Full Question:

 

A simple question:

In Gregory Boyd’s article “The Open View of The Future” he states that God is omniscient. I believe there are overwhelming passages that affirm this. However, if God is omniscient why does he have to find things out: Gen 18:20,21 (the outcry against Sodom)? Are there things he chooses not to know and, if he chooses not to know does this mean that he not omniscient?

John O’Bryan

Reply to John O’Bryan:

 

That is a good question John, let me see if I can help you out here. First, you have hit upon a distinct subtly of open theology. You have asked, “why does he have to find things out?” A legitimate question if ever I heard one. You look to Sodom as your example, and I would point out in the same way one could look to Genesis where God looks for Adam and Eve in the garden calling out for them.

These are tough verses, Gen 3:8-9, Gen 11:5, and Gen 18:21, but I will take a crack at them. For the sake of time, let’s stick to one verse on this, I’ll choose Gen 18:21, “I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.” Several things, first, notice that the entirety of chapter 18 shows Abraham in definite dialogue with God. God is physically present with Abraham, on earth, in some form of incarnation not at all dissimilar to God walking in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. Also notice that God is well aware of Sodom and Gomorrah’s sin. He is not in the dark and indeed has already developed a plan of action before he intends to go take a look. We see him deliberate as to weather he should share his plan with Abraham. Ultimately, for the sake of the relationship he has developed and hopes to continue to develop, he tells Abraham and they discuss it in similar fashion to Moses on Mount Sinai appealing to God to spare the Israelites from a much deserved fate.

But, the crux of your question really falls on verse 21 itself, He says he will go down and see if things are as bad as it seems. Now this is interesting, if you page down through the story, after the Lord leaves Abraham, it moves to Sodom and tells us of the two men who arrive and are taken in by Lot. Are these messengers of God? Certainly they claim to have the power to destroy all the city and say they are intent to do so. I would suggest that these men have come to “test” the people of Sodom one last time before destruction comes. There is precedent for this to draw on. If we look back to God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, we see another test. Clearly in both cases, God is well aware of all that has gone on before. God knew Abraham had obeyed him well in the past, he knew Abraham gathered Isaac up and headed out with full intention to sacrifice him. In fact, God knew each detail right up to the point that Abraham made the final choice to slay Isaac in God’s name. But, the text still claims it was a test so God could be certain that Abraham would not change his mind at the last minuet.

I would make the claim that Sodom is the same sort of issue. In this case God sends men (angels I presume) to interact with the city and see if the citizens might repent at the last moment. There is always a chance. Clearly God has already indicated to Abraham that he intends to give them one. This is the whole point of going down to see.

The entire book of Jonah is based on the very same principal. Judgment has been made on the city of Nineveh, but hey, who knows, they might repent at the last moment, so in goes Jonah.

Back to the issue at hand. If we take Gen 22:12, as our case study your question still stands when you ask “if God is omniscient why does he have to find things out,” in this case, if Abraham is truly devoted to God to the very end. Or in Sodom’s case, will they really try to kill, rape, or hurt these strangers, or will they repent and behave?

This all depends on how you want to define the word “omniscient.” Generally, people define it simply by saying, “God knows everything” and they are satisfied with that. But is this really adequate? What if we asked in return “well. . . what is there for God to know?” If I do not own a computer, and God is not aware I own a computer, is God’s knowledge limited because he is not aware of my non existent computer? Surely not! There is not computer for God to know about. But what about the future? If the future already exists, then God ought to know about it. But, if the future does not exist, it does not seem as though it would limit God’s knowledge if he were not aware of the future that does not exist.

Open theists often say, “God knows all there is to know” The question is simply, what is there for God to know, or not know. So, why does God “have to find things out?” He finds out things that don’t exist yet like your unmade choices and mine. In Genesis 22:12, Abraham had not made a final choice yet. Once he did, God knew the answer. And yet retains his omniscience. Ain’t that cool?

Joseph H. Holt