Freedom Of Choice And God's Omniscience

Introduction

As we continue our sermon series on THE Nature of God, I think I need to expound on God’s omniscience and include where our freedom of choice begins and ends, we come to a topic that has perplexed theologians for centuries: the reconciliation of our freedom of choice and the omniscience of God. On one hand, we are told that we have the ability to choose between good and evil, and that our choices have consequences. On the other hand, we are told that God knows everything that will happen, including the choices we will make. How do we reconcile these two seemingly contradictory truths? Today, we will explore this topic and seek to gain a deeper understanding of God's sovereignty and our freedom of choice.

The Paradox of Free Will and Divine Foreknowledge

One of the most challenging aspects of reconciling our freedom of choice with God's omniscience is the paradox of free will and divine foreknowledge. If God knows everything that will happen, including the choices we will make, do we truly have the freedom to choose? If our choices are already predetermined, how can we be held responsible for them?

This paradox is not a new one. Theologians and philosophers have debated this issue for centuries, with no clear consensus. Some argue that our freedom of choice is an illusion, and that God's omniscience means that our choices are predetermined. Others argue that God's foreknowledge does not negate our freedom of choice, and that we are still responsible for our decisions.

The Bible itself seems to affirm both our freedom of choice and God's omniscience. In Deuteronomy 30:19, God tells His people, "I have set before thee life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." This passage suggests that we have the ability to choose between good and evil, and that our choices have consequences.

At the same time, the Bible also affirms God's omniscience. In Psalm 139:4, David writes, "For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether." This passage suggests that God knows everything we will say and do, even before we do it.

So how do we reconcile these seemingly contradictory truths?

The Sovereignty of God and the Responsibility of Man

This in and of itself proves to us that our relationship with God is a two way street.

One way to reconcile our freedom of choice and God's omniscience is to understand the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. In other words, God is in control of all things, including our choices, but we are still responsible for the choices we make.

This concept is illustrated in the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis. Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, but God used that situation to bring about His plan to save His people from a famine. Joseph later tells his brothers, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive" (Genesis 50:20).

In this passage, we see that God used the evil actions of Joseph's brothers for His own purposes. But that does not absolve them of responsibility for their actions. They still made a conscious decision to sell their brother into slavery, and they were held accountable for that decision.

Likewise, we can trust that God is in control of all things, including our choices, but we are still responsible for the choices we make. We are not robots programmed to act in a certain way. We have the ability to choose between good and evil, and those choices have consequences. At the same time, we can trust that God will use even our bad choices for His purposes.

God's Grace and Mercy

Another way to reconcile our freedom of choice and God's omniscience is to understand the Concept of God's grace and the power of free will

God's grace is the unmerited favor and kindness that He shows us, despite our shortcomings and sins. It is because of His grace through faith that we are saved and reconciled to Him. However, some may question how the concept of free will fits into the idea of God's grace. If God knows everything that will happen in the future, does that mean that our choices are predetermined, and therefore, grace becomes irrelevant?

The answer is no. The power of free will still exists, and it is an integral part of our relationship with God. While God knows what choices we will make, He does not force us to make them. Instead, He allows us to exercise our free will and make our own decisions. The fact that God knows what choices we will make does not negate the fact that we have the ability to choose.