¤¤
00:00:10.74\00:00:14.54
>> Dear friend, thank
you so much for watching
00:00:17.78\00:00:19.55
"It Is Written Canada."
Now, last week, we left you
00:00:19.55\00:00:22.62
with quite the cliffhanger
as we discussed this love
00:00:22.62\00:00:26.29
of God, God's
free choice to love,
00:00:26.29\00:00:29.72
our choice to love Him back. And
then we discussed how God does
00:00:29.72\00:00:36.56
not change in His essence or in
His character but can change in
His response to our response
00:00:36.56\00:00:44.87
to Him. But then we
asked that question --
00:00:44.87\00:00:48.94
so if God changes like that,
does that mean that He doesn't
00:00:48.94\00:00:54.42
know the future? Because if He
knew that that was going to
happen anyways, well, why
00:00:54.42\00:00:58.42
wouldn't He have done what He
was going to do differently?
Well, to help us answer
00:00:58.42\00:01:02.39
that question and untangle
that conundrum, we have Dr. John
00:01:02.39\00:01:06.80
Peckham with us once again. Dr.
Peckham, so thankful that you're
00:01:06.80\00:01:10.80
here to help us unravel this
mystery. >> Great to be with
00:01:10.80\00:01:16.00
you. >> Now, friend, if you
happened to miss last week's
00:01:16.00\00:01:18.54
program or any previous program,
I want to encourage you to go to
00:01:18.54\00:01:21.68
our YouTube channel,
youtube.com/iiwcanada.
00:01:21.68\00:01:26.38
There you can find the
archives of this series
00:01:26.38\00:01:30.09
along with
others to help you grow
00:01:30.09\00:01:32.59
in that journey with God. Dr.
Peckham, so thankful once again
00:01:32.59\00:01:37.89
that you've joined us, and want
to ask you a question before we
00:01:37.89\00:01:42.03
get into this cliff-hanger that
we left everybody with. You've
00:01:42.03\00:01:46.30
written a number of books. Where
could someone find those books
00:01:46.30\00:01:50.11
and the titles of those books if
they wanted to read more in
detail to some of the things
00:01:50.11\00:01:55.51
we've been talking about
and carrying forward here?
00:01:55.51\00:01:59.51
>> Yeah, the two most recent
books I've written, one of them
00:01:59.51\00:02:02.55
is on the theological
method that I'm using
00:02:02.55\00:02:05.72
to elaborate on God's
love, and that book is called
00:02:05.72\00:02:08.66
"Canonical
Theology," and you can find that
00:02:08.66\00:02:10.86
on Amazon.com or Amazon.ca.
And then the book that deals
00:02:10.86\00:02:15.90
mostly with the material we're
talking about here is "The Love
00:02:15.90\00:02:19.90
of God: A Canonical Model." >>
And that also can be found on
Amazon.com, Amazon.ca,
00:02:19.90\00:02:25.41
and so just so thankful that
you've been willing to share,
00:02:25.41\00:02:30.08
really, snippets. So, going to
get right down to the
fundamental heart of the
00:02:30.08\00:02:35.45
question here -- if God has
emotions, if God even repents,
if God even relents,
00:02:35.45\00:02:41.49
does that mean that God does not
know the future? >> Yeah, I can
00:02:41.49\00:02:46.49
see how, when some people
think of repentance or changing
00:02:46.49\00:02:49.73
direction, they think that means
that God didn't know what was
00:02:49.73\00:02:53.54
going to happen, and therefore
He was surprised somehow. This
question, like the others
00:02:53.54\00:02:58.81
we've been wrestling with
throughout this series, I want a
biblical answer, right?
00:02:58.81\00:03:02.04
I can try to come to a
conclusion in my own mind,
"Well, this makes the most sense
00:03:02.04\00:03:05.91
to me," but I want to know what
the Bible teaches on this issue,
00:03:05.91\00:03:10.69
and I want to show you some of
the texts that I think make this
00:03:10.69\00:03:13.62
clear. And then we can ask the
question, "Well, how does that
00:03:13.62\00:03:16.69
make sense?" after we've seen
what the Bible actually teaches.
