Honest struggles on God’s omniscience.

[Idolater]

ofc he was free. There is never any question "Nicholas" is free the whole entire time, even though "Consumer Recreation Services" knew exactly where to place the inflatable airbag. This is why the movie's important: I don't remember if there is vulgarity or scandalous content, I only remember the premise and the basic plot: It's clear that it's plausible that God would know at least what the fictional "Consumer Recreation Services" knew about "Nicholas", about all of us. So God, just from that, would know with exceptional accuracy, predictions about what we'd do in the future, even while we retain fully our free will.

But then add in that God directs circumstances and situations, all the things beyond the control of free will agents like us. He knows us extremely well, better than we know ourselves, and, He also happens to have direct control over our circumstances. So therefore His predictions are going to be very good. And remember, our own predictions are already very good, so God's accuracy in predicting is much better than even we are at prediction, and we are very good at it. So how good is He?

Classical Theism needn't believe in exhaustive definite foreknowledge as some mystical superpower, to believe that God perfectly predicts the future, including human free will choices. Classical Theism need only believe in the basic premise of The Game, but irl.

... the future is open ...

Yes. And God has exhaustive definite foreknowledge, but it's not some mystical superpower; it is God knowing all there is to know, and logic. He knows me and you, He made us in the womb. He knows us better than we know ourselves, "Consumer Recreation Services" style from the movie, but better than that. We are each very good at predicting what our fellow free will agent human beings will do, all the time, regularly. Now add in God's "Consumer Recreation Services" style knowledge, except better. He is better than us, and we're already pretty good at predicting what free will agents will do in the future.

 

[Derf]

Yes. And God has exhaustive definite foreknowledge, but it's not some mystical superpower; it is God knowing all there is to know, and logic. He knows me and you, He made us in the womb. He knows us better than we know ourselves, "Consumer Recreation Services" style from the movie, but better than that. We are each very good at predicting what our fellow free will agent human beings will do, all the time, regularly. Now add in God's "Consumer Recreation Services" style knowledge, except better. He is better than us, and we're already pretty good at predicting what free will agents will do in the future.

The future can't be both settled and open at the same time. If God knows the future exhaustively, then it is settled, and people are destined before they exist to whatever they do. God doesn't need to predict anything if His knowledge is exhaustive. It's all fact, not prediction. That's why I bring up Hezekiah. God told him 2 conflicting futures. If it was 2 predictions, then the circumstances could change to make one not come to pass, either based on God or based on Hezekiah or both--that's the whole idea behind open theism. If it was two factual statements about the future based on God infallible exhaustive foreknowledge, then God lied about one of them, because they are contradictory and only one future can be the correct future for Hezekiah. That's what "settled", "determined", "fated", "decreed", etc. mean.

 

[way 2 go]

The future can't be both settled and open at the same time.

you don't know what your future holds for you

If God knows the future exhaustively, then it is settled, and people are destined before they exist to whatever they do. God doesn't need to predict anything if His knowledge is exhaustive. It's all fact, not prediction. That's why I bring up Hezekiah. God told him 2 conflicting futures. If it was 2 predictions, then the circumstances could change to make one not come to pass, either based on God or based on Hezekiah or both--that's the whole idea behind open theism. If it was two factual statements about the future based on God infallible exhaustive foreknowledge, then God lied about one of them, because they are contradictory and only one future can be the correct future for Hezekiah. That's what "settled", "determined", "fated", "decreed", etc. mean.

so if Hezekiah is not told in either view he dies , in the classic view God knows he will pray , in the open view they pretend he might not pray and then a specific not open 15 years are added and this happened (II Kings 20:17) Behold, the days come, that all that is in thy house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith Jehovah.

one settled plan that included the warning, the prayer, and the extra years.

just like Jonah and Nineveh , even Jonah knew they would repent if he preached to them , no warning no repentance .

(Romans 10:14) How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

God knew Israel would reject Jesus and the mystery

(Romans 10:19-21) [19] But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you. [20] And Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me. [21] But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.


Just like God knows they won't repent
(Revelation of John 16:11) and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they repented not of their works.