“factual knowledge” or “experiential knowledge”?
- [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.
(Who is really redefining the word.)
You are correct.
Those who hate the teaching of grace seek to avoid the biblical usage of the word whom he did foreknow.
It is not mere prescience.
from A.W.Pink;
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 Personcrucified: “Him (Christ) being delivered by,” etc.
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,” etc.
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 the believing of their hearts but the persons themselves, which is here in view. “God hath not cast away His people which He foreknew” ( Rom. 11:2).
Once more the plain reference is to persons, and to persons only.
The last mention is in 1 Pet. 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.