Expert: Kris Minefee - 6/23/2004

Question
what are your views on open theism? (Open theism, also called openness and the open view, is a theological position dealing with human free will and its relationship to God and the nature of the future.  It is the teaching that God has granted to humanity free will and that in order for the free will to be truly free, the future free will choices of individuals cannot be known ahead of time by God.)

Answer
Dear Brad,
Open theism is a renamed view of a view of God called Deism which was held by many during the so-called enlightenment of the 1700's.  It in turn gives way to evolution and many other belief systems which do away with the transcendence of God. The old deist believed that God wound up creation like a clock and then set it an a mantle to run. Open theism says much the same thing only in this case limiting the aspect of creation to free will. The problem with all such systems is that it makes God the creator and sustainer of the universe into a kind of Dr. Frankenstein who creates but cannot control or predict what is creation will do. It reduces God to the intellect of humanity and can only conceptualize Him in terms of time and space both of which God supercedes.

Of course it also explicitely contradicts scripture which is must reject since it show the transcendence of God into his creation and His omniscience which sees the future as already written.  Let me give you just a few scriptures to show this and then we will move on to God's omniscience and man's freewill.

Isa 46:10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
Acts 15:18  Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world
Psalms 135:6  Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.
Daniel 4:35  And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

God's sovereignty, his omniscience, his will have taken into account his creation of man and man's freewill.  In so doing His knowledge takes into account man's choices, non-choices and even his rebellion so that He not only knows what will happen but uses those pre-known choices to accomplish His own will and purpose, all in accordance to His fore-knowledge and power.  Anything less would mean he was not God.

I will leave you with my favorite definitions of God's attributes by Henry Theisan.

The Eternity of God
Definition: By the eternity of God we mean His infinity in relation to time, we mean that He is without beginning or end; that He is free from all succession of time; and that He is the cause of time- Henry Thiessan
Scripture: Isaiah 57:15 15   For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy;
The Omniscience of God
Definition: By the omniscience of God we mean that He knows Himself and all other things, whether they be actual or merely possible, whether they be past, present, or future, and that He knows them perfectly and from all eternity.- Henry  Thiesan
Scripture: Psalm 147:5    Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
Isaiah 46: 10   Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
The Omnipresence of God
God is in all place at all times.  He is present everywhere always.
Scripture: Psalms 139: 7   Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  9  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;  10  Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
The Omnipotence of God
By the omnipotence of God we mean that God can do anything He wills. Henry Thiesan
Scripture: Jeremiah 32: 17   Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:

What else can be said? I would not worship a God who could not assure me as his subject that he hold all thing in his hands, especially me. -Bro. Kris