So the first verse is
00:03:16.69\00:03:20.96
1 John 3:20, and this is a broad
verse about what theologians
00:03:20.96\00:03:26.84
call God's omniscience, that
God knows everything. >> Okay.
00:03:26.84\00:03:32.37
>> That's what theologians call
divine omniscience. >> So
omniscience being God
00:03:32.37\00:03:36.91
is all-knowing? >>
All-knowing. >> Okay.
00:03:36.91\00:03:39.15
>> That's right. 1
John 3:20. 1 John 3:20,
00:03:39.15\00:03:46.05
and it says, "For if our heart
condemns us, God is greater than
00:03:46.05\00:03:50.16
our heart and knows all things."
>> Mm-hmm. >> And that's just an
00:03:50.16\00:03:54.93
explicit statement that God
knows everything. Now, you might
00:03:54.93\00:03:59.73
think at that point, "Well,
then we can just stop having the
00:03:59.73\00:04:02.97
discussion now because it just
said God knows everything, so
00:04:02.97\00:04:06.31
obviously He must know the
future," but there are some
theologians who have thought,
00:04:06.31\00:04:10.78
"Well, if God knows the future,
He couldn't relent in the way
the texts say that He does,
00:04:10.78\00:04:15.65
that we saw last time, or we
wouldn't have the free will of
00:04:15.65\00:04:19.25
the kind that the Bible teaches
we have." And so they say,
"Maybe when the Bible says,
00:04:19.25\00:04:22.92
'God knows all things,' it
just means He knows all things
00:04:22.92\00:04:26.80
that are possible to know at
the present but the future just
00:04:26.80\00:04:32.13
can't be known." >> Okay. >>
That's the supposition of some.
00:04:32.13\00:04:34.97
The question is whether that
really squares with what the
00:04:34.97\00:04:39.21
Bible teaches about God's
knowledge. I don't think that it
does, and I want to show you
00:04:39.21\00:04:44.15
some other texts about why I
think that is the case. Let's go
00:04:44.15\00:04:49.25
first to Acts 2.
>> Okay. >> Acts 2:23
00:04:49.25\00:04:51.99
>> And again, we're exploring
this idea of what does God know.
00:04:55.92\00:05:00.50
Does God in fact know the
future? Does He not know the
00:05:00.50\00:05:04.33
future? So Acts chapter 2, and
what is our passage once again?
>> Okay, so verse 23 is going to
00:05:04.33\00:05:10.57
talk about foreknowledge -- Acts
2:23, but we'll start with verse
00:05:10.57\00:05:15.28
22 since there's not a full
sentence there. Verse 22 -- "Men
00:05:15.28\00:05:19.78
of Israel, hear these
words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man
00:05:19.78\00:05:24.12
attested by God to you by
miracles, wonders, and signs
which God did through Him
00:05:24.12\00:05:28.32
in your midst, as you yourselves
also know: Him, being delivered
00:05:28.32\00:05:32.86
by the determined purpose and
foreknowledge of God, you have
taken by lawless hands,
00:05:32.86\00:05:38.00
have crucified and
put to death." >> Mm-hmm.
00:05:38.00\00:05:40.77
>> So you have this
foreknowledge and God's purpose
that are put together
00:05:40.77\00:05:44.31
there very closely in that text.
>> And let's unpack that more,
00:05:44.31\00:05:50.75
then. So, I mean, it still begs
the question -- I mean, if God
has this divine foreknowledge,
00:05:50.75\00:05:54.45
if God knows all things, well,
then why does God have emotion?
And, I mean, probably
00:05:54.45\00:06:01.06
the grander question is, if God
knows everything... >> Right.
00:06:01.06\00:06:05.63
>> ...then He knows who's saved
and who's not saved, and so,
again, we kind of throw up
00:06:05.63\00:06:10.63
our hands and say, "Okay, well,
what's the point?" So let's
00:06:10.63\00:06:13.23
unpack this a little more. >>
Yeah, yeah, let's do that. I
mean, first, a lot of people
00:06:13.23\00:06:16.24
say things like, "Well, you
know, maybe that text does say
00:06:16.24\00:06:20.58
foreknowledge." The word
translated there literally means
to know beforehand.
