Featured Predestination

• [Act 26:5 KJV] 5 Which knew[G4267] me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
• [Rom 8:29 KJV] 29 For whom he did foreknow,[G4267] he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
• [Rom 11:2 KJV] 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.[G4267] Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
• [1Pe 1:20 KJV] 20 Who verily was foreordained[G4267] before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
• [2Pe 3:17 KJV] 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know [these things] before,[G4267] beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

“factual knowledge” or “experiential knowledge”?
(Who is really redefining the word.)

 

" Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." ( Jeremiah 1:5 ).

" But if any man love God, the same is known of him." ( 1 Corinthians 8:3 ).

" Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." ( 2 Timothy 2:19 ).

" But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all [ye] workers of iniquity." ( Luke 13:27 ).

" O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known [me]." ( Psalms 139:1 ).

I think it's a little deeper than that, Jon.

I've never really read it except for the chapter on Predestination once, a very long time ago.
Can you think of a reason I should read anything outside of God's word in order to understand what His word says?

I can't.

 

Prescience means to know "about" something.
Therefore, the "Arminian" thinks that "foreknowledge" is simply knowing who would believe, as opposed to knowing someone personally, choosing them "in Christ" from the foundation of the world ( Ephesians 1:4-5 ) and arranging for them ( Acts of the Apostles 13:48 ) to believe.

What does Psalms 139 describe, when you look at it?

To me, the idea of limiting "foreknowledge" to simply knowing about something, doesn't bear up under the context of other passages that clearly demonstrate God's love for a people, even when they were dead in trespasses and sins ( Ephesians 2:1-6 ) and being God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works ( Ephesians 2:10 ).

Throw in 1 John 4:19, and I think you might see where I'm going.

Granted, the word is "foreknowledge" and "foreknow".
The Greek word is "proginosko", which, literally translated, means "before-to-know".

To me, the Greek does not shed enough light to explain the context.

 

My stance on reading outsde the Bible has changed over the years.

I no longer read much outside of His word, as nothing else really helps to explain His word for me, better than His word.

I have no problem looking at it like that.
However, I cannot mandate that everyone who professes Christ must look at it that way.

I say, "let the reader decide".

I commend you for it, but I also understand that not everyone may see it that way.

See my above.

 

Please re-read my post, I've edited post # 47 to correct for emotional response.

 

As far as understanding God's word for ourselves, I have to disagree.

I see 1 John 2:20-27 telling us otherwise.

Agreed.

That's why I hope, one day, to be part of such a thing again.
However, given the current state of the Baptist churches in my area, I'd say that that possibility is slim to none, at least for the foreseeable future.

Good evening to you, sir.

 

Read it closely.

It says that we have the Holy Spirit as Teacher, and that we do not need men to teach us.
I take this to mean that I do not need men to tell me what God's word means, I have the "translator" already living within me.

 

My point was ' relational' knowing .The bible clearly says that we are lost , strangers , enemies, without hope and without God UNTIL we are In HIM .

 

Of course God was aware of people running around ,breathing and talking and stuff . He was aware of course of those kept under the law of Moses . He was even aware o of the moon landing . But as for God knowing us intimately in His Son . No we are not known in this sense until we are In HIM .

 

We are not His Children into after we are Born again . Before we believe we are not ' children of God as you say.