The Foreknowledge of God

Dr. Steven Lawson Georges today on Renewing Your Mind.

What does foreknowledge me names before time began.

God drew a circle around your name and he singled you out and he chose to love you and Jesus at his heart upon you with blazing burning love and affection makes a lot of people uncomfortable. God chooses who will be saved.

If that's the case, we also choose who was destined for eternal punishment. Would you join us today for Renewing Your Mind. And if you're new to the program. You can already tell that we don't shy away from controversial doctrines. That's because the Bible doesn't shy away from. So let's join look at her teaching fellow Dr. Steven Lawson as we continue our study of the attributes of God in this session we want to talk about a attribute of God which is the foreknowledge of God is a lot of misunderstanding on the subject of the foreknowledge of God, and some people's understanding of foreknowledge is this that God is looking down the proverbial tunnel of time to see what will men do with his son the Lord Jesus Christ and based upon what God foresees, God will then make a reciprocal choice towards them. If God sees in the future that someone will believe upon his son Jesus Christ. God foresees that and when he foresees that person believing in Christ, God will then from eternity past, ordain them unto salvation. Unfortunately, that is 180° in the wrong direction. That is a significant misinterpretation of Scripture, and for three reasons.

Number one God has never looked into the future and learned anything. God is omniscient. We've Artie covered that attribute. God knows all things. God never learns anything God never looks into the future and ever sees anyone do anything that he has not already foreordained.

Second, if all God does is look into the future to see what someone will do and that's all that foreknowledge is this is what God will foresee. We all, like sheep have gone astray, each one of us has turned to his own way all God will see is that no one will believe in his son Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches the total depravity of the human heart.

The Bible teaches the bondage of the will of the Bible teaches that repentance and saving faith is a gift that God must bestow to the guilty sinner. No one can believe on their own, but third foreknowledge does not mean foresight because in Romans eight and verse 29 it says for those whom he or new me tell you two things about this, which I guess would be number three and four on her list. It's a personal pronoun for those whom he foreknew it doesn't say what he foresaw. It says whom he foreknew God is not foreseeing events. God is not forcing circumstances. God is not foreseeing conversion experiences in Romans 829 doesn't say what he foresaw. Says whom he foreknew son number four on why that is wrong is a gross misunderstanding of what the word foreknowledge means board foreknowledge in the original language and we would never know this in the English the word foreknowledge is a verb with a prefix that is placed in front of the main verb.

The main verb is goodness go which means no to know in a personal love relationship to love in a very intimate way. It speaks of the love between a husband and a wife and a very physical relationship to know that spouse as you would know no one else in the world. The prefix that is put in front of goodness.

Go is pro PR which means before sounds like pre-the word is pro UNESCO pro means beforehand. The word foreknowledge pro UNESCO means those whom God previously chose to love with the distinguishing love in ways that he does not love others just do a Bible study was just survey the entire Bible on this okay so I want you to turn with me to Genesis chapter 4 and verse want to start in Genesis.

Okay. And I want you to see how the word no.

Okay NOW have the word no is used as it first appears in the Scripture.

This is written in the Hebrew language and instead a goodness go. It's the word young doll Genesis 4, verse one. Now the man had relations with his wife, Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain.

This verb had relations with we understand what this means the very discrete modest way for the Bible to speak of this physical union between a man and his wife literally in the original language.

This, says the man knew his wife and she conceived, and she gave birth. The word to know in the Bible K NOW means to love in the most intimate relationship where there is a close bond to love this one in ways that I do not love others to set your heart upon to live with distinguishing affection only as we understand this is repeated in verse 25. In Genesis chapter 4 Adam had relations with his wife again and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth. All of this is to set up for you that when we come in the New Testament to the word for knowledge. We must understand what the word no means K NOW. It does not. It does not mean foresight, Eve would have never become pregnant with Jess foresight.

It took a little more than that. It took an intimate love relationship a connection come with me to the book of Amos to Amos three and verse two and here I want you to see that the word had no issues synonymously with the word to be chosen to be chosen to be loved in Amos three. In verse two we read God speaking to Israel you will only have I chosen among all the families of the earth. Now that were chosen and in my Bible there is a little wine and out in the margin. It gives the proper translation of that word and it says to know to know is to choose to know is to choose to love to know is to choose to love with distinguishing love concert. I don't love all the families of the nations. But why I love this surreal you only have I chosen you only have I love you, my chosen people.

