The foreknowledge of God is often referred to as God’s intimate love for a particular group of people, and therefore He chose that group. This is often refuted by those who object to any involvement of God in the “free will” of men, who define God’s foreknowledge as His looking into the future and choosing those who would choose Him.
According to scripture the first is closer to the truth than the later, and I hope in this study to explain why as I also open a door of understanding.
Foreknowledge would indeed be defined as having knowledge in advance of an event that has not yet occurred. But how that knowledge is acquired is necessary for properly understanding God’s foreknowledge as it relates to predestination. There are two perspectives which must be considered. The first, as stated above, would be for God to look ahead to see the event occur. The second would be for God to simply know that He will carry out the event. For instance, I have foreknowledge that this study will be published on my website. I have foreknowledge that I will be going to bed at a certain time. I have foreknowledge that on my next birthday I will be a certain age. I have foreknowledge of all these events and have no ability to look into the future. Granted, God does have that ability, but that does not automatically mean that He used His ability to acquire His foreknowledge. Consider the following thoughts. Did God look into the future to foreknow that a devastating flood was coming before He warned Noah? Or did He warn Noah knowing in advance that He would bring about the flood?
One of the largest cases for those who oppose that God foreknew that He would be the cause of certain events concerning a particular group of people is the argument of man’s “free will” to make choices. But when the truth is properly understood, man’s “free will” is not in any way obstructed.
On the other hand, some go to the extreme and have persuaded themselves, and others, that God predetermines every event which occurs throughout time.
But how did God acquire His foreknowledge as it concerns predestination? The answer can be found by studying predestination.
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will…
The predestination of God was an act of determining beforehand that a certain group of people would be adopted as this passage from Ephesians reveals. Further study of this chapter reveals that the adoption occurs before the person hears the gospel, trusts in the message of the gospel, believes in Christ, and even receives the Holy Spirit. Other studies reveal that adoption occurs at regeneration, which is the work of God to conform the person into the image of Christ, and the transfer of the person into the kingdom of Christ.
As stated in this passage, the basis for this determination was according to the good pleasure of His will. This means that His benevolence – disposition to do good – decided His actions. His characteristic disposition of goodwill was the driving force behind His decision to provide a gift given out of generosity – a free gift. This does not say, nor provide any variance, that His determination was influenced by the will, desire, or actions of any human being. Simply stated, there is nothing to indicate that His will was influenced by anything else.
Ephesians 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Counsel means to offer advice, opinion, or instruction. Again, we have a clear and precise statement by Paul, providing a revelation into the character of God. The predestination of God was solely performed because “his own will” provided the persuasion to do so. By using the phrase, “being predestinated”, Paul is stating that the event, which was predetermined to be accomplished, has been completed. This is further indicated by the fact that the inheritance has been obtained by the one that has been predestinated already. In other words, Paul says, “we have been bequeathed an inheritance, having been born again according to the resolve of him who purposed these things in accordance with his benevolence”.
Paul conveys this same message in Romans 8:29-30.
Romans 8:29-30 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
For those – His chosen people – whom He DID choose, He also DID predetermine that they were to be born again, conforming them to the image of His Son. In addition to this, those whom He DID cause to be born again – regenerate – conforming them to be in the image of His Son, He also extended the liberty of becoming sons of God.
The election of a people by God was based solely upon His own decision to do so. That decision was made because it was His nature to do good. He is Holy! Amen! It was then His deliberate plan of action, in accordance with His own desire to do good, to conform each of His chosen into the image of His Son. This is His glory, to elect a group of people to whom He would pour out His love and give a free gift of incomprehensible treasures. At the same time, by this act, He determined their eternal destination solely by grace, without any regard for who they were, or what they would do, during the time they dwelt in this present world. Now that is true grace, that is the meaning of being freely given.
Conclusion
Therefore, predestination – God predetermining in advance that He would conform a person to the image of His Son – nullifies the misconception of foreknowledge, when being defined as the act of God looking into the future to choose a person, based upon the persons obedience of faith. If God did in fact look into the future to see who would chose Him, why then did God have to predetermine that the person would be conformed to Christ? What scripture teaches that God was influenced or persuaded, concerning predestination, by the actions of a man? Is Paul falsely teaching when he declares that it was God’s own character which was the persuasive influence for His decision to predestinate a chosen people?
God foreknew in advance that He would be the cause for which His chosen people would be born again, because He determined that He would accomplish the task Himself.
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him… …It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life… …the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God… …the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual… …the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned… …Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father… …Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see – [does not have the power or faculty of the mind to perceive] – the kingdom of God.
