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But each of us life has not come to an end.If God knows the end from the beginning then nothing is subject to change --- otherwise it would not have been known from the beginning. This being so, prayer cannot possibly change anything and there is no point to it.
If you don't believe the Bible, everything is pure speculation.Your argument is based on the presumption that God knows the future. That is pure speculation on our part. We do not know God's attributes or motivations, we can only speculate about them. I will speculate:
--- God is unable to know the future
--- God is able to know the future but chooses not to
--- human beings have no free will and God determines their entire future and chooses to favour some and condemn others (this might seem quite unfair but there is ample Biblical justification to suggest this)
--- human beings have free will and God judges us on our choices (also much Biblical justification to suggest this)
Summa Theologica - WikipediaI don't know where you found that article or what that website is all about,
The objections are the arguments that the author disagrees with. The refutations are provided in the sections that read "Reply to Objection X".but I would steer clear of it because it provides only one verse and that verse is out of context.
As a matter of fact, after the chapter tells us HOW NOT TO PRAY, the Lord's Prayer is given to show us HOW TO PRAY.
Matthew 6:1-13
1Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our daily bread.
12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
I don't understand why you would post the objections alone because they look like the main argument and there was no clarification of the purpose in your post.Summa Theologica - Wikipedia
The Summa Theologiae (written 1265–1274 and also known as the Summa Theologica or simply the Summa) is the best-known work of Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225–1274). Although unfinished, the Summa is "one of the classics of the history of philosophy and one of the most influential works of Western literature".[1] It was intended as an instructional guide for theology students, including seminarians and the literate laity. It was a compendium of all of the main theological teachings of the Catholic Church. It presents the reasoning for almost all points of Christian theology in the West. The Summa's topics follow a cycle: the existence of God; Creation, Man; Man's purpose; Christ; the Sacraments; and back to God.
The Summa is Aquinas' "most perfect work, the fruit of his mature years, in which the thought of his whole life is condensed".[2] Among non-scholars, the Summa is perhaps most famous for its five arguments for the existence of God, which are known as the "five ways" (Latin: quinque viae). The five ways, however, occupy under two pages of the Summa's approximately 3,500 pages.
The objections are the arguments that the author disagrees with. The refutations are provided in the sections that read "Reply to Objection X".
Ok, I'll just say I have no idea and walk away. Things need to make sense.I posted the whole thing.
When Israel was going into the holy land after wandering in the wilderness, God offered choices -blessings and curses. He would also change things as to when a person became humble, then the invasion from another land could be delayed. knock, ask, seek -find
Believer that yes, prayer does change things!
Proverbs 15:8
Consider King Hezekiah - God told him to get his house in order because he was about to die. Hezekiah begged the Lord to let him live, so He gave him 15 more years. God did not change, but God changed his mind! Two very different things!
Exo 32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
Ex 32:14
14 So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.
NASB
Amos 7:1 Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, He was forming a locust-swarm when the spring crop began to sprout. And behold, the spring crop was after the king's mowing.
2 And it came about, when it had finished eating the vegetation of the land, that I said, "Lord GOD, please pardon! How can Jacob stand, For he is small?"
3 The LORD changed His mind about this. "It shall not be," said the LORD.
4 ¶Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, the Lord GOD was calling to contend with them by fire, and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the farm land.
5 Then I said, "Lord GOD, please stop! How can Jacob stand, for he is small?"
6 The LORD changed His mind about this. "This too shall not be," said the Lord GOD.
7 ¶Thus He showed me, and behold, the Lord was standing by a vertical wall, with a plumb line in His hand.
8 And the LORD said to me, "What do you see, Amos?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold I am about to put a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel. I will spare them no longer.
Genesis 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Here God feels like he should not have created mankind. He regrets the decision and is very upset over it. If God didn't change his mind he would not have to regret any decisions. It also shows that he didn't know that man would have become so wicked otherwise he wouldn't have made man.
Isa 5:2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
"He dug it all around, removed its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine. And He built a tower in the middle of it and also hewed out a wine vat in it; Then He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced only worthless ones" (Isa. 5:2).
Here God clearly expected one thing but another thing occurred proving in this particular situation showing he did not know what would occur.
And btw, welcome to CF!I agree @ewq1938 , it's plenty of Scriptures that confirm this, like the ones you mentioned!
Very good point. When Moses interceded God changed His mind.Consider King Hezekiah - God told him to get his house in order because he was about to die. Hezekiah begged the Lord to let him live, so He gave him 15 more years. God did not change, but God changed his mind! Two very different things!
Exo 32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
Ex 32:14
14 So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.
NASB
Amos 7:1 Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, He was forming a locust-swarm when the spring crop began to sprout. And behold, the spring crop was after the king's mowing.
2 And it came about, when it had finished eating the vegetation of the land, that I said, "Lord GOD, please pardon! How can Jacob stand, For he is small?"
3 The LORD changed His mind about this. "It shall not be," said the LORD.
4 ¶Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, the Lord GOD was calling to contend with them by fire, and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the farm land.
5 Then I said, "Lord GOD, please stop! How can Jacob stand, for he is small?"
6 The LORD changed His mind about this. "This too shall not be," said the Lord GOD.
7 ¶Thus He showed me, and behold, the Lord was standing by a vertical wall, with a plumb line in His hand.
8 And the LORD said to me, "What do you see, Amos?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold I am about to put a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel. I will spare them no longer.
Genesis 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Here God feels like he should not have created mankind. He regrets the decision and is very upset over it. If God didn't change his mind he would not have to regret any decisions. It also shows that he didn't know that man would have become so wicked otherwise he wouldn't have made man.
Isa 5:2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
"He dug it all around, removed its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine. And He built a tower in the middle of it and also hewed out a wine vat in it; Then He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced only worthless ones" (Isa. 5:2).
Here God clearly expected one thing but another thing occurred proving in this particular situation showing he did not know what would occur.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to completely disagree that God actually doesn't know what will happen.
It's not that God can't see the future but he doesn't always choose to know it sometimes. Certainly he knows the fate of Satan and the end of the world etc. But scripture has shown God regretting doing things showing he doesn't always choose to know the future on certain things.
I'm going to have to reserve an opinion on that.
It may be that God can choose not to know something, but I'm feeling rather doubtful of that. I think He simply "is" and all things simply are part of His knowledge.
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