FOR KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM
Introduction
The doctrine of foreknowledge is a very controversial issue for many in the Christian church. The interpretation of this word in Romans 8 affects heavily the views of other doctrines. This word affects how one views God’s omniscience, sovereignty, and soteriological work. It is important to have a proper interpretation of this word so that one has a proper view of God. If one does not have a proper view of God, it will be hard to have a proper view of Scripture, let alone, a proper interpretation of Scripture.
The purpose of this paper will be to present the context of the passage it is in, the differing interpretations of foreknowledge, what foreknowledge entails, and what the interpretation really is and how it should affect the lives of Christians.
Interpretation through context
The letter to the Romans was written by Paul to the Jew and Gentile believers of the church in Rome. This is a letter Paul wrote, most likely, so that he may encourage the believers in Rome. The purpose of the book was multifarious: 1. To prepare for a visit so they could minister to him in kind. 2. To present systematically the truth of the Gospel so as to unite the Jewish and Gentile believers. 3. There is a clear apologetic purpose to the book. Paul often uses arguments that most likely have been posed to him, reasoning against himself, before refuting the arguments with Scripture that corroborates the rest of the revealed canon. 4. Paul wanted to make sure the church was prepared to preach just in case he was unable to visit. Paul uses his unique writing style to present his points. His writing style here, especially here, helps the reader to interpret the truth of the word foreknowledge. He begins the book with a presentation of how mankind is sinful. This takes place between chapters 1-3. Chapters four and five relate to justification of the unbelievers, thus making them believers. Chapters 6-8 deal with salvation and sanctification and how God renews His people daily. It is in this context that the word foreknowledge must be interpreted.[1] The key to all of this must be what the endgame goal is of God’s foreknowledge. The only answer can be the glory of God, to which all of history points.[2]
The differing schools of thought
There are multiple views on the meaning of the word foreknow. They are interpreted one of two ways: To know in advance, or to know something more pointed such as to choose ahead of time or to pre-love.
There is the belief that only believers are those who are foreknown or pre-loved by Christ. This does not refer to knowledge of what believers will do, as far as coming to Christ, but simply knowledge or election of believers. The key is that this is referring solely to a select group of individuals since not all of humanity will be justified, and glorified.[3] This is not the doctrine of actions but rather of predetermined allegiance. By this it is meant that God does not rely on the actions of people to choose Him. This pre-knowledge, or foreknowledge is what has been involved in establishing a meaningful relationship, not simply an acquaintance. This is simply the doctrine of how God fulfills His saving purpose.[4] The key to this relationship is that this relationship comes with the goal of the relationship in mind.[5] Paul appears to imply in the passage that God’s foreknowledge was not related to something about us, but rather He knew us. Anyone can know about celebrities, but it is an entirely different thing to know them personally. It is almost insulting to the character of God that He would need to look down a tube, so, to speak, and see who would turn their heads to Him so that He might choose them. This can, and must refer only to Christians. This is a unique love that God has reserved for the believer. This foreknowledge speaks of a predetermining to love His children to salvation.[6] There are other instances where the word can refer to omniscience, but there are more proofs for the pre-love position.
The second view to this word pertains to how God simply knew that humanity would respond in faith. This key clearly rests in God’s knowledge of the faith of believers as the object of God’s foreknowledge and this is the basis of His predestination. This could also refer to the superb state of morality of the believer’s life.[7] This interpretation does seem to coincide with Acts 26:5 and 2 Peter 3:17. The verbs in all of these sentences clearly refers to a “knowing beforehand.”[8]
What one must come to grips with when one interprets foreknowledge in this light is this: God is not the arbiter of who will be saved and who won’t. This interpretation is quite popular because it does away with the arbitrary nature of God in how he deals with others.[9] This view would be popular with the Arminian position since it states that man can choose to either accept or reject God based on the means of prevenient grace. What someone has to come to terms with who holds to this position is the simple fact that one must believe God is a reactionary potter.
