|  Author | Topic: The All-Knowing God (Read 294 times) |
fairyheart
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|  | The All-Knowing God
« Thread Started on Apr 8, 2006, 9:41am » | |
I've been taking a Theology class this semester on Christian social justice and a question that has arison repeatedly is, "If God can do anything, why does He allow suffering?" No matter how many times we discuss this, it's always next to impossible to form any kind of solid conclusion.
Think about this:
As a child, we are taught three things about God.
1) God knows everything.
2) God sees everything.
3) God can do anything.
For a child, this inspires a great feeling of awe.
But the idea of that God knows everything presents some grave problems. If that is the case, then predestination is a fact. We're either bound for heaven or hell and there's nothing we can do about it.
Now, that seems like a very negative viewpoint. We also learn that God gives us the freedom to make our own decisions; to follow Him or to reject Him. Where do you draw the line. (or where do you begin to draw a conclusion?)
I hope you guys have some insights! I could never get tired of this discussion...
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Sweetoffee14
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Karma: 3 | | Re: The All-Knowing God
« Reply #1 on Apr 8, 2006, 10:00am » | |
I tried talking to my parents about this once and they didn't entirely agree with me - it was also ridiculously early in the morning - so i don't know if what i have to say is right in the slightest 
"If God exists why does he allow suffering." - Because he gave us choice and we chose to let sin into the world, he won't stop the bad things happening because he respects that that is the choice we made but he will intervene if we ask. I've heard alot of opinions on this too and that one makes the most sense to me.
I think God knows whether we go to heaven or hell because he knows us better than anyone or thing ever could so he knows the choices we will make. He knows based on our personality and situations what we will choose, and we still have free will so we can do something, so knows the outcome.
can you reword your last question i don't quite get it lol
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fairyheart
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| | Re: The All-Knowing God
« Reply #2 on Apr 10, 2006, 4:57pm » | |
*feels brain tying in knots*
I'm not sure I agree with you, sweet. In some ways, a statement like "God knows the future" can't really be valid, because it puts God into the boundaries of Time that we experience in our life on earth. Does that make sense? God is timeless and changeless, while we (by contrast) exist in a world which is bounded by time, and change continually.
I think back to the statement on Salvation: "I am saved, I'm being saved, and I will be saved." I think God's "knowingness" you might call it, may follow this same pattern. God knew everything, he knows everything, and he will know everything.
As to a "plan" for our lives, I believe God does have a sort of "blueprint" of what this world is meant to be in the end. But the various events and charactaristics inside that blueprint can be changed. For example; the frame of a house might be built, but that doesn't signify how the owner of the house will arrange the furniture, or whether a brick or stone chimney will be used.
I don't believe there is such a thing as fate... or destiny for that matter.
Forget my last question... I think I meant it to basically restate the first one. lol
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Elen
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« Reply #3 on Apr 11, 2006, 6:43pm » | |
If God did not know everything then He would not be God. He know's what we're going to be going through, but He also allows us to have a choice. God has a "perfect" will for our lives, something that we are going to do, that He wants us to do. Then He has permissive will, where He gives us choices.
It's confusing isn't it?? Our human finite minds don't comprehend God...if we did, why would we need God?
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OnegirlRevolution
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« Reply #4 on Apr 11, 2006, 7:00pm » | |
Oh wow...just tuned in to the faca that this topic is here...sorry...blonde moment...despite the fact I'm not blonde. 
Basically I was going to say what others have already said. If God wasn't omniscient he wouldn't be God...and yes, He did give us choices. He didn't want to make us robots, instead He gave us choices. I'd rather have choices than be a robot...wouldn't you? All of our decisions we make fall into the perfect plan God has for our lives. Will we always make the right decison? No. But at least we had the choice of choosing the right thing to do...and no matter what we choose, it still fits into God's perfect plan for our lives. I myself believe that, God is an omniscient God.
Wow...it is all really confusing. *brain hurts* I guess it's one of those things we might not know until we die and are sitting with our Heavenly Father, eh?
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Sweetoffee14
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« Reply #5 on Apr 13, 2006, 10:40am » | |
*reads through posts* i just remembered that after talking about it with my parents we basically decided who cares nothing we can say can change what God is, or what he does for us, and like elen said, the human mind can't grasp what God really is because it's so complicated and i don't think it's really necessary to, so *gives up* i'll just end up giving myself a headache
dont mean to dismiss this thread though fairy, still a very interesting topic 
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OnegirlRevolution
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« Reply #6 on Apr 13, 2006, 4:34pm » | |
Quote:| nothing we can say can change what God is, or what he does for us, and like elen said, the human mind can't grasp what God really is because it's so complicated and i don't think it's really necessary to, so *gives up* i'll just end up giving myself a headache |
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I think I pretty much ditto that! LOL! My brain hurts way too much....not that it takes much to make my brain hurt.
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fairyheart
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| | Re: The All-Knowing God
« Reply #7 on Apr 13, 2006, 11:00pm » | |
Yeah, I think that's where most people end up. hehe My whole theology class basically threw their hands up in the air and gave up as well.
I don't think I really believe that God does know everything. Now, I don't think that makes Him any less of a God! He is all powerful, but he has given us this gift of freedom, like onegirl said. Freedom isn't worth anything, however, if it's all predetermined in the first place. For example, I may have the "freedom" to go outside right now and jump in the rain. But if it were already known that I would NOT go outside and jump in the rain, that instead I would be writing this post on Beautiful Souls... that freedom would be entirely worthless. See what I mean?
If this is too difficult, why don't we go back to the original question. Why do you think God allows suffering?
(ok, not sure that's any easier, but at least it's a change of subject... kind of )
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OnegirlRevolution
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« Reply #8 on Apr 14, 2006, 8:22am » | |
Quote:| Why do you think God allows suffering? |
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I believe God doesn't allow suffering, but instead it's becuase of our sin. It's a consequence for our society's sinful nature.
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Elen
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« Reply #9 on Apr 15, 2006, 6:21pm » | |
Quote:| I don't think I really believe that God does know everything. |
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Why do you think that?
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fairyheart
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| | Re: The All-Knowing God
« Reply #10 on Apr 17, 2006, 9:32pm » | |
Quote:
Quote:| I don't think I really believe that God does know everything. |
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Why do you think that?
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Because, as I explained above, God gave us the gift of freedom, and freedom is worthless if it's already predetermined in the first place. (try reading a few sentences after that one... I explained it better up there. )
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Elen
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« Reply #11 on Apr 17, 2006, 10:03pm » | |
If God were not all knowing, He would not be able to hear all of our prayers, or all of our sins, it would be mayhem, but He does know everything.
But like I said, the Bible clearly states that we have personal free will, but God knows what steps we're going to take, He doesn't plan them, we do, but He knows what's going to happen.
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fairyheart
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| | Re: The All-Knowing God
« Reply #12 on May 1, 2006, 5:35pm » | |
Again, I think it all has to do with setting God within the boundaries of Time. If we really do have true freedom, I don't see how God could know what all our actions are going to be. But outside our world, it's possible.
God is timeless, and we are simply incapable of realizing how much he knows as long as we are bounded on every side by the past, the present, and the future. He is all-knowing, i suppose insofar as he is "outside" the boundaries of time we know in this life. See what I mean?
I think there's a reason why the Bible says "with God, all things are possible," and not "God can do anything." Don't the two strike you differently?
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