Luke tells us in Acts 15:18, \u2018Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world\u2019 and certain it is we cannot begin to comprehend the infinite glory and transcendent majesty of the eternal God if we do not confess His unbounded knowledge. Yet, we must always be humble and careful in trying to understand the nature of God. We are mere spectators, fallen and corrupt at that, before the revelation of the One true God who is essentially unknowable beyond what He is pleased to communicate to us in His word.<\/p>\n
Omniscience<\/b><\/p>\n
The God of the Bible is the God whose knowledge, wisdom and understanding is unconstrained and whose awareness of persons, events, times, places, eventualities, outcomes and eternal realities is in every way full, perfect and complete. We call God\u2019s comprehensive knowledge of all things His \u2018omniscience\u2019. It is vastly different from human foresight! Luke calls it \u2018the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God\u2019 (Acts 2:23).<\/p>\n
\u2018None like me\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n
God\u2019s omniscience is an attribute of His nature; it compliments His omnipresence and omnipotence. \u2018I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure\u2019 (Isaiah 46:9, 10). Peter writes, \u2018According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue\u2019 (2 Peter 1:3).<\/p>\n
Foreknowledge and freewill<\/b><\/p>\n
By these verses we understand that nothing is hid from God. He sees and knows all things because He planned and ordained whatsoever comes to pass. We must not imagine God\u2019s foreknowledge to be based upon prescience or prediction as if God at some past time looked passively into the future and discerned what would unfold. Or, as some would say, made His plans upon discovering the outcomes of man\u2019s freewill as if the Fall had never happened. God knows what will transpire in this world because He has mandated it to be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A known people<\/b><\/p>\n Our reading today speaks of God foreknowing a people upon whom He works to accomplish His will and purpose in their lives. We note it is not what<\/i> but whom<\/i> He did foreknow. Here Paul is speaking of specific individuals known by God before time, before they were created or even the world was created. It is His gracious purpose that those whom He foreknew should be conformed to the image of Christ and accordingly He predestinates them to that end.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A blessed people<\/b><\/p>\n God\u2019s foreknowledge is His everlasting love towards the people upon whom He delights to bestow His blessings of grace and glory. Notwithstanding the Fall, some men and women are, says Peter, \u2018Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father\u2019 (1 Peter 1:2). God\u2019s foreknowledge pre-determines and prepares those who are chosen to salvation according to the Father\u2019s infinite love and wisdom.<\/p>\n A loved people<\/b><\/p>\n We cannot see beyond, or probe beneath, the Father\u2019s foreknowledge. Love and wisdom are the foundations upon which the plan of redemption was devised, the incarnation of Christ conceived and the covenant of peace established. God told Jeremiah, \u2018Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee\u2019 and informed the remnant people of the Old Testament, \u2018The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you\u2019 (Deuteronomy 7:7, 8).<\/p>\n A joined people<\/b><\/p>\n The joining together or union of God\u2019s chosen people to Himself in Jesus Christ is God\u2019s heart of love towards us. According to His love He willed our election, ordained our union and joined us with His Son, Jesus Christ. Christ is the Head, \u2018mine elect\u2019 (Isaiah 42:1) the first-chosen in the covenant of grace and peace, and we are His body, chosen in love and united to Him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Amen.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n