FOREKNOWLEDGE - There's More Than Meets God's Eye

http://www.flash.net/~thinkman/articles/foreknow.htm | 4/3/02 | William Kilgore

[RnMomof7]

For discussion

[RnMomof7]

Some Scriptural backround for those that do not believe that the Doctrines of Grace are in Scripture

[rdb3]

And a serious bump right backatcha!

[JenB]

Thanks for pinging me! I know I never get involved in these discussions - wiser heads usually say all I mean much better than I could - but this is really well written.

What this view does, in essence, is to make God a cosmic plagarist - He has read the book, decided He likes it, and then has simply declared Himself to be the author. In the Arminian reality, however, He has had nothing to do with the production of the book. Those who will freely trust Him are actually the ones who wrote it. And yet God comes along to take the credit.

What a great summary of the problem I see with "free will" - that it takes from God's omnipotence. Who are we to limit God at all? And how can we say that "God is powerful in all but this most important matter; as far as He is concerned, He might have sent His son to die for no one at all, because we could have rejected Christ at any point"! I am humbled because I must say that not only did I not deserve grace, I didn't want it either, and He had to force it on me against my fallen will. For some reason He chose me, and I praise Him for that!

[Wrigley]

Thanks Mom, another great find. Bump for a re-read later.

[Wrigley]

Thanks Mom, another great find. Bump for a re-read later.

[RnMomof7]

This statement immediately brings forth the observation that although, according to Wesley, all are free, it is apparent that not all choose to trust Christ. That observation now raises a question that begs for an answer. If all are free, why do some come to Christ while others reject Him? The Arminian will certainly answer, "Because it is a matter of choice. All are free to choose however they wish." But surely that is too superficial and begs the real question. We must go deeper. Why is it that people make the choices that they do?

I enjoyed this article because the author asked the same question I have put to many..Why do some "choose " to come and not others??

[RnMomof7]

I am humbled because I must say that not only did I not deserve grace,

Me too Jen..Amazing Grace how sweet the sound ......

I liked this too!

[rwfromkansas]

A HUGE bump for the REAL meaning of "foreknowledge."

[4Godsoloved..Hegave]

Thanks for the flag and a bump for the Truth!

Just read Arthur Pink's "The Attributes of God" and he also had a chapter on Foreknowledge of God that was a blessing.
Here is a clip from that,

There are two things concerning the Foreknowledge of God about which many are in ignorance: the meaning of the term, its Scriptural scope. Because this ignorance is so widespread, it is an easy matter for preachers and teachers to palm off perversions of this subject, even upon the people of God. There is only one safeguard against error, and that is to be established in the faith; and for that, there has to be prayerful and diligent study, and a receiving with meekness the engrafted Word of God. Only then are we fortified against the attacks of those who assail us. There are those today who are misusing this very truth in order to discredit and deny the absolute sovereignty of God in the salvation of sinners. Just as higher critics are repudiating the Divine inspiration of the Scriptures; evolutionists, the work of God in creation; so some pseudo Bible teachers are perverting His foreknowledge in order to set aside His unconditional election unto eternal life.

For anyone desiring a meat filled meal of God's Word...Be blessed

The Attributes of God

[Jean Chauvin]

"The biblical term, proginosko, does not carry with it only the meaning of simple advance knowledge or precognition. Rather, the term also carries with it the suggestion of intimate, personal knowledge, as well as the concept of selection or to determine upon."

"God does not say that He foreknew the decisions that individuals would make, but rather, He foreknew the individuals themselves."

Hmmmm....Mom? Haven't I heard these two statements somewhere before???

. Just checking.

Quite obviously, a great post!

Jean

[P-Marlowe]

"God does not say that He foreknew the decisions that individuals would make, but rather, He foreknew the individuals themselves."

Isn't that dangerously close to saying that God IS a respecter of persons?

Isn't that statement consistent with the thinking that God chooses his elect because of something that is in them? Something that he foreknew about them?

Just curious.

[Jean Chauvin]

"Isn't that dangerously close to saying that God IS a respecter of persons?

Isn't that statement consistent with the thinking that God chooses his elect because of something that is in them? Something that he foreknew about them?"

