Question

[LOVE/HATE]

Question: Does God's omnipotence include seeing the future? Obviously it does, since many prophecies in the Bible have been fulfilled. God knew what was going to happen before it did.

Which raises the question: How can we have free will if God can already see what we're going to do? If God knows what is going to happen, there is logically only one outcome that can happen in any situation. If God is omnipotent, we cannot have free will.

Another question: Does God have free will? Well, yeah, of course he does, right? Uh huh. But if God can see the future, that would include his own future, correct? How can God have free will if he already knows what he's going to do? Omnipotence is trickier than it seems.

An omnipotent God would not need anything. He would have no wants or fears or desires. Anything an omnipotent being wants, he would instantly have. There would be no motivation. Why would God be motivated to act in any way at all?

Well, we exist, so that proves God was motivated to act in some way. What would be a reason for God to be motivated? What would be a challenge or a puzzle for an omnipotent being?

To answer that, yet another question: What if God theoretically chose to stop existing? God would not be scared of dying as humans are. It would simply be a choice. There would be no pain. God could simply choose to stop existing. What would happen after that? Would God's power to see the future stop at the point of his extinction?

Simply put, would God know what happened after he stopped existing? It sounds on the surface like an unanswerable question. But consider a previous question: What would motivate God? If God knew what would happen after he died, then he would have no motivation to act in any way.

But we are created by him. He was motivated to act. We are living proof that God has wanted to do something. The only reason he would act is to see what happened after he died.

We are proof that God has died. We are God's debris.

[Meek and Humble]

Re: Question

We don't have free will. Read the Bible. It clearly says God controls all of our actions.

[Cranky Old Man]

Re: Question

Does God's omnipotence include seeing the future?

Yes. There are no limits to what God can do.

Which raises the question: How can we have free will if God can already see what we're going to do?

Since we can not see the future we perceive it as free will.

It's the same as between parents and children. The parent often already knows what is going to happen. But the parent lets the child aquire the experience for himself so the child can learn from it. It is the same between God and man.

But if God can see the future, that would include his own future, correct? How can God have free will if he already knows what he's going to do?

I have no idea. But I am sure God knows these things and that is enough for me.

An omnipotent God would not need anything. He would have no wants or fears or desires.

Why not?

To answer that, yet another question: What if God theoretically chose to stop existing?

He has promised us He will not do that so this will not happen.

[D.L. Moody]

Re: Question

Question: Does God's omnipotence include seeing the future?

But if God can see the future, that would include his own future, correct?

God is timeless. Time is only something we on earth use to measure change. The past, present and future are the same for God, so your musings are moot.

[GOD=life]

Re: Question

Are you having a discussion with yourself here? If you're going to keep asking questions, then how about letting US provide the answers?

You are just wasting our time and God's time here...