00:06:20.58\00:06:24.25
>> Yes. >> And they say, "Well,
okay, maybe He had foreknowledge
00:06:24.25\00:06:27.25
of the Cross event but not
other things. You know, maybe
00:06:27.25\00:06:30.15
He planned some things, and
He knew them because He planned
00:06:30.15\00:06:32.92
them, but He doesn't know all of
the other things." But does the
00:06:32.92\00:06:36.69
Bible teach that He knows all of
the other things, too? Actually,
00:06:36.69\00:06:39.83
it does. A couple of places for
that -- Psalm 139:16. >> Okay.
00:06:39.83\00:06:45.80
So we go to the Old Testament
now, Psalm 139:16, to answer
00:06:45.80\00:06:51.34
this question. Does God know
everything? >> Right. >> Does
God know all things?
00:06:51.34\00:06:55.64
>> Does He know even the future
free decisions of humans? >>
00:06:55.64\00:06:59.18
Yes. >> Which is the question
that is most often raised among
people wrestling with this
00:06:59.18\00:07:03.99
question. I want to show you
these texts because, once we see
what the Bible says,
00:07:03.99\00:07:06.99
then we know the parameters in
which we can think about it. >>
00:07:06.99\00:07:09.59
Okay. >> If we don't, we can
say, "Well, maybe that text only
00:07:09.59\00:07:12.56
means this part." And then we
can find a way to make it make
00:07:12.56\00:07:15.56
sense in our mind in a way that
might not go along with what's
actually in the text, which we
00:07:15.56\00:07:18.93
want to try to avoid. Psalm
139:16, and this is the psalm
that's talking about
00:07:18.93\00:07:24.74
God's perfect
knowledge of humanity. >> Yes.
00:07:24.74\00:07:27.08
>> Verse 16 is particularly
interesting for what we're
00:07:27.08\00:07:31.05
talking about now. Psalm 139:16,
"Your eyes saw my substance
being yet unformed,
00:07:31.05\00:07:36.18
and in Your book, they all were
written, the days fashioned for
00:07:36.18\00:07:42.12
me when as yet there were none
of them." So all the days of the
00:07:42.12\00:07:47.40
psalmist's life are already
written in the book, in other
words, already known, right?
00:07:47.40\00:07:51.73
That sounds like exhaustive
foreknowledge, doesn't it? >>
00:07:51.73\00:07:54.97
Mm-hmm, yes. >> Foreknowledge
even of the decisions that
individual will make.
00:07:54.97\00:07:57.91
>> Yes. >> So we have this text.
We have another very important
00:07:57.91\00:08:01.51
text in Isaiah, Isaiah 46:9-11.
>> This is a text, Dr. Peckham,
as you're coming to that text,
00:08:01.51\00:08:14.42
Isaiah 46:9-10, is, frankly, for
me, one of the more important
00:08:14.42\00:08:20.10
texts to help us understand the
reliability of the Scriptures
00:08:20.10\00:08:24.17
as we understand God's divine
foreknowledge. >> That's right.
00:08:24.17\00:08:27.77
Isaiah 46:9-10, and even into
verse 11, "Remember the former
00:08:27.77\00:08:33.38
things of old: for I am God, and
there is no other; I am God, and
00:08:33.38\00:08:39.65
there is none like me, declaring
the end from the beginning, and
00:08:39.65\00:08:45.69
from ancient times things that
are not yet done, saying, 'My
counsel shall stand, and I will
00:08:45.69\00:08:51.89
do all My pleasure,' calling a
bird of prey from the east, the
man who executes my counsel
00:08:51.89\00:08:55.16
from a far country: indeed,
I have spoken it, I also will
00:08:55.16\00:08:59.93
bring it to pass; I have
purposed it, I will also do it."
Now, there's a lot in those
00:08:59.93\00:09:05.87
verses that we need to unpack.