Simple answer:

Galatians 3
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Any human distinction you can think of makes absolutly no difference to God. God doesn't give Jews an advantage over Greeks in salvation. God doesn't give free-men and advantage over slaves in salvation. God doesn't give men and advantage over women in salvation. God doesn't give White Collar workers an advantage over a ditch digger in salvation. God doesn't give Whites an advantage over Blacks in salvation. Any human distinction you can think of applies here.

A little more clear:

Ephesians 1:5
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

He predestinates only according to his good pleasure. Nothing else.

And the clincher:

Acts 10:34
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

Peter says, point blank, 'that God is no respecter of persons'. By that we are 'bound'.

Jean

[P-Marlowe]

God doesn't give Whites an advantage over Blacks in salvation. Any human distinction you can think of applies here.

There are Calvinists on these threads that state that those who live or lived in the deepest darkest places in Africa or in the backwoods of Mongolia were placed there because they were not chosen. The gospel was not or has not been taken to them because they were not "chosen."

Since Christianity is primarily a "white man's" religion, it can be logically deduced that indeed God has given an advantage to whites over blacks, to whites over asians, to whites over Indians. Christianity has florished in those countries and cultures that are or have been dominated by white skinned people and has floundered elsewhere.

From a Calvinistic standpoint, if it is not because God has given to white men an advantage not given to those of other races, then how do you explain it? Pure Luck?

[RnMomof7]

There are Calvinists on these threads that state that those who live or lived in the deepest darkest places in Africa or in the backwoods of Mongolia were placed there because they were not chosen. The gospel was not or has not been taken to them because they were not "chosen."

Now you would not be calling Calvinists raciests would you? The newest " reform church" in our area is Black.

So tell me PM..Did you pick your race? Did you select your family? Did you select IQ? Your sex? The location of your birth? Just what about your person did you get to select?..The answer is nothing..God predestined who you are ,and what you would be..you do not seem to see that as God being a respecter of persons.

We live in a nation of heathan unbelievers that are white..depravity is not a problem of skin color..it is a racial issue however as we are all of Adams sinful race.

We believe that all that are meant to be saved will be..that simple..who knows ,looking around the white culture one might assume there are more saved Asians and Blacks that there are "whites"

but somehow I do not think that God sees skin color,He looks on the heart

[rdb3]

Oh no you didn't go there.

Do you know Church history? The OLDEST Christian denomination is the Coptic denomination. Where was this?

ETHIOPIA!

The Gospel was being preached in east Africa well before it made it to western Europe. For verification, please go to the Acts of the Apostles.

Saying that Christianity is primarily a "white man's religion" flies in the face of history. That's Farrakhan talking. And it's not true.

[Ward Smythe]

Do you know Church history? The OLDEST Christian denomination is the Coptic denomination. Where was this?...ETHIOPIA!

We have an elder in our church who moved here from Ethiopia. He has told us many times that the Ethiopian Christians trace their roots back to Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch.

But you have to admit rdb3, that for whatever reason Christianity did not spread through Africa as it did in Europe.

[rdb3]

But you have to admit rdb3, that for whatever reason Christianity did not spread through Africa as it did in Europe.

Well, let me educate you on this. Christianity did in fact spread through Africa. All along the Mediterranean Sea, over to the eastern side, it spread like wildfire! Even Egypt was once mostly Christian. Also, the Middle East was once mostly Christian.

Now let's turn our attention to the conquests of Islam. This so-called faith knocked out a lot of Christianity from eastern Africa. Look at how Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Algeria, Libya, and Morocco are now Muslim nations. How do Muslims rule their nations? The faith of Islam is used to determine secular law (which there really isn't any secular law), and Christians were either executed or run underground.

Now, let's go a bit further. Question: What's the largest natural obstacle in Africa? Answer: The Sahara Desert. Is it any wonder why Christianity spread among coastal lines? Not only did the Sahara serve as an almost unconquerable obstacle to the spread of Christianity, it also prevented the migration of culture and technology to the sub-Saharan regions of Africa.

Christianity was already there in Africa when the Muslims took over. There's your reason(s).

[Ward Smythe]

Okay, well perhaps it would be better to say it didn't "survive" in Africa as it did in Europe? That fair enough?

Any recommended reading on the subject?

[rdb3]

I hate to admit that I don't have any specific books to offer you to read. I've learned this through various research I've done over the years. Ironically, most of the knowledge I have of Islam taking over in Africa was from when I was a teenager who wanted to join the Nation of Islam.