example, in Genesis 3:9, after Adam's sin, God calls to Adam and asks"Where are you?"
Now, are we to say that God did not know where Adam was in the garden? Of course not. God makes statements often designed to reveal to us a truth that needs to be presented. In fact, God often asks questions He already knows the answer to. In Adam's case, the "where" is dealing with a spiritual condition, and not a physical location.
For God is not some aloof sky-god who merely dictates. Instead, he relates. By asking questions, by appearing to change His mind, by claiming to have found something, He relates and allows man to play an active, and not a passive role in His personal relationship with him.
Besides, God telling Moses what He was going to do to Israel does not effect God's future foreknowledge and make God out to be a liar either because it was not an unmovable future decree. For the Scriptures say…
Exodus 32:10 - "Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath MAY wax hot against them, and that I MAY consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation."
To put it to you another way, the words "may" here suggest something God "may" do. It was not a permanent decree written in stone as a future promise. For the Lord was simply testing Moses here just as God had tested Abraham with Isaac.
For God was letting Moses act as intercessor on Israel's behalf to protect them just as Jesus Christ acts as intercessor on our behalf. For that was the whole point of the scenario. God was testing Moses just as God was going to go thru the test Himself thru the flesh of a man to pay the price for our sins.
As you know, the words of God in Genesis 22:12 are spoken after Abraham was about to sacrifice his Son Isaac on the altar. Abraham had raised the knife by which he would slay Isaac and that is when God tells Abraham to stop. God says, " ...for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
However, does this mean that God did not know for sure what Abraham would do until He saw the raised knife? Does it also mean that God did not know whether or not Abraham feared Him as the verse states? But, the Open theist is presented with a problem because in Openness, God knows all the present completely and totally. If God knows all present things exhaustively, then did God not know the state of Abraham's heart regarding Abraham's reverent fear for God? How could He not? 1 Chronicles 28:9 says, "...for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts..." Since God knows even the intent of the heart, then He knows what the intent of Abraham's heart was during the three day journey to the place of sacrifice as well as whether or not Abraham feared Him. Again, He would have known that Abraham feared Him and the test was unnecessary to establish this fact.
Yet we know that...
God tries men to find out what is in their heart
"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God." ~ (Genesis 22:12)
"Remember how the LORD your God lead you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and test you in order to know what was in your hearts." ~ (Deuteronomy 8:2)
"The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul." ~ (Deuteronomy 13:3)
Now, could it be that these three instances simply serve to reveal and verify to man that which is already known by God? For anyone who has ever had a college chemistry course can probably relate to the following. A chemistry professor comes into class, and says,
"I will now add acetic acid to this compound to see what happens."
The professor already knows what will happen! After the experiment, he might even add,
"I now know that such and such results will occur after adding the acid."
In other words, the chemistry professor is simply putting himself in the place of the class, and speaking for them. This is a similar thing that happened between God and Abraham. For Abraham now knew that God knew his heart. And he also knew God's knowledge was true in light of the 'test' that he just went through.
In fact, many critics have perceived ignorance on the part of God because of a belief that an Omniscient God ought to dictate. However, why can't an Omniscient God refrain from dictating, and simply relate in a way which intimately involves humanity?
Anyways, I hope this helps, my friends.
And may the Lord our God bless you all greatly today.
Please be well.
With loving kindness to you in Christ:
Sincerely,
~Jason.
...
See, in order for you to change your mind, you can't actually know how something is going to turn out. However, God is Omniscient (i.e. God knows all things), though. For if He didn't know all things, then He wouldn't be God. For God is all powerful, sovereign, all loving, all good, eternal, all knowing, and everywhere present.
If you are all knowing you can't change your mind because you already knew what was going to happen and how you would have reacted to such said situation.
If you are all knowing you can't change your mind because you already knew what was going to happen and how you would have reacted to such said situation.
There is also a scripture that says God is not a man so as to change His mind - paraphrase (I am supposed to be working - I will try to locate that verse later.
PS God doesn't lie. But I heard something in a movie one time (can't remember which one) that kind of stuck with me. One character asked why God (or something greater, supernatural, etc.) didn't explain Himself to us. And the other character asked the first if he had ever tried to explain himself to a roach. I know that God can explain things to us better than we could explain something to a roach, but the point is still made, I think. It isn't God's inability to explain, but our inability to understand that is the problem.
If you are who I am thinking of, we agree on a lot of things. But keep in mind that the bible says that God has changed his mind, BUT it also says that He doesn't changed His mind - at least according to the way that the interpreters wrote it and I read it.
In other words, God deals with us in real time or linear time. He relates to us using our linear concept of time so as to relate to us better. So when God says that Judgment was coming to the city of Nineveh, He was dealing with them in real time or the present moment because man lives in the present moment of time. From man's perspective, he can only see the present. God was saying that their current present course of sin that they were on was going to lead to Judgment. God was relating to them what would happen if they stay on that course within their present moment of time. God knew that they were going to repent. And God did not change His mind because whenever somebody repents openly with a broken heart, God will forgive them. God was telling them a reality or truth about how sin leads to Judgment. And the Nineveh people were currently abiding in sin within real time before they repented.
I just mentioned in post #32. It is Numbers 23:19, my friend. I also mentioned a couple of other good verses, too.
Also, I think the real issue why people fail to understand God's Immutability (i.e. the Lord's ability to not change), is that they do not properly understanding God's Omni-Temporality. For the real underlying problem with God changing His mind is that certain folks here are making God out to be like man in the fact that the Lord does not know the future. Which is an attack upon God's eternal being. For...
