by John D Carmack

Created on: February 23, 2009

Is there a dilemma between God's omniscience and human free will?

dilemma, n.
1. A situation that requires a choice between options that are or seem equally unfavorable or mutually exclusive.
2. Usage Problem A problem that seems to defy a satisfactory solution.
3. Logic An argument that presents two alternatives, each of which has the same consequence.

The argument: God knows all. He can see into the future as well as into the past. He knows what you are going to do even before you do it. If you were able to do something other than what he foresaw, then God would not be omniscient. Therefore, either a human cannot have free will or God is not omniscient.

What does the Bible say?

Choice

Over and over in the Bible, we are instructed to do certain things. The wicked are punished, and the righteous are rewarded. We are instructed to believe, to choose and to act.

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore CHOOSE life, that both thou and thy seed may live" (emphasis mine).

~ Dt 30:19

Does it make sense for God to tell Israel to "choose" if there is no free will? What about punishment? If people have no free will, then is it justice to punish people who were simply doing what they were supposed to do?

The animals were created by God speaking. We see something different when man was created. We again see something different when woman was created. We see God creating humans in a "hands on" fashion. God breathed life into Adam, which was much more intimate than how the animals were created. Man and woman were created in the "image of God" (Ge 1:27).

Human beings are different than the animals. Animals go through their lives guided by "instinct". Animals have a spiritual component in them that guides them as to when to mate, when to migrate, when to hibernate, etc. Humans are different. Humans mate at irregular times. Humans often fight nature to build homes rather than migrate or hibernate (although hibernation during the winter might be tempting). Humans create art, music, poetry and other things that have nothing to do with survival. Unlike animals, these things are not species-specific, but humans are very diverse in how they express themselves.

God is creating His family. We are given the opportunity to become sons and daughters of the Most High. He chose to create, how to create and what to create. He has given us a similar ability to choose because we are created in His likeness.

Omniscience

It

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