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Is Open Theism a heresy then?
- Thread starter JesusFan
- Start date
Do you know what it is?
Have you not read that God determines the beginning from the end?
That He is the ancient of days?
That He is eternal and with Him there is no future as He is eternal and lives in an ever present now?
What about when He specifically names Cyrus as the deliverer of His people in Babylonian bondage?
Or that He decreed the Cross in Eternity past?
There are many more
It is a vicious assault on the Holy God of Heaven
A crime of Treason
Have you not read that God determines the beginning from the end?
That He is the ancient of days?
That He is eternal and with Him there is no future as He is eternal and lives in an ever present now?
What about when He specifically names Cyrus as the deliverer of His people in Babylonian bondage?
Or that He decreed the Cross in Eternity past?
There are many more
It is a vicious assault on the Holy God of Heaven
A crime of Treason
Open theism says everything is not predestined. Those that believe unbiblically that God knows everything imaginable, claim the biblical view is heresy. But they have never studied the topic. When asked why scripture says things happen by chance, they change the subject.
37818
Well-Known Member
Genesis 22:12, . . . And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, . . .
Who appeared to Abraham?
The finite Son or the infinite Father?
John 1:18, No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Who appeared to Abraham?
The finite Son or the infinite Father?
John 1:18, No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
David Lamb
Well-Known Member
Certainly not on the definitions of Open Theism/openness theology that I found. For example:
"Openness theology denies that God even knows what we will do. Openness theologians argue that it is logically inconsistent to say that God knows in advance what someone would freely do in a libertarian sense."
That sounds like the opposite of what Calvinism teaches.
Also when you say that Calvinism denies that God is the Author of sin, are you saying that non-Calvinists believe that sin does have its origins in God?
Hi David, I have studied the doctrine, and you, it appears, have not. You seem to think Open Theism is not the opposite of exhaustive determinism, where everything is predestined. You are wrong.
Calvinism = God knows the future because He predestines it.
Bible = Everything is not predestined as things happen by "chance."
Do you agree with this, "If God is not the author of sin" then human action to sin was not predestined, and therefore "open theism" (not everything is predestined) is valid.
Our life can be seen as a series of events, some of which we think we understand the cause, but other events seem to arise from chance or causes beyond our ability to grasp. If our choices are not predestined, and those choices alter the outcome of our lives, then we believe God is not the author of sin.
Both the wise person and the fool come to the same end, physical death. The Bible tells us this outcome is the wage of being a sinner, whether a made sinner or a volitional sinner. Some of us, however, will be physically redeemed, at Christ's second coming. But this altered outcome is contingent on God alone crediting our faith as righteousness.
Christ's gospel presents good news, the opportunity for our future salvation exists, but the other gospel presents futility, you were either saved or damned from all eternity for all eternity, and nothing you can do will alter that outcome for you or your loved ones. But to seize the opportunity you must believe in open theism, right down to your socks!
Both the wise person and the fool come to the same end, physical death. The Bible tells us this outcome is the wage of being a sinner, whether a made sinner or a volitional sinner. Some of us, however, will be physically redeemed, at Christ's second coming. But this altered outcome is contingent on God alone crediting our faith as righteousness.
Christ's gospel presents good news, the opportunity for our future salvation exists, but the other gospel presents futility, you were either saved or damned from all eternity for all eternity, and nothing you can do will alter that outcome for you or your loved ones. But to seize the opportunity you must believe in open theism, right down to your socks!
Is Open Theism heresy? No. At least not in my estimation.
Do they claim God can do all things doable? Do they believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God? That mankind needed a Savior? Do they believe He came to die for sins, did so die and then rose from the dead on the third day? Ascended into heaven and will come again in glory and judgment?
I can work with that.
Are they wrong on some issues of theology, yes! Are they wrong that some things are by chance? Yes
. But then again, God will let me know what I was wrong about when He calls me home. Let's sharpen our brothers and dispel what we each have wrong and support each other in the core message of the gospel that Jesus Christ is the Savior of those that believe.Peace to you brothers
Van, NO Calvinist would see Open Theism as anything but heresy
They hold that God has decided to be part of linear time as we are, so he grows and knows more based upon His experiences, so he is not Omniscient, so is outside the pale and would be a heretical view of the nature of God
NO Scripture stated anything ever has happened by "luck or chance"
That passage, as are others, were written to describe God in a way that we are able to relate to, does not mean God learned something new that He did not know before
Open Theists would hold that God had decided to not be able to know all things, in order to preserve to and for us "libertine free will"
You are holding to a Hyper Calvinism view of extreme predestination, unto fatalism
Their view of the very nature of God is heresyIs Open Theism heresy? No. At least not in my estimation.
Do they claim God can do all things doable? Do they believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God? That mankind needed a Savior? Do they believe He came to die for sins, did so die and then rose from the dead on the third day? Ascended into heaven and will come again in glory and judgment?
I can work with that.
Are they wrong on some issues of theology, yes! Are they wrong that some things are by chance? Yes
Peace to you brothers
His comment on chance says everything you need to know
37818
Well-Known Member
You seem to not understand the role of God's Son as God's temporal agent. John 1:18. Genesis 12:7 etc.
Yes. The Son is both the Son with God and God. John 1:1.
God is Omniscient, correct?
That is too superficial an understsnding of Open Theology. Those are interpretations connected to the result.
The difference is not that they deny divine omniscience but how they define omniscience.
Within traditional views we have this disagreement as well (e.g., middle knowledge).
They believe God is omniscient but define omniscience as knowing all that is knowledge with truely contegent events being unknowable.
What I am saying is I am not sure where Open Theism stands in terms of Christian Orthodoxy. I do believe it is incorrect..
To determine whether Open Theism is a heresy you have to determine whether their definition of divine omniscience is outside of orthodox Christianity. It may be, but I am not sure where it lands.