The Omniscience of God

[faceofbear]

I am reading The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer and just read about the omniscience of God. I just found this really humbling in a sense because it allowed my mind to do some brainstorming.

Since God is omniscient everything that is not in existence, nor will be in existence God knows of. Things that we will never know of, nor can any human mind conceive of in thought, God knows. I mean, if He's literally omniscient there is no bounds to His knowledge.

But with His omniscience, He can grasps the infinite. In other words, He understands Himself. God because of His infinitude, no one can ever fully understand Him, but God with His omniscience understands the infinite.

My mind can't even grasp that thought, I don't even understand it. And even that which I do understand, it's still is speaking insufficient of God's omniscient because I would have to be omniscient to understand what it truly means to be omniscient.

I am kind of just rambling, but I don't know. I just found this really humbling.

Even as I struggle knowing whether I'm saved, it gives me confidence to ask God to reveal it to me because He knows and is capable of revealing it to me. Anyways, hope someone finds these thoughts helpful or provoking.

 

[mlqurgw]

I am reading The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer and just read about the omniscience of God. I just found this really humbling in a sense because it allowed my mind to do some brainstorming.

Since God is omniscient everything that is not in existence, nor will be in existence God knows of. Things that we will never know of, nor can any human mind conceive of in thought, God knows. I mean, if He's literally omniscient there is no bounds to His knowledge.

But with His omniscience, He can grasps the infinite. In other words, He understands Himself. God because of His infinitude, no one can ever fully understand Him, but God with His omniscience understands the infinite.

My mind can't even grasp that thought, I don't even understand it. And even that which I do understand, it's still is speaking insufficient of God's omniscient because I would have to be omniscient to understand what it truly means to be omniscient.

I am kind of just rambling, but I don't know. I just found this really humbling.

Even as I struggle knowing whether I'm saved, it gives me confidence to ask God to reveal it to me because He knows and is capable of revealing it to me. Anyways, hope someone finds these thoughts helpful or provoking.

Tozer's "Knowledge of the Holy" is very good. I keep a copy of it on my desk for reference. Did you read "God's Way of Peace" by Bonar? I honestly think it will be of great help to you in your struggle.

 

[faceofbear]

Tozer's "Knowledge of the Holy" is very good. I keep a copy of it on my desk for reference. Did you read "God's Way of Peace" by Bonar? I honestly think it will be of great help to you in your struggle.

I haven't I've started to read Lewis Sperry Chafer Salvation: God's Marvelous Gift of Grace.

 

[JM]

So many books so little time...add The Existence and Attributes of God by Charnock. Simply the best work on the subject. You can read some of his quotes on my blog.


Stephen Charnock

 

[faceofbear]

So many books so little time...add The Existence and Attributes of God by Charnock. Simply the best work on the subject. You can read some of his quotes on my blog.


Stephen Charnock

I'll check him out too, I have a lot of books though currently haha. I really like Tozer though. He doesn't really get DEEP but he's just very passionate through his writings -- I admire it.

 

[icamewithasword]

I am reading The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer and just read about the omniscience of God. I just found this really humbling in a sense because it allowed my mind to do some brainstorming.

Since God is omniscient everything that is not in existence, nor will be in existence God knows of. Things that we will never know of, nor can any human mind conceive of in thought, God knows. I mean, if He's literally omniscient there is no bounds to His knowledge.

But with His omniscience, He can grasps the infinite. In other words, He understands Himself. God because of His infinitude, no one can ever fully understand Him, but God with His omniscience understands the infinite.

My mind can't even grasp that thought, I don't even understand it. And even that which I do understand, it's still is speaking insufficient of God's omniscient because I would have to be omniscient to understand what it truly means to be omniscient.

I am kind of just rambling, but I don't know. I just found this really humbling.

Even as I struggle knowing whether I'm saved, it gives me confidence to ask God to reveal it to me because He knows and is capable of revealing it to me. Anyways, hope someone finds these thoughts helpful or provoking.

We can all struggle with knowing our salvation from time to time. If it helps you, I can say that the fact that you are humbled by God's omniscience is a 'point' you can chalk-up to the 'saved' column.... JMO. Otherwise, you would be turned to your own pride.
His Word does tell us that He mocks man's wisdom, especially the wisdom we use to seek the things of God.

