I recently finished teaching a class at my church called “What Does God Know About Tomorrow?”
This class on the topic of divine foreknowledge briefly surveyed the Reformed, Arminian, and Open views, and the related issues of God’s sovereignty, Man’s free will, God’s relationship to time, and the nature of the future events God foreknows. I enjoyed preparing for this class and thoroughly enjoyed teaching it. As I had opportunity to read varying perspectives, one of the things that struck me most was how CERTAIN everyone is that their view is the right view.
Don’t get me wrong. I have an opinion (moderate calvinism as defined by guys like Norman Geisler), but I’m not certain. I could be wrong. The other guys may be right. They certainly make strong biblical case for their positions, and they all have pretty compelling arguments for why my reading of key and relevant passages is incorrect. My studies have brought me to a place of increasing humility about such things.
While I disagree with John Piper about how God exercises his sovereignty, I recognize the beauty, elegance and strength of his scriptural argument for a God who works all things according to the counsel of his will. Though I disagree with Greg Boyd about God’s relationship to time, I recognize that we are both likely trying to define something that’s above our pay grade.
I think I am less and less impressed with that thing in me that constantly insists on being right. There’s a place for debate and lively discussion, but I sometimes notice in myself a pressing need to defend my rightness beyond reason and in a manner that can completely bias my reading of scripture.
When I fall into this trap, I tend to bring what I am already certain of to my reading of scripture where my predefined views work like a contact lens over my mind. This lens bends, shapes, and distorts what I see to ensure I don’t see anything new, learn anything new, or have any of the things I’m already right about challenged or stretched.
For instance, this bias of certainty can really impact how I might interpret the following passages:
“But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. ” (Exodus 3:19–20, ESV)
“And the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land. But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, ” (Exodus 7:1–3, ESV)
In Exodus 3 it appears that Pharaoh’s heart is already hard. God’s power will serve to soften Pharaoh’s heart so he will let Israel go. In Exodus 7 it appears that Pharaoh’s heart is soft. God’s power will serve to harden Pharaoh’s heart so that God has the maximum opportunity to display his own power against Pharaoh. Then he will let Israel go.
Those that gravitate toward a theology in which God controls everything will likely see both passages through the grid of Exodus 7, and will find a way to explain away Exodus 3. Those that gravitate toward a theology in which man has genuine freedom (as a gift from God) will likely see both passages through the grid of Exodus 3, and will find a way to explain away Exodus 7.
Some will attempt to reconcile these passages and will likely come to the conclusion that: 1) Pharaoh’s heart was already hard, 2) God’s displayed power served to eventually soften Pharaoh’s heart, and 3) all God had to do to harden Pharaoh’s heart again was remove his own pressure and allow Pharaoh’s heart to return to its default setting.
I tend to think the third option is right. But I’m not certain.
37 Comments
“I recognize that we are both likely trying to define something that’s above our pay grade.”
Amen.
Paraphrasing what my professor said in class, “We have to accept that we are just that: creatures. We are created by God and therefore we will not know everything that He knows. I hope your heart is at ease and at peace with knowing that you will not know everything because there are mysteries that will always belong to God.”
It reminds me about our motives and our drive towards the intellectualism as a response in worship. Is our studying is a true worship to God or do we feel like if we knew it all, we wouldn’t have to trust and depend on God for everything because we would have some semblance of control?
(You know I have my own thoughts on Exodus 3 and Exodus 7 but if I left those thoughts here, wouldn’t have I missed the entire point of your post?)
Great stuff.
I love the quote from your professor. Oh that this attitude was more prevailing within these circles.
One of my favorite things about this post is that you can’t disagree with me without sounding overly certain. Prett slick, huh?
Fantastic post my man. Your humility is your greatest gift/cross. This is where the song “God Made You Mean” stems from. Such an important discussion in Theism. Particularly Monotheism. Where do the will of the Creator and the will of the created coalesce/depart? I wish I was there to take these classes, rabble rouse, and be a genuine pain in the tail!!
Kudos to you for being a man of Faith that is willing to explore the beauty of doubt.
(I don’t mean that you doubt your Faith, obviously. Merely that you question aspects of your own understanding in an effort to “perfect” your Faith.)
J
Clearly my most recent post is polling well within the agnostic americana singer songwriter demo.
I really wish you were closer and could come to some of the stuff I teach. Your input would certainly stimulate things. I so love that you read my stuff and always encourage. Means so much.
As always, Alan, thought provoking in the best possible way….self examination and examination of motive. I always enjoy your treatment of scripture and the difficult theological questions…always done through the lens of “clearly God is smarter than us…so relax…”. Nicely done friend.