What foreknowledge entails
Now that the basic definitions have been presented, the truth must now be explained.
If foreknowledge were to mean only knowing the future actions of Christians, then this eliminates the sovereignty of God. This would go completely contrary to the nature of God as displayed in Jeremiah 18 with the analogy of the potter and the clay. Under the belief of this interpretation, one must picture God saying to Jeremiah that He shall form the nations as He sees fit, but only after they tell Him what they wish to look like. This is the commonly skewed perception of Jeremiah 18. The potter is in complete control of the clay and needs no input from the clay and receives no opinion from the clay in how it should be crafted, be it a vessel for wrath, or for honor. This viewpoint seems to diminish the doctrine of Total Depravity.
If foreknowledge means that God chose before time began what the fate of all mankind would be then one must sacrifice entirely the free will of man. When one advocates this position one must realize that God has chosen and His word is final and that there are those whom He wills into heaven and those whom He wills into hell. To accept this view one must acknowledge that Pharaoh’s actions were predetermined by God. This is not because God looked into the future and saw what Pharaoh would do in response to the request of Moses. This is because God Himself hardened the heart of Pharaoh and made sure that the world could see the glory of God manifested through the wonders of God. Man was not consulted in Genesis 1 and 2 when God formed all things. Christians seem to think that God did just fine in creating everything good without their help. Why would they want a say when it comes to something as important as salvation?
Conclusion
How does this word help Christians interpret the sovereignty of God? If one holds to a worldview where the potter in the analogy of Jeremiah 18 gives a say to the clay, then one must believe that God is only knowing how things are going to happen. The God of this interpretation does not make the final decision. He only provides the options for the clay. This, of course, would be an understanding very popular among Arminian circles. One treads a treacherous path when they begin to travel down this road. Anytime one thinks that they can make a conscious effort to choose God, then that person has no accurate understanding of the Gospel.
If one holds to a worldview where the potter in Jeremiah 18 has total control and mastery over the intent, the design, and the completion of that clay, then one must believe that God is sovereign in all He does and chooses to do with what is His freely, justly, and greatly. Some scriptures that corroborate this belief are Genesis 18; Exodus 33; 1 Samuel 2; Psalm 18; Proverbs 9; Jeremiah 1, Hosea 13; Amos 3. It is clear and easily seen that everything that God did was done with a planned and ordained step by step process that will be accomplished for the good of all believers. This saving foreknowledge is completely an act of what God Himself will do, and He alone.[10] When all is said and done, Christians must come to the realization, when studying Romans 8, that God chose us to glorify Him for a specific purpose. He chose us because He knew us intimately. He chose us because He came and got man via predestination.[11] There are those who say that man cannot love a God that they could not freely give themselves to serve. The people who say this are not those who read their Bibles. The Apostle John says that those who love are born of God, and know God. Those that do not love do not know God, for God is love. We love because Christ planted love in us. This would corroborate the analogy Jesus gives of the Good Shepherd. The sheep know the shepherd’s voice, and they come when he calls. In Scripture, wolves never become sheep, but the followers of God are always the sheep because they have been pre-loved since before time.[1] Neil D. Nelson. Romans Outline(Romans Class Personal Notes: 2012)
[2] Alva J., McClain Romans: The Gospel of God’s Grace (BMH Books: Winona Lake, Indiana. 1973) 168.
[3] Douglas J. Moo. The Epistle to the Romans(William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1996) 532
[4] Robert H. Mounce. The New American Commentary: Romans (Broadman and Holdman Publishers: No location listed, 1995) 188.
[5] John Witmer. The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Victor Publishing: Colorado Springs, Colorado, 2004), 474.
[6] John MacArthur. The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB-U (La Habra, California: Thomas Nelson, 2006), 1676
[7] Moo, The Epistle to the Romans. 532.
[8] Thomas R. Schreiner. Romans (Baker Books: Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1998) 452.
[9] Ibid., 452.
[10] D.M. Lloyd-Jones. Romans (Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1975) 234
[11] McClain, Romans, 168.