God is Omni-Temporal:
For God's days are not like man's days.
Job 10:5 - "Are your days as the days of man? are your years as man's days"
God inhabits eternity.
Isaiah 57:15 - "For thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity,
God exists from everlasting to everlasting.
Psalm 90:2 - "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God."
The Lord is referred to in the past, present, and future tense.
Revelation 1:4 - "From him who is, and who was, and who is to come"
Revelation 1:8 - "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, says the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
Revelation 4:8 - "Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
In fact, we know according to Scripture that God does indeed exist in the past, present, and future. For example, we know God records things within the past onto a scroll.
Psalm 56:8 - "Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll--are they not in your record?"
However, God also records things within the future onto a scroll, as well.
Psalm 139:16 - "Your eyes did see my substance, being yet unformed; and in your book they were all written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."
Did you catch that? It says, "and in your book they were all written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."
So how can a person's days be fashioned for the writer of this Psalm when they did not happen yet?
In addition, the Scriptures say God also knows us (and our future) before we are formed within the womb, too.
Jeremiah 1:5 - "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
So either God did know Jeremiah and He did have foreknowledge of future events that Jeremiah would be a prophet or He didn't know Jeremiah and did not have foreknowledge of his future. For if you believe God does things only within the moment, then you are faced with a conundrum. For if God knew Jeremiah would be a prophet before forming him in the womb then this would imply favoritism on the part of His creation (by Him manipulating people to be either good or bad).
No. God does not play favorites. He is simply outside our linear "time" and knew who Jeremiah was before He formed him.
For even the book of Revelation is a future vision that was recorded by John that we know will come to pass in perfect detail. Not because God alone manipulates things so that these things will come to pass, but for the simple fact that God knows the future (either mentally or from being there).
Here is a great quote from Warren W. Wiersby:
God is Omni-Temporal:
For God's days are not like man's days.
Job 10:5 - "Are your days as the days of man? are your years as man's days"
God inhabits eternity.
Isaiah 57:15 - "For thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity,
God exists from everlasting to everlasting.
Psalm 90:2 - "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God."
The Lord is referred to in the past, present, and future tense.
Revelation 1:4 - "From him who is, and who was, and who is to come"
Revelation 1:8 - "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, says the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
Revelation 4:8 - "Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
In fact, we know according to Scripture that God does indeed exist in the past, present, and future. For example, we know God records things within the past onto a scroll.
Psalm 56:8 - "Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll--are they not in your record?"
However, God also records things within the future onto a scroll, as well.
Psalm 139:16 - "Your eyes did see my substance, being yet unformed; and in your book they were all written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."
Did you catch that? It says, "and in your book they were all written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."
So how can a person's days be fashioned for the writer of this Psalm when they did not happen yet?
In addition, the Scriptures say God also knows us (and our future) before we are formed within the womb, too.
Jeremiah 1:5 - "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
So either God did know Jeremiah and He did have foreknowledge of future events that Jeremiah would be a prophet or He didn't know Jeremiah and did not have foreknowledge of his future. For if you believe God does things only within the moment, then you are faced with a conundrum. For if God knew Jeremiah would be a prophet before forming him in the womb then this would imply favoritism on the part of His creation (by Him manipulating people to be either good or bad).
No. God does not play favorites. He is simply outside our linear "time" and knew who Jeremiah was before He formed him.
For even the book of Revelation is a future vision that was recorded by John that we know will come to pass in perfect detail. Not because God alone manipulates things so that these things will come to pass, but for the simple fact that God knows the future (either mentally or from being there).
Here is a great quote from Warren W. Wiersby:
""Process Theology", an old heresy in modern dress affirms a "limited god" who is in the process of becoming a 'greater' god. But if God is God as we understand the word, He is then eternal and needs nothing; and He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere present. In order to have a "limited god", you must first redefine the word "God", because by definition, God cannot be limited.
Furthermore, if God is limited and "getting greater", then what power is making Him greater? That power would be greater than "God" and therefore be God. And wouldn't that give us two gods instead of one? But the God of the Bible is eternal and had no beginning. He is infinite and knows no limitations in either time or space. He is perfect and cannot "improve", and is immutable and cannot change."
Warren W. Wiersby Old Testament Bible Commentary.Furthermore, if God is limited and "getting greater", then what power is making Him greater? That power would be greater than "God" and therefore be God. And wouldn't that give us two gods instead of one? But the God of the Bible is eternal and had no beginning. He is infinite and knows no limitations in either time or space. He is perfect and cannot "improve", and is immutable and cannot change."
Last edited:
Here is the Truth.
You come to a "Y" in the road, God knows what is going to happen if you go left, He also knows what is going to happen if you choose right. But He does not know what choice you are going to make. He gives satan free reign to persuade us to make the wrong choices. i am begging you to read my articles, one little post here is not going to explain it as they do.
Does God Know Everything
The Meaning of Life
^i^
You come to a "Y" in the road, God knows what is going to happen if you go left, He also knows what is going to happen if you choose right. But He does not know what choice you are going to make. He gives satan free reign to persuade us to make the wrong choices. i am begging you to read my articles, one little post here is not going to explain it as they do.
Does God Know Everything
The Meaning of Life
^i^
I tend to agree... God may determine something, but our actions can change God's decision. In many places in the bible, God says "IF" you don't do this, or "IF' you keep my commandment. This denotes a condition that alters God's actions by what we do or don't do. "And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand" (1 Chronicles 21:15).