I have loved you in ways that I have not love the Egyptians I have loved you in ways that I have not love the Babylonians and I am not a lot the Assyrians. I demonstrated my love towards utilizing the profits. I've given my cabinets to you. I've given my truth to you. I have done so much more for you word to know means to choose to love very distinguishing we would say discriminating. Why come to the New Testament, Matthew chapter 1 owner show you something that will if you don't already know this, that this this little verse will, as we would say an Alabama rock your socks okay Matthew chapter 1 and verse 25.

The sentence begins in verse 24 Matthew 124 and Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took Mary as his wife.

Verse 25 but kept her of virgin until she gave birth to a son, literally. In fact it's in the margin of my new American Standard Bible, it really means.

She was not known by Joseph is not an actual translation is just a dynamic equivalent at that point and is just as scapular virgin of the word virgin does not even appear in the original language as a whole different record. All it says is Joseph never knew her and she was never known by Joseph. That's what it means to be a virgin and not known by man known about is not known in an intimate special distinguishing connecting love relationship. When we come to Romans eight verse 29. This can become abundantly clear and I don't go there yet because I've got some other verses to show you turn with me to Matthew 723 Brett the end of the greatest sermons ever been praised by the greatest preacher is ever live.

It is a sermon on the Mount, the preacher of the Lord Jesus Christ and I want to add is the greatest evangelist to ever live, and we come to the end of this sermon and you know what it says enter by the narrow gate. For the way is broad and the gate is why that leads to destruction, and many are those who find it gate is small.

The way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it. Verse 21.

Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he does the will of my father was in heaven is not saying were saved by obedience. But there will always be the evidence of true salvation in our obedience as well as the command of the gospel in the imperative verb is believe that either obey that or you don't obey that the command of the gospel is repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. If you're a believer you are and obey her.

If you are an unbeliever, you are right disobey her nest. The meaning of verse 25 Numbers 22 many will say to me that day, Lord, Lord, we not prophesy in your name and your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles.

Lord I went to church. Lord I taught in Sunday school, Lord, I serve. Do you know me, Lord, Lord, Lord, you remember me. Verse 23 and then I will declare to them, I never want God knows the number the hairs of their head.

God knows the day of their birth.

God knows every word that said Mrs. mean I never knew you means we never had a relationship.

I never intimately all I knew, really, was a batch you are too distant from me, you never responded to my overtures of grace.

I never knew, and you never knew me, depart from me, you work in equity. Could anything be more obvious. But the word no means K NOW means to have a personal relationship with God through his son Jesus Christ, John chapter 10.

This will become. I think even more clear if the noonday sun needed to be any more clear.

John chapter 10 I want to say verse 14 and a couple other verses here. John 10 verse 14.

The parable of the good Shepherd.

I love this entire chapter. Jesus represents himself to us as the good Shepherd because she confined myself to this verse, verse 14 Jesus said I am the good shepherd and I know my own my own know me that's good what you think no means think that means Jesus is saying. I know your Social Security number. I got your credit ratings when his unknowing and you know me, he means that we have an intimate personal saving relationship is not just that you know about me you actually know me and you know it's more important than for you to know God is for God to know you is for Jesus Christ to know you.

I want to ask you this question we been together here now for a while. Do you know the Lord is the Lord know you and ask you to go to church. I didn't ask you, do lovely in air and ask you, you know RC's birthday.

Do you know the Lord does Jesus Christ know you because if you don't you will hear him say to you one day depart from me, you who work iniquity, to know means to enter into a personal saving intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

Look at verse 27 across the page.

This is like when these dimmer switches. You just keep turning it up in the dining room and he is brighter and brighter and brighter and brighter. Okay verse 27 my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me UNESCO to know means to have a saving love relationship with what does foreknowledge me means that before time began before the foundation of the world in eternity past, God drew a circle around your name and he singled you out and he chose to love you and he set his heart upon you with blazing burning love and affection he he entered into a saving love relationship with you by his eternal covenant from before the foundation of the world and he wrote your name in his Lamb's book of life before time began. You are mine and I had set my heart upon you, and I love you with an everlasting love for the word foreknowledge means comebacks to verse 23. There are a few places in the Bible were foreknowledge is synonymous with foreordination, which is just a synonym for predestination and asked to verse 23 as Peter is preaching on the day of Pentecost. In verse 23 he throws out this heavy Eagles in the that this wasn't a little gospel ditty wanting easy believe it is him and putting out some cheap grace. This was a strong message and he says in verse 23 this man referring to Jesus Christ, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, God predetermine the cross, Jesus was the Lamb of God slain from before the foundation of the world God had marked out his own son.

