Austin Bible Church
Foreknowledge means to know in advance and is a synonym for foreordained. God’s foreknowledge is a subset of His omniscience and is regarding believers only. God’s omniscience knew in eternity past all the knowable. This included all actions, decisions, motivations, and thoughts of all creatures. His foreknowledge includes only the reality (what has or will happen) of believers’ actions, decisions, motivations, and thoughts. All of God’s foreknowledge is in God’s Divine Decrees. God’s foreknowledge does not produce or cause events, but recognizes events which will occur. All that we have done or will do in our lives was known by God in eternity past as reality before anything was created by Him. Acts 2:23.
“this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.” (Acts 2:23, NASB)
God has always known from eternity past every believer’s thoughts, motives, decisions, and actions. There never was a time in all of eternity past when God did not know everything about you. He always knew every thought you would ever have, every motive that would be formed from those thoughts, every decision you would make from your thoughts or lack of thoughtfulness, and every action you will ever complete.
The foreknowledge of God makes nothing certain, but merely acknowledges what is certain - the content of the Divine Decrees. Foreknowledge is a means of relating us to the plan of God as an individual since eternity past. This gives us a sense of security. You are never lost or forgotten by God. You are always in God's mind. This application keeps you from self-pity. God foreknew all things about us and decreed them from His omniscience. Isaiah 41:26; Isaiah 42:9; Isaiah 43:9; Isaiah 46:10; Acts 2:23; 1 Peter 1:2. See category on Divine Decrees.
"Who has declared this from the beginning, that we might know? Or from former times, that we may say, " He is right!"? Surely there was no one who declared, Surely there was no one who proclaimed, Surely there was no one who heard your words." (Isaiah 41:26, NASB)
""Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you."" (Isaiah 42:9, NASB)
"All the nations have gathered together So that the peoples may be assembled. Who among them can declare this And proclaim to us the former things? Let them present their witnesses that they may be justified, Or let them hear and say, "It is true."" (Isaiah 43:9, NASB)
"Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure';" (Isaiah 46:10, NASB)
"this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death." (Acts 2:23, NASB)
"according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure." (1 Peter 1:2, NASB)
As God, the Lord Jesus Christ knew all things and all men. Matt. 9:4; John 2:24-25; John 19:28; John 21:17.
"And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? " (Matthew 9:4, NASB)
"But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man." (John 2:24-25, NASB)
"After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, "I am thirsty." " (John 19:28, NASB)
"He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep. " (John 21:17, NASB)