Thanks Bob!
Good stuff. Wrestling with passages of Scripture that seem to lead us in one direction when we read others that seem to lead us in the opposite direction can either give us tired head or lead us to a greater sense of awe at the depths of the mysteries of God. I am glad you choose a greater sense of awe.
It’s more fun that tired head, isn’t it!
Alan,
Thanks for reminding me that being right or pushing my understanding of the scriptures on others is not what I should be focused on. Rather, I should be focused on coming to the Bible with a clean slate an open and receptive heart, ready to hear what God wants to tell me. Great post!
Tamara
Alan, I was just talking with Steve about this! Funny! I do believe God reveals things to us in His way, His timing, then we have the choice of what to do with His revelations!
This is a really great post, Alan.
Great post. this line “one of the things that struck me most was how CERTAIN everyone is that their view is the right view.”….
man. that really is truth. whenever i hear someone speak on this issue with such certainty- they are typically the ones i’m going to end up tuning out.
so thanks for not being certain
that speaks more to me than someone who thinks they know for SURE!
Great article! I totally agree that when we are overly passionate about our position and view, we enter with bias. Our view on our particular theology or hermeneutic when approaching a text(s) can quickly become an idol. What I have learned from my Calvinist heros ala Piper, Driscoll, Chandler, Tullian, is that it has to be about Jesus and not me. And we are little idol factories. When I view text throught the “am I making this about the gospel or me” lense, I find it helps keep my idolotry exposed.
Alan,
Thank you so much for this discussion! This debate has been and continues to be so divisive in my denomination. As a pastor, it breaks my heart to see such destruction being wrought by such pride and arrogance. I, like Jace, wish I could get in on those classes and engage in the discussion, if only to further humble me! I was asked very recently where I fell on this discussion and I had to very humbly echo your response: I’m not certain.
That’s a great place to be as a pastor. I believe it actually makes the gospel more accessible to those you lead. Thanks for reading and commenting, Josh.
That is so well put. God rocked my world almost 20 years ago when I was wrestling with this same quandry. I was going to a Presbreterian Bible Study and a Assembly of God Church. I spend months studying, debating and confused. One early morning as I lay awake pondering these complexities, God interupted my discourse and said, “would you like to know who is right?” Oh please, more than anything. With a wisper, like telling me a secret he said “both”. All of the sudden all the blinders came off, not just on free will and choice, but justice and mercy, peace and vengance, grace and works. God is so much more than we can comprehend and so much better.
Awesome as always.
Oh that was really fun. I tend not to read the bible through theology lenses, but this was sooo well written, it engaged my heart, the humility was disarming and I loved seeing the excepts from Exodus … the grid thing … kinda like the Jesus matrix … seeing through the Scripture … seeing something new about who God is. Not getting stuck in our opinions … I really liked that. Great post.
Hey Riss! Thanks for reading. And thanks for commenting. And we ALL read through theological lenses. We all have things we assume about God, ourselves, creation, and how God interacts with us. We can’t help it. Even the purest devotional reading of scripture is shaped by these often unexamined assumptions. Good things is – you’ve got one of the best set of lenses I know of. That’s good theology you’ve got there, friend.
I love having watched both you and Bob evolve (may I use that word?) as you have over the course of the last three years. While I don’t know either of you as intimately as I’d like, my initial attraction to both of you and your teachings was the intellect with which you break down the bible. I even once said that you and Bob are the two smartest Christians on the planet.
Having said that, I recognized within you both this thing, which I also recognize within myself, the struggle that men of a certain intellect possess… Hubris. It’s hard to talk theology with a man who is certain that he understands the bible better than yourself.
Over the last year or so, I have seen you both grow in what you know, but also in how you know what you know. There is a pronounced humility present as you discern between an issue of knowledge and an issue of the heart. I’ve seen you both choose to see a person’s heart rather than argue your theological point.
God is doing such a work in you, and it is evident to those who are paying attention. Are you smart? Sure you are. But you are also in the process of becoming so much more than that. It is exciting to see because the rest of us are benefiting from what God is doing in your lives.
Thank you for being so real. Thank you for having a heart to teach. Thank you for serving. You have impacted my life, and many others greatly.
Jeff, I don’t believe in evolution. Ha!
But evolution believes in…. nah, never mind.
I echo Jeff’s reply. I’ve been watching you and Bob for almost 5 years now, and I believe the two of you, along with several others at Freedom, are a big part of the reason I was moved to Texas.
