The Ominscience of God

    The Omniscience of God!

It is important that we know who God is and what it means to understand the omniscience of God. Defined by author Sheila Alewine "The word “omniscient” is defined as having infinite awareness, understanding, and insight; it is universal and complete knowledge." Psalm 139:4-7 gives us a clear image of God's Omniscience. “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thoughts from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all.” God is all-knowing. He knows the words we are about to speak and every thought that comes to mind, He knows. I believe it is first and foremost important to allow scripture to define the omniscience of God. Beginning with two verses in Psalms we see God’s omniscience defined. The first is by His eyes being everywhere at all times, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Psalms 15:3). We also see in Psalms 139:1-18 that not only are His eyes everywhere but the entirety of His presence. It says that not only in heaven but in hell, God is there (Verse 139:8). The word “presence” in the Greek language is translated by the word Eupion, meaning “in the presence of, before.” This is important to not only Christians but to unbelievers as well. It is significant that we know that the God we serve and follow is omnipresent because those who do not trust Jesus for salvation, will be punished eternally in hell. To the righteous, Mathew 25:31-46 states just this. “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world (Verse 139:34). To the unrighteous Mathew writes, “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Verse 139:41). We often don't think of God being in hell because this is where the enemy takes place. God is not only omniscient but He is the maker of the universe. This does not mean that God created the devil. The devil at one time was blameless and in fact an angelic son of God (John 8:44). Because God is all-knowing we have security in knowing that when we accept Christ, we enter into a covenant relationship with Him. God gives us free will to choose but knows the steps we take to get there. Some may ask if God is all-knowing and omniscient, can we live our lives in the way we want to and still be saved? Said perfectly by author Eric Shearer, “Christianity says that people have free will and God is omniscient. If God is omniscient, then He already knows every action that I will ever choose. If He already knows this, then I am not free to choose something other than what He already knows I will choose. Therefore, people cannot have free will while God is omniscient.” Author Mohammed Saleh Zarepour discusses three understandings of propositional omniscience. The first being “Full Propositional Omniscience” (FPO). God knows all true propositions. The second is “Moderately Restricted Propositional Omniscience” (MPO). God knows all true propositions that are knowable to someone. Equivalently, God knows all true propositions that someone can know. Lastly, “Strictly Restricted Propositional Omniscience” (SPO). God knows all true propositions that are knowable to Him. Equivalently, God knows all true propositions that God can know. Understanding these views of the omniscience of God can help those who are seeking to understand the meaning of God’s omniscience.