"What is meant by “foreknowledge”? “To know beforehand,” is the ready reply of many.
"But we must not jump at conclusions, nor must we turn to Webster’s dictionary as the final court of appeal, for it is not a matter of the etymology of the term employed. What is needed is to find out how the word is
used in Scripture. The Holy Spirit’s usage of an expression always defines its meaning and scope. It is failure to apply this simple rule which is responsible for so much confusion and error. So many people assume they already know the signification of a certain word used in Scripture, and then they are too dilatory to
test their assumptions by means of a concordance. Let us amplify this point.
"Take the word “flesh.” Its meaning appears to be so obvious that many would regard it as a waste of time to look up its various connections in Scripture. It is hastily assumed that the word is synonymous with the physical body, and so no inquiry is made. But, in fact, “flesh” in Scripture frequently includes far more than what is corporeal; all that is embraced by the term can only be ascertained by a diligent comparison of
every occurrence of it and by a study of each separate context. Take the word “world.” The average reader of the Bible imagines this word is the equivalent for the human race, and consequently, many passages where the term is found are wrongly interpreted. Take the word “immortality.” Surely
it requires no study! Obviously it has reference to the indestructibility of the soul. Ah, my reader, it is foolish and wrong to assume anything where the Word of God is concerned. If the reader will take the trouble to carefully examine each passage where “mortal” and “immortal” are found, it will be seen these words are never applied to the soul, but always to the body.
"Now what has been said on “flesh,” the “world,” “immortality,” applies with equal force to the terms “know” and “foreknow.” Instead of imagining that these words signify no more than a simple cognition, the different passages in which they occur require to be carefully weighed. The word “foreknowledge” is not found in the Old Testament. But “know” occurs there frequently. When that term is used in connection with God, it often signifies
to regard with favour, denoting not mere cognition but an
affection for the object in view. I
know thee by name” (Ex 33:17). “Ye have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I
knew you” (Deut 9:24). “Before I formed thee in the belly I
knew thee” (Jer 1:5). “They have made princes and I
knew it not” (Hos 8:4). “You only have I
known of all the families of the earth” (Amos 3:2). In these passages “knew” signifies either
loved or
appointed.
"In like manner, the word “know” is frequently used in the New Testament, in the same sense as in the Old Testament. “Then will I profess unto them, I
never knew you” (Matt 7:23). “I am the good shepherd and
know My sheep and am
known of Mine” (John 10:14). “If any man love God, the same is
known of Him” (I Cor 8:3). “The Lord
knoweth them that are His” (II Tim 2:19).
"Now the word “foreknowledge” as it is used in the N.T. is less ambiguous than in its simple form “to know.” If every passage in which it occurs is carefully studied, it will be discovered that it is a moot point whether it ever has reference to the mere perception of events which are yet to take place. The fact is that “foreknowledge” is
never used in Scripture in connection with events or actions; instead, it always has reference to
persons. It is persons God is said to “foreknow,” not the actions of those persons. In proof of this we shall now quote each passage where this expression is found.
"The first occurrence is in Acts 2:23. There we read, “Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.” If careful attention is paid to the wording of this verse it will be seen that the apostle was not there speaking of God’s foreknowledge of the
act of the crucifixion, but of the
Person crucified: “Him [Christ] being delivered by . . .
"The second occurrence is in Romans 8:29, 30. “For
whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren. Moreover
whom He did predestinate, them He also called . . .” Weigh well the pronoun that is used here. It is not
what He did foreknow, but
whom He did. It is not the surrendering of their wills nor believing of their hearts, but the
persons themselves, which is here in view.
“God hath not cast away His people which He foreknew” — Romans 11:2. Once more the plain reference is to persons, and to persons only.
"The last mention is in I Peter 1:2: “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.”
Who are “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”? The previous verse tells us: the reference is to the “strangers scattered,” i.e., the Diaspora, the Dispersion, the believing Jews. Thus, here too the reference is to persons, and not to their foreseen acts.
"Now in view of these passages (and there are no more)
what scriptural ground is there for anyone saying God “foreknew” the
acts of certain ones, viz., their “repenting and believing,” and that because of those acts He elected them unto salvation? The answer is: None whatever. Scripture
never speaks of repentance and faith as being foreseen or foreknown by God. Truly, He did know from all eternity that certain ones would repent and believe, yet this is not what Scripture refers to as the
object of God’s “foreknowledge.” The word uniformly refers to God’s foreknowing
persons; then let us “hold fast the form of sound words” (II Tim 1:13)."
From Arthur Pink
The Foreknowledge of God