First of all, in verse 9, he
starts out, "I am God,
00:09:05.87\00:09:10.45
and there is no other." This has
set Isaiah 46 among a number of
00:09:10.45\00:09:15.12
chapters where God continuously
points out how He is the true
God and the gods of the nations
00:09:15.12\00:09:19.32
and the idols are false gods. >>
Yes. >> And one of the ways he
00:09:19.32\00:09:22.69
says they're false earlier in
the chapters right before this
00:09:22.69\00:09:25.89
is He says, "Can they tell
you the future?" >> Yes. >> "Can
00:09:25.89\00:09:28.46
they tell you what's going to
come? No, they can't, because
they're not really God."
00:09:28.46\00:09:31.80
In other words, this is a test
of divinity, of who the real God
00:09:31.80\00:09:34.70
is. This is proof, supposed
to be evidence in the context of
00:09:34.70\00:09:38.97
Isaiah, that He is the real God,
and then He says, "Declaring the
end from the beginning."
00:09:38.97\00:09:44.95
"The end from the beginning,"
this is a Hebrew manner of
00:09:44.95\00:09:48.22
speech where it refers to the
beginning and the end of
something, and it means
00:09:48.22\00:09:51.39
everything in between, as well.
>> Mm-hmm. >> It's called a
00:09:51.39\00:09:54.16
merism in biblical studies.
>> Okay. >> So He knows the end
00:09:54.16\00:09:56.49
from the beginning and
everything in between. This is
00:09:56.49\00:09:58.86
just a statement of God's
exhaustive knowledge of all
events of history, not just the
00:09:58.86\00:10:02.56
present, not just the past, but
including the future, as well.
So this is, in my view,
00:10:02.56\00:10:09.04
a definitive statement of
God's exhaustive knowledge of
00:10:09.04\00:10:12.17
everything that will ever occur.
>> And so it's very interesting.
It's almost as if God is kind of
00:10:12.17\00:10:16.54
drawing a line in the sand,
saying, "Okay, listen. I'm God.
00:10:16.54\00:10:21.72
There is no other. I'm God.
There's none like me." >> Right.
00:10:21.72\00:10:25.02
>> "And here is one evidence..."
>> That's right. >> "...of you
00:10:25.02\00:10:29.32
understanding that reality."
>> Yes. >> "I know the end
00:10:29.32\00:10:31.43
from the beginning."
>> Yes. >> And then I love
00:10:31.43\00:10:33.50
how the passage puts it, "From
ancient times, things that are
00:10:33.50\00:10:38.17
not yet done." >> That's
right. >> So in case there was
00:10:38.17\00:10:43.20
any...question in my mind what
the end from the beginning was,
this "from ancient times,
00:10:43.20\00:10:46.98
things that are not yet done,"
that's pointing straight to the
00:10:46.98\00:10:51.95
future. >> Straight to the
future, and, interestingly,
Jesus says something that's kind
00:10:51.95\00:10:55.68
of similar to this kind of "I'm
the real God, and how do you
know I'm the real God?
00:10:55.68\00:10:59.25
Because I know the future."
If we go over to the Gospel of
00:10:59.25\00:11:02.72
John... Gospel of John 13...
00:11:02.72\00:11:04.93
>> So, we go to John 13. We've
seen Old Testament evidence.
00:11:07.76\00:11:10.73
God knows the future. Now
we're going to go New Testament.
00:11:10.73\00:11:13.80
What is the evidence here? We've
been in the New Testament. We're
coming back, John 13,
00:11:13.80\00:11:17.91
and what verse are we going
to? >> John 13:19. >> Okay.
00:11:17.91\00:11:21.74
>> It says, "Now I tell you
before it comes that, when it
00:11:21.74\00:11:26.95
does come to pass, you may
believe that I am He." >>
Mm-hmm. >> I am who?
00:11:26.95\00:11:32.39
The Son of God, Yahweh, right?
