Does Almighty God see the future? why do we have to pass through temptations when Almighty God knows the final, I mean, He knows if we will pass or fail.
Temptation, Does God Almighty See The Future?
- Thread starter judd
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Judd, that is a reasonable question. I am not certain of God being knowledgable to the extent that He is able to "see" all things to come. The term omniscient is not scriptural, it is theological. Since it is the spawn of human reasoning, people have ran with it and made statements that are not supported by the Word.
That He is the God of the living, and exists in the present, not the past or the future, I don't think He concerns Himself with the future. He has made certain declarations, promises and plans, all of which He will bring into effect. His is the only "free will" in the cosmos, the rest being subjected to His determinations. He will alter circumstances in the world to fulfill His purposes, and His name in fact means Placer or Subjector. We are free to move about as a river, but He will set the course.
I do not believe that completing and fulfilling His goal to become All in all is the same as knowing everything. Most assuredly, He will become All in all. He will see His Son reconcile the entire universe in power and subjection. The circumstances that arise in our existence, you may call them temptations and trials, are from His hand and are made towards that end. "Why was this man born blind? Did he sin or his parents? What?", asked the disciples. The Lord said neither he nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be manifested in him (John 9:2-3).
The elect Body of Christ are the only ones presently in the earth that God is dealing with. He is personally involved in every move we make and plan we form. His Holy Spirit is given to lead us into works of faith and spiritual service. All these things are contributing to the conforming of us into His Son's image, the Lord achieving these things in and through us. It is all about Him. When we have been transformed in the twinkling of an eye, those things that the Lord loosed in us will not follow, and the things of spiritual value that we learned from Him will remain as we become luminaries as He is. God is light, and His Son is the light of the world. We too shall be sons of light in His presence.
If we do not see our weaknesses and flaws as opportunities for Christ to empower and superimpose Himself on us, then it seems to be merely troubles and woes. But it is not so, for:
... he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2C 12:9
It is, as Pegg has said, a law of the Spirit. The Lord does not work in the ones who retain self-confidence and pride. Only the humble and broken spirit of a man or woman is the invitation He will accept.
We will plan our lives, and He will arrange the circumstances in His sovereign grace towards us, to assure our attaining His goal. Does He know every future detail to the second? I do not believe this to be true. The Scriptures are silent on the matter. I do know that His word goes forth and does not return void. It accomplishes that for which it was sent. He is the I AM, the ever present God of the living, not the unborn, not the dead. The future is in His hands, yes. But true sons must be free to worship of their own will, not out of coercion. It is what Love demands.
fivesense
That He is the God of the living, and exists in the present, not the past or the future, I don't think He concerns Himself with the future. He has made certain declarations, promises and plans, all of which He will bring into effect. His is the only "free will" in the cosmos, the rest being subjected to His determinations. He will alter circumstances in the world to fulfill His purposes, and His name in fact means Placer or Subjector. We are free to move about as a river, but He will set the course.
I do not believe that completing and fulfilling His goal to become All in all is the same as knowing everything. Most assuredly, He will become All in all. He will see His Son reconcile the entire universe in power and subjection. The circumstances that arise in our existence, you may call them temptations and trials, are from His hand and are made towards that end. "Why was this man born blind? Did he sin or his parents? What?", asked the disciples. The Lord said neither he nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be manifested in him (John 9:2-3).
The elect Body of Christ are the only ones presently in the earth that God is dealing with. He is personally involved in every move we make and plan we form. His Holy Spirit is given to lead us into works of faith and spiritual service. All these things are contributing to the conforming of us into His Son's image, the Lord achieving these things in and through us. It is all about Him. When we have been transformed in the twinkling of an eye, those things that the Lord loosed in us will not follow, and the things of spiritual value that we learned from Him will remain as we become luminaries as He is. God is light, and His Son is the light of the world. We too shall be sons of light in His presence.
If we do not see our weaknesses and flaws as opportunities for Christ to empower and superimpose Himself on us, then it seems to be merely troubles and woes. But it is not so, for:
... he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2C 12:9
It is, as Pegg has said, a law of the Spirit. The Lord does not work in the ones who retain self-confidence and pride. Only the humble and broken spirit of a man or woman is the invitation He will accept.
We will plan our lives, and He will arrange the circumstances in His sovereign grace towards us, to assure our attaining His goal. Does He know every future detail to the second? I do not believe this to be true. The Scriptures are silent on the matter. I do know that His word goes forth and does not return void. It accomplishes that for which it was sent. He is the I AM, the ever present God of the living, not the unborn, not the dead. The future is in His hands, yes. But true sons must be free to worship of their own will, not out of coercion. It is what Love demands.
fivesense
Selene
New Member
Hello Judd,
To answer your first question, the answer is yes. God is All-knowing (Ps. 139:1-6). He is also everywhere (Ps. 139:7-12) He knows everything and is everywhere, and these are just one of the things that makes Him "Almighty God."
To answer your second question, it is your choice to either give in to temptation or not. Whatever choice you decide, God already knows what you will choose, and He will not interfere in that choice despite the fact that He does not approve of your choice to give in to temptation. God values our freedom. However, only God has the power to make something good come out of something bad. For example, when man killed His only begotten Son, that was an act of evil. To kill an innocent man is always an evil thing and is still an evil thing; however, God was able to bring mankind redemption from the murder of His Son. Sometimes, man falls into the pit of sin so that he can find God his savior (Ps. 40:2).
In Christ,
Selene
[email protected]
Choir Loft
You are tip toeing through a mine field with your questions.
You are assuming that temptation comes from God. It does not.
You are assuming that temptation will defeat the devoted Christian. It will not.
God knows we shall overcome the temptations of the flesh.
First, let's get a few things established. Then we'll address your question in depth.
God does not SEE the future, He MAKES it.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, which is and which was and which is to come, the Almighty. Rev 1:8
When people build their own philosophy or theology, they rarely consider God as part of it.
Usually He is off to one side as a sort of figure or affectation or scape goat.
This is quite wrong because God is intimately involved in His creation. He is not off to one side as an observer. He is not resting.
God creates the future and includes or excludes people in it according to certain criteria.
One of those criteria is the human response to Him.
The inclusion is also called life and the exclusion is called death.
Many men have shortened their lives because they rebelled against God.
Many have preserved and lengthened their lives because they surrendered to God's good will.
Rebellion against the will of God takes two forms; failure to Love Him most of all and failure to love our neighbor.
The rebellion begins in self-will and is exacerbated by an external force. It ends in sin.
The mechanism takes the form of a contest of the will. This contest of the human will is also called temptation.
To answer your question, we do not HAVE TO pass through temptation, we CAUSE ourselves to do so.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man:
but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. - James 1:13-14
Note here that it says men are tempted by their own lusts.
If a man abandons his lusts then all things change for him. Its as simple as that.
Does God plot ahead of time that we will fail or lay traps for us? No.
The scripture above tells us the truth that God does not plot ahead of time for our failure.
I have lived many years with the Lord and can testify along with millions of Christians that God has NEVER tempted me.
But there are spiritual forces that do indeed tempt men for the purpose of luring them to their destruction.
Will we fail in Christ? NEVER.
Anyone who says that yielding to temptation is inevitable is in deep rebellion against God.
But Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62
Temptation is NOT from God. Failure from temptation is NOT inevitable and no Christian will bear temptation alone.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it. 1Co 10:13
This 'temptation' or contest of the will, cannot and will not be lost, nor will it yield if it is devoted to Christ.
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