This Tozer book may be next on my list.

 

[RobertZ]

I have a lot of books though currently haha.

You and me both, lol.

 

[98cwitr]

back from the dead since the title is exactly what I wanted to use!

I am unable to find any scripture that explicitly states that God is omniscient. I have done some research and while I find several verses where it's implicitly stated, I can't find it explicitly stated. I am having an issue with this since it's God's omniscience that has been a major stumbling block for me.

I also am ready to retract my 'if predestination is true then free will is false' statement, because after further thought I realize that both can exist if complete omniscience isn't true.

 

[Osage Bluestem]

I also am ready to retract my 'if predestination is true then free will is false' statement, because after further thought I realize that both can exist if complete omniscience isn't true.

God's omnicience and the free will of his creatures co exist because man is not omnicient and chooses according to his nature, intent, and lack of omnicience.

 

[Ron Wood]

There are no passages that explicitly say God is Triune either. Are you going to reject the Trinity because of it? There are no passages that explicitly say substitution either. Are you ging to reject substitutuion? The omniscience of God is implicitly taught in the Scriptures. If God isn't omniscient He is no God. If He isn't omniscient then He can learn. If He can learn He must change. If He changes He can't be trusted.

 

[Ron Wood]

Denial of the omniscience of God is the cornerstone of Open Theism. Open theism is heresy.

 

[Osage Bluestem]

Link: Founders Ministries | The Omniscience of God: Does the Lord Really Know Everything?

 

[98cwitr]

^^^ unconvincing...all scripture posted can be contextualized in our own "present"

God's omnicience and the free will of his creatures co exist because man is not omnicient and chooses according to his nature, intent, and lack of omnicience.

Right...but our choices, from God's perceptive are already drawn out and planned, and thus they are not really our choices and we only perceive them to be as such.

Your perception and explanation are both humanistic at best. God created all those that will end up in hell for some purpose and reason, but we teach that God loves everyone...both cannot be true.

Predestination and free will cannot both universally exist, one must be only a perception and not absolute.

So let me ask this: Does everyone agree that everything that will ever happen unchangeable from God's perspective? IOW, can we change our own future and deviate from God's plan for us as an individual?

Denial of the omniscience of God is the cornerstone of Open Theism. Open theism is heresy.

If pigs are animals,
and birds are animals;
birds can fly,
Therefore pigs can fly.

Your inference has a lot of holes....

There are no passages that explicitly say God is Triune either. Are you going to reject the Trinity because of it? There are no passages that explicitly say substitution either. Are you ging to reject substitutuion? The omniscience of God is implicitly taught in the Scriptures. If God isn't omniscient He is no God. If He isn't omniscient then He can learn. If He can learn He must change. If He changes He can't be trusted.

Nope and I agree...just asking questions for now.....

 

[Ron Wood]

but we teach that God loves everyone...both cannot be true.

Religion may teach that God loves everyone but the Bible doesn't.

So let me ask this: Does everyone agree that everything that will ever happen unchangeable from God's perspective? IOW, can we change our own future and deviate from God's plan for us as an individual?

No. Again, I am not accusing you of open theism but this sort of thinking is what open theism is all about.

I can't post links yet but check out Wikipedia on Open Theism.

 

[imacman9]

I am reading The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer and just read about the omniscience of God. I just found this really humbling in a sense because it allowed my mind to do some brainstorming.

Since God is omniscient everything that is not in existence, nor will be in existence God knows of. Things that we will never know of, nor can any human mind conceive of in thought, God knows. I mean, if He's literally omniscient there is no bounds to His knowledge.

But with His omniscience, He can grasps the infinite. In other words, He understands Himself. God because of His infinitude, no one can ever fully understand Him, but God with His omniscience understands the infinite.

My mind can't even grasp that thought, I don't even understand it. And even that which I do understand, it's still is speaking insufficient of God's omniscient because I would have to be omniscient to understand what it truly means to be omniscient.

I am kind of just rambling, but I don't know. I just found this really humbling.

Even as I struggle knowing whether I'm saved, it gives me confidence to ask God to reveal it to me because He knows and is capable of revealing it to me. Anyways, hope someone finds these thoughts helpful or provoking.