>> That's right. >> Because His
00:11:32.39\00:11:35.59
foreknowledge is an attribute
that only God has. >> That's
right. >> "So I tell you know so
00:11:35.59\00:11:39.03
that, when it comes to pass, you
will believe." Now, some people
00:11:39.03\00:11:43.33
watching this show, they might
think, "Well, the Isaiah 46
passage, this passage, could be
00:11:43.33\00:11:48.10
explained if you just say God
just caused it all to happen,"
but we've already seen some
00:11:48.10\00:11:52.07
other passages earlier in this
series where human beings have
00:11:52.07\00:11:55.88
free will of a kind that they
can actually reject God's will
00:11:55.88\00:12:00.42
for them. >> Yes. >> So, for
instance, we saw already Luke
00:12:00.42\00:12:04.02
7:30, where the Pharisees
rejected God's will for them.
And that's not the only passage.
00:12:04.02\00:12:09.02
We can even look at some others
later on if there's time. But we
do have a kind of free
00:12:09.02\00:12:14.46
will where we can reject God's
will. So I can't explain these
00:12:14.46\00:12:18.83
texts in a way that doesn't
contradict the Bible by saying,
"Well, God knows this just
00:12:18.83\00:12:22.04
because He causes it." The other
option is to say he foreknows it
00:12:22.04\00:12:26.84
in some way that doesn't remove
our freedom, right? And in this
00:12:26.84\00:12:32.65
very passage -- this very
passage actually draws on one of
the specific examples of God's
00:12:32.65\00:12:36.52
foreknowledge. >> Okay. >> We've
seen a lot of -- We've seen some
00:12:36.52\00:12:39.45
of the texts. There's many more
that just state that God knows
the future, but then there's
00:12:39.45\00:12:43.56
particular predictions that were
made that you cannot account for
00:12:43.56\00:12:48.60
either without God determining
people's wills -- which I think
the Bible teaches He doesn't do,
00:12:48.60\00:12:52.67
and we've tried to see that
earlier in the series -- or he
knows their future decisions in
00:12:52.67\00:12:56.77
a way that we don't fully
understand. One of those is
right here in John 13.
00:12:56.77\00:13:00.11
Why does He say what He says in
verse 19? He says that because,
00:13:00.11\00:13:03.81
just before that, He identified
his betrayer, the one who would
00:13:03.81\00:13:07.02
betray Him, Judas Iscariot.
>> Yes. >> John 13:18, "I do not
00:13:07.02\00:13:09.92
speak concerning all of you:
I know whom I have chosen: but
00:13:09.92\00:13:14.89
that the Scripture may be
fulfilled, he who eats bread
with me has lifted up his heel
00:13:14.89\00:13:20.46
against me." >> Mm-hmm. >> So He
knows who's going to betray Him
-- it's Judas -- and
00:13:20.46\00:13:23.93
then He quotes that last bit
before He said Scripture, before
00:13:23.93\00:13:27.50
He said that, when He talks
about, "He who eats bread with
00:13:27.50\00:13:30.31
me has lifted up his heel
against me." That's a quotation
from the Psalms that He
00:13:30.31\00:13:33.34
interprets as a prophecy about
the one would betray Him, which
requires foreknowledge.
00:13:33.34\00:13:37.75
>> And so we have, shall I call
it, a tension now, this tension
00:13:37.75\00:13:44.62
of God's divine foreknowledge
and man's free will. Let's
unpack this a little more
00:13:44.62\00:13:50.36
because there's certainly other
texts that can help us, because,
00:13:50.36\00:13:55.43
again, if God has the knowledge
of knowing what I'm going to do
anyways, what's the point?
00:13:55.43\00:14:04.77
So let's talk about what's the
point of a relationship with Him
00:14:04.77\00:14:08.11
that has this freedom to choose.
>> That's right. >> Let's unpack
00:14:08.11\00:14:12.25
this a little bit. >> So, to
try to understand this better --
00:14:12.25\00:14:15.08
and we have to admit, whenever
we deal with the things of God,
00:14:15.08\00:14:18.89
it gets beyond our understanding
quickly. >> Yes. >> So we want
00:14:18.89\00:14:22.66
to stick close to what the Bible
tells us and then try not to
speculate much beyond that.
00:14:22.66\00:14:25.66
>> That's right. >> But the
Bible does give us kind of a
00:14:25.66\00:14:27.86
guide to how to understand how
God's knowledge, His
foreknowledge of things,
00:14:27.86\00:14:31.30
relates to His plan and relates
to His -- what we call His
00:14:31.30\00:14:34.74
Providence when he executes that
plan. >> Yes. >> The clearest
00:14:34.74\00:14:37.27
map that I know of is in
Romans chapter 8. >> Okay.
