I recently received a question about God’s knowledge and free will. If God knows what all of his actions will be, then how is he free to make them? Aren’t God’s decisions set in stone if he knows what he will decide?
My response is below:
Dr. Craig gives a great overview of these issues in his answer to Question #401 on the Reasonable Faith website. In that question he gives a brief overview of different ways of understanding God’s foreknowledge.
In short, knowing what someone will do is not to make them do it. Consider two possible worlds, worlds A and B. In possible world A, you perform action A. In possible world B, you perform action B. In world A God knows that you will do A, in world B God knows that you will do B.
Using your freewill you co-actualize which possible world will become the actual world, but in whichever world you co-actualize through your free choice God will know which action you will perform.
Dr. Craig gives perhaps a better explanation in the link above, but hopefully this is helpful. Thanks for the question!
Sincerely,
Matt Bilyeu
I agree with this to a point. Let’s look at Salvation, we do not have the freedom to choose Christ in the sense that people often think of free will. We have the freedom to choose, yes, but only in the sense that it is an option available to us. We do not, however, have the ability to choose without the Spirit’s effectual call. Once that call is made, we can do nothing but choose Christ.
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Thanks for reading and the comment! I’m not sure that the degree of freedom surrounding salvation is a settled issue yet, so great insight!
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What parts are you thinking are not settled?
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There is still some debate about whether or to what extend the individual’s free will is involved in salvation.
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We will have to agree to disagree there, I believe Scripture settles that pretty clearly.
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