Proverbs 5:21 - Free will established.
21 For the ways of a person are in front of the LORD's eyes, and the LORD weighs all that person's paths. (Pro 5:21 NET)
When I was first coming to grips with an omnipotent God, who sees all and knows all. My first question was, "If God knows the future, how could we have free will?". Its a question I had answered prior to discovering this scripture, and a question I hear a lot in my internet ministry.
How could a person, live an entire life, yet God already knows the result. How is that 'free will'? Well King Solomon already had this answered 3000 years ago.
This is where my scientific studies came into being. The theory of multiple path's, apparently every person's decision's creates new paths in the 'multiverse' - or many worlds. There is apparently an infinite number of universes that are created simply by the whim of our hearts 'should I have strawberry or chocolate ice cream?' - apparently that creates two universes. I disagree, but the premise is sound. It does create two theoretical pathways, which the Lord knows. So essentially we do have free will, we have the will to choose, and the Lord knows those choices. He sees them all.
Okay, this still isn't 'free will', at least in the spontaneous "anything can happen" sense, but it certainly gives us the freedom from a one path - robotic, clockwork, universe that many envision as a result of an omnipotent, omniscient God.
The question is, how does this affect us? Well, it certainly increases our perception of God, he is non-linear, in the sense that he doesn't view us from beginning to end in a straight line, but sees our potentiality as well, everything we could do, everything we will do - its all the same. It also explains many decisions made in the Bible which have no seeming rhyme or reason. Why wipe out an entire civilization? Well, God sees the potentiality of that situation, and acts accordingly.
So, even in a 'multipaths' sense God is utterly capable of engineering space and time to his needs, he is in no way beholden - he is the creator of this system. It also affects no doctrine in any way shape or form. Its simply an interpretation of scripture.
I love the idea that God sees every path I would take, perhaps he sees me being born in America instead of Britain, perhaps he sees me become President. Perhaps he sees me being born in Australia and becoming a surfer. Perhaps he sees me getting into drugs and becoming a heroin addict, and in the reverse sees me becoming a Catholic Priest. Suddenly the potential paths are endless, and free will becomes a hindrance rather than a help. Lucky us that we have God to oversee it all.
I like the NEB rendering the most (this is where i discovered the scripture, its PLAIN to see here).
For a man's ways are always in the LORD's sight
who watches for every path that he must take (NEB)
When I was first coming to grips with an omnipotent God, who sees all and knows all. My first question was, "If God knows the future, how could we have free will?". Its a question I had answered prior to discovering this scripture, and a question I hear a lot in my internet ministry.
How could a person, live an entire life, yet God already knows the result. How is that 'free will'? Well King Solomon already had this answered 3000 years ago.
This is where my scientific studies came into being. The theory of multiple path's, apparently every person's decision's creates new paths in the 'multiverse' - or many worlds. There is apparently an infinite number of universes that are created simply by the whim of our hearts 'should I have strawberry or chocolate ice cream?' - apparently that creates two universes. I disagree, but the premise is sound. It does create two theoretical pathways, which the Lord knows. So essentially we do have free will, we have the will to choose, and the Lord knows those choices. He sees them all.
Okay, this still isn't 'free will', at least in the spontaneous "anything can happen" sense, but it certainly gives us the freedom from a one path - robotic, clockwork, universe that many envision as a result of an omnipotent, omniscient God.
The question is, how does this affect us? Well, it certainly increases our perception of God, he is non-linear, in the sense that he doesn't view us from beginning to end in a straight line, but sees our potentiality as well, everything we could do, everything we will do - its all the same. It also explains many decisions made in the Bible which have no seeming rhyme or reason. Why wipe out an entire civilization? Well, God sees the potentiality of that situation, and acts accordingly.
So, even in a 'multipaths' sense God is utterly capable of engineering space and time to his needs, he is in no way beholden - he is the creator of this system. It also affects no doctrine in any way shape or form. Its simply an interpretation of scripture.
I love the idea that God sees every path I would take, perhaps he sees me being born in America instead of Britain, perhaps he sees me become President. Perhaps he sees me being born in Australia and becoming a surfer. Perhaps he sees me getting into drugs and becoming a heroin addict, and in the reverse sees me becoming a Catholic Priest. Suddenly the potential paths are endless, and free will becomes a hindrance rather than a help. Lucky us that we have God to oversee it all.
I like the NEB rendering the most (this is where i discovered the scripture, its PLAIN to see here).
For a man's ways are always in the LORD's sight
who watches for every path that he must take (NEB)
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