00:14:37.27\00:14:39.94
>> And Romans chapter 8, of
course, is right before those
chapters we were talking
00:14:39.94\00:14:43.48
about earlier in the series.
>> That's right, when we were
00:14:43.48\00:14:45.81
dealing with Romans 9-11. So
we're going to go to Romans 8.
00:14:45.81\00:14:49.98
Help us unpack this whole idea
of God's divine foreknowledge in
the context of free will.
00:14:49.98\00:14:56.73
What does that mean? What does
that mean for me specifically?
00:14:56.73\00:14:59.86
>> Okay. So we We can
start with Romans 8:28,
00:14:59.86\00:15:04.03
and it says there, "And we know
that all things work together
for good to those who love God,
00:15:04.03\00:15:08.34
for those who are called
according to His purpose." Then
00:15:08.34\00:15:12.97
verse 29 -- "For whom He
foreknew, He also predestined to
00:15:12.97\00:15:17.41
be conformed to the image of His
Son, that he might be the
firstborn among many brethren.
00:15:17.41\00:15:22.22
Moreover whom He predestined,
these He also called: whom He
00:15:22.22\00:15:26.29
called, these He also justified:
and whom He justified, these He
00:15:26.29\00:15:32.49
also glorified." So what do we
have here in these verses? We
actually have a sequence
00:15:32.49\00:15:36.83
beginning in verse 29. >>
Mm-hmm. >> It says first, "Those
00:15:36.83\00:15:39.87
whom He foreknew," so
that's bullet point one, right?
00:15:39.87\00:15:42.74
And the word there is just
"knows beforehand." >> Yes.
00:15:42.74\00:15:45.51
>> "Those whom He foreknew," it
says, "He also predestined."
Now, here we need to be careful
00:15:45.51\00:15:50.35
because the English translation
of the word "predestined," you
could take that to mean
00:15:50.35\00:15:53.85
that God caused everything, but
that wouldn't make sense in the
00:15:53.85\00:15:59.05
context if He foreknew something
and then does something else. >>
00:15:59.05\00:16:03.26
Right. >> Right? Unless you're
going to say those two are the
00:16:03.26\00:16:06.56
same thing, but they can't be,
in my view, in the text. So He
foreknows something.
00:16:06.56\00:16:10.67
Then He predestines. Actually,
the word there in Greek for
00:16:10.67\00:16:14.84
"predestine," the best
translation for that is "He
plans," or, "He lays out the
00:16:14.84\00:16:19.91
parameters of what will take
place." >> Okay. >> So,
according to the text,
00:16:19.91\00:16:22.18
He foreknows some things, then
He plans, or predestines, some
00:16:22.18\00:16:28.38
others. In other words, He knows
what creatures will do. He adds
to that His own plan,
00:16:28.38\00:16:32.69
His owns decisions. So you have
the decisions of creatures plus
00:16:32.69\00:16:36.49
the decisions of God is
the decisions of all creatures
00:16:36.49\00:16:40.83
possible. >> Okay. >> Then He
executes that plan in Providence
by calling, justifying, and
00:16:40.83\00:16:48.60
glorifying. So you have the
sequence of God foreknows some
things -- including, I
00:16:48.60\00:16:53.54
think, the free decisions
of creatures -- He then makes a
00:16:53.54\00:16:57.85
plan, and then He executes that
plan, and that's actually a very
00:16:57.85\00:17:01.62
similar sequence to what we
already saw in Isaiah 46:9-11.
So He's not causing everything
00:17:01.62\00:17:07.42
to happen. He knows what
creatures will do, and then He
00:17:07.42\00:17:13.86
responds to that. Based on His
foreknowledge, He makes a plan
for the best way to respond to
00:17:13.86\00:17:19.00
what creatures will freely do.