Oh, yeah, Pastor Robert too! Ok, I could keep adding and adding names from Gateway…..
This was an awesome post, so revealing of the humility I’ve come to see in you.
I am so grateful that God is in the process of removing the blinders from me so that I can see more of Him, and am learning that there will always be more to know. I’m loving every minute of it!
I often wonder why we (meaning, well intentioned, Biblically grounded churches) spend so much time on this particular argument. How does it affect our lives? If I believe God is sovereign (which scripture clearly shows), then I must admit that God is in control. And if we believe that man has a will (which scripture shows over, and over and over again), then we must admit that God chooses not to control everything (although he clearly *could*). I think the hole we normally find ourselves in is that WE want to be sovereign, and give God some finite measure of Freewill, when nothing could be further from the truth. It shows me (personally speaking) that I’m still a control freak, when I can’t let God’s word just speak, but have to try and shoe-horn it all into my ready-made, premixed box of theology. Good post, Alan. Provocative to say the least.
Nice post, I learn something new all the time when your teaching bring to mind the thought provoking questions. Thanks
As always, Alan, I enjoyed your post. If you haven’t already read it, you might enjoy Love Wins by Rob Bell. I think it is a stimulating read, and I’m taking your advise…I think it was you that asked on Facebook if we always read what we know will safely agree with our beliefs or are we willing to read authors who might cause us to question or think carefully about our beliefs. I’m taking your question to heart.
Love you, brother,
laura
I think it was Vance Havner that said, “It is what we learn after we know it all that counts.”
Good post. I enjoy the transparency and the hunger.
The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth…”
Wow! This is great stuff!
“I think I am less and less impressed with that thing in me that constantly insists on being right.”
Isn’t THAT the truth – and curious how we can be ridiculous and wise at the same time. “That thing in me” I strived and fought for, for so long, is dying shamefully and I’m not too concerned or embarrassed about it. But I’m not too sure about that, either. Every now and then I’ve got to argue my case, prove my point, even take it to the limit if necessary, just to see if I still can, that I haven’t lost my stuff. And I see “that thing” is still there as well. But it’s different. It doesn’t “satisfy” like it used to and that’s OK. It’s a good thing. I can still engage in the debate, but I can do it at peace and it’s more fun.
Great insight Alan.
Wow! One of the many great questions that we do not nor will we have the answers for… I believe these situations are the humbling ones, the ones that allow us to see we are only the created! Thanks for your insight and openness with this post- very well done!
I don’t see anything in exodus 3 that in any way goes against God hardening pharaoh’s heart. Paroah let the people of Israel go because the cost of keeping them became too high. Then he pursued them. Surely that wasn’t because he had a soft heart.
My point exactly…
Wow…I love this post. Thank you. This is a good place to be; where I am completely reliant on Jesus to teach me, not me to teach me what (ME) thinks Jesus is saying….or who He is.
Alan! So glad to see new posts, I’m catching up now, and wow, what a timely reminder in your words. This post I think buckles together well with what you mentioned a year ago in “Thinking Differently about Matter and Spirit”. The lens we use tries to bring the infinite into a finite focus; or at least a God-D into a 3D. I could write so much here because I spent most of my life being “certain” and less being “open”. But now, I have come to realize that what I was certain of, was my interpretation, not per se what is truly in reality. To discover reality, a heavenly, God centric reality, one should be open to be stretched by others viewpoints on Scripture. It might be an incorrect analogy, but the 4 living creatures literally covered with eyes in Revelation 4:6-8, could be a picture of how it takes many, many viewpoints of our most Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, to even have a glimpse of who He truly is. I’m not proposing pan-theism or Unitarianism, this should all be in the confines of orthodox, Christ centered thinking. But within the safety and security of a Trinitarian fellowship, we should be willing to look through other peoples’ eyes to see what they see and wonder, and possibly be amazed.
Thomas Moore “Wisdom and deep intelligence require an honest appreciation of mystery.”
Wow, so I haven’t ever really decided to dive into the major differences that define different bodies of Christians & didn’t really pay attention in high school when we were supposed to be learning such things either! I figured that we’ll all be partly wrong & that you either want a more structured environment or more expression of gifts or not. Well, now I see that it can greatly affect freedom & ones every day life. Great! So, I am so interested to read your other reflections on this and any resources you recommend! My favorite part of your blog is where you comment on some things being “above your pay grade” I feel like that too, but I now would like to understand such things & how they can affect our walk beyond just difference of opinion! Thanks Alan!!
Really enjoyed this post Alan!
Thanks Christyl!