Thursday, July 3, 2008

God's Plan According To Foreknowledge

In light of the fact that it is difficult for us to know what will happen in the next 15 minutes, the foreknowledge of God is nearly incomprehensible. How can He know what will happen1000 years from now? The comforting thing in this is that we don't necessarily need to understand fully, only to realize it is true. The scriptures make it unmistakably clear that His plan was formulated before the world was created. II Timothy 1:9

We tend to understand things in light of the human experience. Man does things by trial and error. Ever hear of someone with a "plan B" to use when plan A fails? God is not like that! Since He is all-knowing He knows that His plans will work. He does not need a "Plan B".

Consider that God made His plan before He made the world. Therefore at the appropriate time God gave the Law to Moses. Then when time was full God sent His son to fulfill the law and die on the cross for us. At the proper time Christ will come again! Sounds rather simple doesn't it. Yet that is the plan of God in a nutshell. Because God knew that man would sin of his own free will He made provisions to redeem and reconcile man to Himself.

Thought question: How did God accomplish this?
Happy pondering.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah.
Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Deboraw

Christian said...

Dear Josiah,

If you are asking about how God accomplished His plan, I would have to say spectacularly through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son. Genesis 3:15 - Plan spoken of; Isaiah 53 - the plan reaffirmed and described; Matthew 26-28, Mark 16-18, Luke 22-24, & John 18-20 - Plan realized.

Now if you are asking as to how God accomplished His provisioning for redemption and reconciliation, that was done through His foreknowledge Acts 2:23.

Christian

Anonymous said...

Josiah, Just a pondering question, we know that the whole duty of man is:
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

That is what He wills, yet in Eph 3:10 (To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,) it appears that the church is showing principalities and powers in heavenly places, the wisdom of God. Do the two thoughts go together?

josiah said...

Deboraw: according to Epesians 3:8-9 the apostle Paul had been given the job of "preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ" unto the Gentiles. It was also his task to make known unto all men the "mystery" which had been hidden through the ages. The stated purpose for these activities in part was to show the manifold wisdom of God in establishing the church. Stated also in this text is the truth that this is all part of God's "eternal purpose".

What is the application for us today? Simply stated we are to set forth the "unsearchable riches, the mystery, and the manifold wisdom of God" to all people (Matthew 28:19-20).

Do the thoughts of Eccl. 12:13 and Ephesians 3:10 go together? In as much as they are a part of the "commandments of God".

Anonymous said...

Josiah, I'm thinking that since 'to fear God and keep His commandments is the 'whole duty of man', perhaps the 'wisdom of God' is in a way shown through the fact that--even against all odds (?)--some people do choose to fear God and keep His commandments...of their own free choice? Deboraw