119 – THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD

SEMESTER 2

119 – THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE: THEOLOGY II LESSON # 19
THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD

Read Romans 8:28-30.

INTRODUCTION:

1. The Doctrine before us is important because all the works of grace start with it. Most men are agreed upon this, but upon what it is they are not.
2. Explain the two common schools of thought:

i. God seeing man’s action.
ii. God planning His action.

3.  All the Scriptures are Rom. 8:29, Rom. 11:2, I Pet. 1:20, Acts 2:23, I Pet. 1:2.
4.  Seven times: 5 – proginosko (verb), 2 – prognosis (noun).
5.  This is a generally and woefully misunderstood doctrine.
6.  We must be careful to know word meanings in Scripture. The world’s meaning of a Bible word is not always the Bible meaning.

III: Flesh, world, (Jn. 15:18, 19, Jn. 17:9) immortality.

I. FOREKNOWLEDGE IS A DIVINE ATTRIBUTE

1. This statement is questionable in that it is also a divine act.
2. In the conventional sense, dealing with prescience, it is an attribute.

II. FOREKNOWLEDGE IS A DIVINE ACT

1. In Bible usage it is usually an act, rather than science.

III: Whom He foreknew.

2. Science-wise, everybody, for He knows all.
3. Who would of himself repent and believe? Nobody, for no one is like this.
4. Whom He would turn by the mighty working of grace, those He loved with an everlasting love.

III. FOREKNOWLEDGE AND FOREORDINATION

1. When foreknowledge is used biblically as a divine act, it is almost the same as foreordination.
2. When applied to events, it often means prescience, but is predicated upon God’s effect or permission.
3. When it refers to persons, or deals with persons, it means to love, choose, or ordain.
4. The word foreknowledge does not appear in the Old Tes­tament, but knoop does, and frequently does not mean science. (Hos. 8:4, Jer. 1:5, Amos 3:2, Ps. 1:6) These passages mean affection or appoint­ment.
5. The word is often so used in the New Testament. (Mat. 7:23, Jn. 10:14, I Cor. 8:3, II Tim. 2:19) In these verses His knowledge is limited to the saved and thus cannot mean science.
6. The Bible word then means to look upon with a benevolent purpose.
7. All the foreknown are to be finally glorified, thus it is the foundation of all future blessing.

III: Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated.

8. Why should we talk about it? (I Pet. 1:2) Thus, we must.
9. What is the value? Rom. 8:28 makes a soul-resting statement. Verses 29 and 30 explain it.
10. This lets you lie down in the green pastures of Rom. 8:28.
11. How can you know? (Rom. 5:1, Rom. 3:28, Rom. 4:5) By your faith.
12. If you can rest calmly on the merits of Christ’s blood, you can be sure Romans 8:28-30 applies. If you can say, “He loves me,” you should say, “Let me love Him more.”