How Could God Know The Future? (Part 1 of 2) (William Lane Craig)

[@mbelma6329]

Think of it as a man on a path. LEt's even say this is God's path, or the one He destined for us. Over the years, you travel forward in time on this road over the years and you may veer far off to the left or right, leaving God's path. But you will ultimately come back to this road, ultimately reaching the destination He planned for you (I.E: the end of your life). He can't possibly know what decision you will make every day bc of free will but you will end up where He wanted you to end up

[@drcraigvideos]

@AgApE010 *BIG LONG SIGH* This is an "in house" dialog about theology. Meaning, he's already assuming the Christian God when it comes to His foreknowledge.

[@diogokaike2933]

Of course it's impossible to know the future. The answer to this is on Luke 1:37. There are certain types of questions that we just can't answer. Maybe this is one of them? :)

[@merrillbartle4174]

He knows the exact future because he Ordains all that comes to pass.✝️

[@leonardu6094]

This is a calvinsit belief, not a biblical teaching.

[@jasonfrost6595]

God can foreknow absolutely everything that will ultimately come to pass without necessitating God being the CAUSE of predetermining everything God foreknew. God is not affected by the constructs of time and knows the end to the beginning. Isaiah 46:10

[@AkitoLite]

@@jasonfrost6595 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, *‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’* This is your own verse you quoted. He makes known of what will come. He then says that his will be done. This implies the future is made by his will. If God can see the future, can he change the future? If he can, then it's not the actual future. (and he also denies himself as 2 timothy 3:13 says) If he can't, he is being limited by his own power and it is useless to actually see the future. Being able to know the future is committing omnipotent paradox fallacy.

[@AkitoLite]

@@jasonfrost6595 the very next verse you quoted (Isaiah 46:11) From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. *What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.* Interestingly here he doesn't say he predicted the future. He says because he said xyz, he will make xyz happen. Now you won't have to answer the strawman fallacies from atheists that say they don't have free will since everything is pre-determined and therefore can sin because God can see the future. You just respond them with "actually, he can't see the future." You're welcome :)

[@AkitoLite]

@@leonardu6094 I don't agree with the calvinists beliefs completely, but try reading the comments I wrote to @Jason Frost.

[@stegokitty]

@AgApE010 - Thank you for a perfectly Biblical, and easy to understand answer. We are free to do precisely and exactly whatsoever our hearts desire. We are not free to act against those desires. It's good to see someone has his (or her) thinking cap on, and has respect for the authority of Holy Scripture.

[@ElasticGiraffe]

If knowledge => truth, and fact => reality, but A-series => unreal future; then by supposing divine foreknowledge Craig undermines the correspondence theory of truth. :P

[@drcraigvideos]

There's nothing wrong with your computer. Unfortunately the last 2 minutes of this video is missing.

[@dagwould]

Just as parents can quite accurately predict the actions and reactions of their infant (and often older) children, because of their intimate observational knowledge of them, even more so can God, with his exhaustive knowledge of all his creatures and his inanimate creation can know what will occur. He can also know all possibilities that can occur and his actions contingent on any possibility that will bring the results he wants to achieve his ends: build the church. He doesn't need the crassness of Calvinist (Stoic) determinism, or its mechanical treatment of the ways of those in God's image. This is, I would think, a variation of 'middle knowledge'.

[@jasonfrost6595]

God can foreknow absolutely everything that will ultimately come to pass without necessitating God being the CAUSE of predetermining everything God foreknew. God is not affected by the constructs of time and knows the end to the beginning. Isaiah 46:10

[@soloscriptura]

God knows the future because he has predestined all things. God bless

[@leonardu6094]

This is a calvinsit belief, not a biblical teaching.

[@soloscriptura]

@@leonardu6094 Yes it is. God grounds his knowledge of the future in his plan and in his good pleasure. In other words he can tell us what the future will be because he has determined it.

[@leonardu6094]

@@soloscriptura No, it isn't. The bible does not support the ridiculous view of Exhaustive divine determinism. As a maximally great being, God just knows the truth value of all propositions (this includes knowledge of all counterfactuals even if they never happen.)

[@soloscriptura]

@@leonardu6094 Isaiah 46 : 9s : "I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done" And how does God account for knowing these future events ? Because he knows the truth value of all propositions ? Le'ts read on shall we ? "Saying, ‘My plan will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a distant country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, I will certainly do it." Oh look. God grounds his knowledge of future events in his plan and his good pleasure - just as I said.

[@leonardu6094]

@@soloscriptura I know it is near impossible for a Calvinist to not read his own presuppositions into the text but nothing in the verse you just cited proves exhaustive determinism Is true, unless one already begs the question and assumes the only way God is able to accomplish his purposes is through controlling our every action, thoughts and beliefs. Of course you have absolutely no reason to assume this whatsoever but like i said, it's the fatal flaw of the Calvinist.

[@October31st1517]

@Thorion0 So does God decree whatever comes to pass?

[@Legomyegoorj]

@AgApE010 What scriptural basis have you to make this claim?

[@rahpuser]

@thetraceur123 im agree with you. if god is a cause, also is a result of something. Is part of a cause-result or cause-effect. But yes only if is true that the universe have a begin.... or maybe is cyclic.. but talking about this video, how can god know something that still no have happened ?

[@October31st1517]

I believe the DR is being very vague in his answer. And understandandbly so, it's a tough question. I would simply be careful with the argument that God is outside of time (which is true) and can see what's going to happen. That means that God had to take in knowledge and that God learns about the future. Very dangerous.

[@October31st1517]

@AgApE010 Well said my brother.

[@rahpuser]

if god is outside of space-time, god dont exist on our universe.

[@tonycostanzo4276]

GOD knows the future just like he can be in a million places at the same time ,he also knows who is going to come into the world ,before time started ,GOD is GOD Dont try to be GOD he hates it

[@Legomyegoorj]

@AgApE010 With regards to the second point you made: watch?v=xfhIkiT3g8A&feature=related

[@thetraceur123]

@rahpuser Nope? That's right, what is your point? That he doesn't exist? If so you fail so incredibly much. If the Universe is required an external cause of the begining of the Universe 13,7 billion years ago, then the cause is real. How could an cause which doesn't exist cause an existing Universe? Whatever external cause there is for the Universe, it is real, if the cause if God, he is real. A cause which do not exist that cause an existing entity is selfcontradiciting.

[@stegokitty]

@mbelma6329 - I'm afraid to tell you that this is utter nonsense. IF God does not know what free acts we will commit, then firstly he doesn't qualify for the title of "God"; secondly it would be impossible for your previous "prediction" that everyone will eventually come back to God's "plan" for you. IF God does not know the future, then there is no guarantee of anything. Christ's return might be thwarted by unforeseen circumstances. And those in Heaven might sin and fall from grace again. Bull.