The word omniscient is not in the Bible. Yet it is alarming to learn how many Christians will fight for a doctrine which is not in the Bible. They will fight as if God needs someone to defend Him. They will fight for something which - whether it is true or not - God chose not to reveal about Himself.
Christians need to realize that infinite knowledge is not the same as omniscience. To see this, consider just one area of knowledge, such as mathematics. We can say that numbers can go on infinitely. It is easy to accept the concept that God knows all the numbers, and therefore, His knowledge is infinite. Yet, this is not to say that He knows everything. Consider the fact that if you take infinity and subtract a number such as 1,000, you still have infinity left over. To know an infinite number of things does not necessarily mean omniscience. Yes, God's knowledge is infinite, but there is no verse in the bible that tells us that God knows everything. At the same time, there are many Bible passages which indicate that He does not know some things.

I would like to expound further but I need to go to sleep. Ill finish the post early next week.

- Daniel

 

[98cwitr]

On the contrary, it is Scripture which proves omniscience.

God's omnicience and the free will of his creatures co exist because man is not omnicient and chooses according to his nature, intent, and lack of omnicience.

and thus, it is only a perception of the human mind.

 

[His_disciple3]

back from the dead since the title is exactly what I wanted to use!

I am unable to find any scripture that explicitly states that God is omniscient. I have done some research and while I find several verses where it's implicitly stated, I can't find it explicitly stated. I am having an issue with this since it's God's omniscience that has been a major stumbling block for me.

I also am ready to retract my 'if predestination is true then free will is false' statement, because after further thought I realize that both can exist if complete omniscience isn't true.

no my friend. omniscience is what puts the election and free will together, by His omniscience/foreknowledge He predestined those that He knew whom would choose Him, without omniscience He could not have had predestined. for He is truely not a God of respect of persons. He Had a reason to Hate Esau, Esau out of fear of dying and lack of faith in God to provide a simple meal, sold His birthright. without faith it is impossible to please God. we too in a sense of promises from God have a birth right, and a measure of faith to every man. to believe unto salvation or to those that don't believe unto condemnation. and By His full/complete omniscience He knows who will and who won't

1 Chronicles 28:9
9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
KJV
1 John 3:20
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
KJV

Job 37:16
16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?
KJV

1 Peter 1:2
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied
KJV

 

[His_disciple3]

The word omniscient is not in the Bible. Yet it is alarming to learn how many Christians will fight for a doctrine which is not in the Bible. They will fight as if God needs someone to defend Him. They will fight for something which - whether it is true or not - God chose not to reveal about Himself.
Christians need to realize that infinite knowledge is not the same as omniscience. To see this, consider just one area of knowledge, such as mathematics. We can say that numbers can go on infinitely. It is easy to accept the concept that God knows all the numbers, and therefore, His knowledge is infinite. Yet, this is not to say that He knows everything. Consider the fact that if you take infinity and subtract a number such as 1,000, you still have infinity left over. To know an infinite number of things does not necessarily mean omniscience. Yes, God's knowledge is infinite, but there is no verse in the bible that tells us that God knows everything. At the same time, there are many Bible passages which indicate that He does not know some things.

I would like to expound further but I need to go to sleep. Ill finish the post early next week.

- Daniel

although omniscience is not in the Bible does not mean the bible does not tech or express the omniscience of God the word trinity is not found in the Bible either, does that mean that the teaching of one God in three persons and not three gods is a false teaching as well , God forbid

1 Chronicles 28:9
9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
KJV
1 John 3:20
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
KJV

Job 37:16
16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?
KJV

 

[Goinheix]

'if predestination is true then free will is false'

explore the difference between predestination and fate.

 

[Goinheix]

There are no passages that explicitly say God is Triune either. Are you going to reject the Trinity because of it? There are no passages that explicitly say substitution either. Are you ging to reject substitutuion? The omniscience of God is implicitly taught in the Scriptures. If God isn't omniscient He is no God. If He isn't omniscient then He can learn. If He can learn He must change. If He changes He can't be trusted.

Do not confine the Bible to our human thinking, logic or reasoning. The Bible is the revelation of God...but for some reason, it seems to be insuficient for some of us, then we create our own terminology and our own theology; even if it is nit in the Bible; even if goues against the Bible.