He chose his son to be the Savior and the Redeemer in the reconciler of the elect of God at Calvary's cross.

And as Jesus went to the cross. He was for loved by God the father. This was his beloved son in whom he was well pleased, and the father had set his distinguishing love upon his son Jesus Christ as he was going in obedience to the cross to die in our place.

Do you think that this means that God the father just looked down the tunnel, a time to see what his son would do and I have no idea what is going to all my goodness, I just arrested him all my work.

I just took them before Pilate what's going to happen with his hand only assignment he can't carry all this situation is out of control. I foresee this now but I guess I better make lemonade out of lemons.

I'll just adopt this and make this my plan of salvation because everything got out of control in what this is blasphemy. This is called for what it is is blasphemy of God the father had set his heart upon God's son and he said his heart upon his elect. He gave his elect to the son is a love gift that the sun would come into this world and go to the cross in their the beloved son of God the father would suffer under the wrath on behalf of sinners quickly come to first Peter one verse two first Peter one verse to turn to it as quickly as you can and want to see foreknowledge used twice in the same chapter.

First Peter one verses one into Peter and apostle of Jesus Christ to those who reside as aliens scattered throughout. In all the cities at the universe, one who were chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the father and someone ago. Oh wait a minute, it's foreknowledge that is the controlling factor on chosen not so fast turn to verse 20 before you answer that way. In verse 28 we read, for he the antecedent.

If he is at the end of the previous verse, verse 19 Christ the blood of Christ, for he is referring to Jesus Christ was foreknown before the foundation of the world what you think that means you think that means God just look passively down the tunnel time to see what would happen to the Lord Jesus and and that he would then integrate that into his plan.

Whatever that would be to wait and see what happens know what this means in verse 20 is that from before time began. The father so loved his own son and set his heart. He chose to love his son with extraordinary love whatever you do to verse 20 or entity to verse two. However, you understand the foreknowledge of the father of the sun. In verse 20.

You will have to understand as the foreknowledge of the father towards the elect, and what this means in verses one and two is that those who were chosen by the father were chosen because of the distinguishing love the electing love. The sovereign love with the father has for all of the elect in Romans nine verse 13 says Jacob loved and Esau I hated. Seems like distinguishing love to me in love he predestined us to the adoption as sons. What is foreknowledge me. It couldn't be any more clear. It means those whom he for loved him. He chose to live in eternity past with the distinguishing affection. Those whom he foreknew he predestined, in whom he predestined he called, in whom he called he justified, and whom he justified, he glorified is why we get to heaven and we are crowned a crown will stay on her head for about five seconds for you cast it back. It is signifying that all things are from unit three into chosen unity you called.

You predestined… Crowned is back. This is the meaning of the foreign doctrine of God's foreknowledge we understand correctly, it should bring about great humility on our part. God chose without considering any goodness on our part as the apostle Paul said, our salvation is not a result of works, so that no one can boast. Assuring portions of Dr. Steven Lawson series the attributes of God. This week around Renewing Your Mind and we are glad you joined us as we discovered this week. God has revealed himself perfectly in the pages of Scripture. Dr. Lawson series features 16 lectures that help us understand God's sovereignty is holiness is wisdom.

And yes, even his rough for your donation over the about today. We will send you the two DVDs that just requested when you call 800-435-4343 or would you go online to Renewing Your Mind God word God's foreknowledge is misunderstood and even denied in some circles, so it's comforting to know what God's word says about it if you'd like to encourage friends or family members to listen to Dr. Lawson's message today. It's easy to just point them to your website Renewing Your Mind God word will be able to stream today's program and find an archive of past programs as well. Listing is free when you go to Renewing Your Mind.a work earlier I mentioned the wrath of God and that will be Dr. Lawson's focus tomorrow. Here's a preview.

His mercy holds back the wrath it says, though the pressure is intensifying and intensifying the longer that it's held back, and when it lasts that dam of mercy gives way the wrath of God will come like a tsunami upon sinners and drown them and overwhelm them.

It's against the back were able to recognize the grace of God I hope you enjoy this Friday for Renewing Your Mind