>> And so what we're saying here
00:17:19.00\00:17:22.27
-- and I don't want overreach
in my statement here -- is that
00:17:22.27\00:17:27.48
God's divine foreknowledge
is actually, at its very core, a
00:17:27.48\00:17:35.05
selfless aspect of His nature,
because as His divine
foreknowledge, He knows how I
00:17:35.05\00:17:42.29
would react to something, and in
His knowing how I will react, He
has a plan in which
00:17:42.29\00:17:49.50
His ultimate plan for me is that
I would be saved. His ultimate
00:17:49.50\00:17:54.90
plan for me is that I would
choose Him, and so, in knowing
00:17:54.90\00:18:00.81
how I react, knowing how I will
decide, He intervenes in a way
to, through His selfless
00:18:00.81\00:18:08.95
pursuit of me, to help me make
the decisions that are going to
00:18:08.95\00:18:12.49
be the right decisions. >> To
bring about the best outcome He
00:18:12.49\00:18:16.36
can. >> That is absolutely
powerful. What are some other
things that help us understand
00:18:16.36\00:18:20.90
this foreknowledge and free
will? I think we're at the very
00:18:20.90\00:18:26.47
core, but let's -- Maybe there's
some other texts that can help
00:18:26.47\00:18:30.77
us get there. >> Yeah, I want
to go to the Psalms, back to the
00:18:30.77\00:18:33.88
Psalms 81, where we can see the
way God talks about how people
respond to Him, just
00:18:33.88\00:18:38.75
so we can remind ourselves that
I don't think we're at liberty
00:18:38.75\00:18:43.25
to think, "Well, God just knows
these things because He's
causing everything,"
00:18:43.25\00:18:45.92
and not to read Romans 8 in a
way that God is determining
everything, but that there is
00:18:45.92\00:18:49.69
free decisions that we make and
God responds to those decisions
00:18:49.69\00:18:53.53
we make with His own decisions,
and you put those two things
together, and that's what
00:18:53.53\00:18:57.50
makes up God's plan.
He's not laying that out just
00:18:57.50\00:19:02.37
unilaterally. So, if we go to
Psalm 81, beginning in verse
10... Psalm 81, beginning
00:19:02.37\00:19:09.78
in verse 10, it says, "I am the
Lord your God, who brought you
00:19:09.78\00:19:13.92
out of the land of Egypt: open
your mouth wide, and I will fill
00:19:13.92\00:19:19.45
it." So He wants to feed them,
right, take care of them. Verse
11 -- "But my people would
00:19:19.45\00:19:24.86
not heed my voice, and
Israel would have none of me."
00:19:24.86\00:19:29.46
>> Yes. >> "So I gave them over
to their own stubborn heart,
00:19:29.46\00:19:33.27
to walk in their own counsels."
Verse 13 -- "Oh, that my people
would listen to me,
00:19:33.27\00:19:39.77
that Israel would walk in my
ways." And you hear the lament
00:19:39.77\00:19:45.68
in the voice there even as you
read it. Does that sound like
00:19:45.68\00:19:50.12
something someone would say
if they could've just made it
00:19:50.12\00:19:55.79
otherwise? Right? If they
weren't granting freedom to
creatures, would it make sense
00:19:55.79\00:19:59.23
for God to say, "Oh, I wish you
had done otherwise even though I
00:19:59.23\00:20:01.93
made you do this"? >> Right,
right. >> It doesn't make sense.
>> And that helps us understand
00:20:01.93\00:20:05.07
that God is not causing, but
rather God is responding, and it
00:20:05.07\00:20:11.37
is a very essence to the core of
free will. >> Yes. >> What else
00:20:11.37\00:20:14.48
can we say about this? >> So,
going back to your point that
00:20:14.48\00:20:18.05
you made before, if we put this
in the perspective of the Cross,
right, you saw God's
00:20:18.05\00:20:22.05
foreknowledge is actually
evidence of His unselfish love
00:20:22.05\00:20:26.29
for us. >> Yes. >> Because you
look at this, and you think of
Jesus on the Cross, dying
00:20:26.29\00:20:31.23
for your sins, dying for my
sins, dying for the sins of the
00:20:31.23\00:20:35.63
entire world. >> Yes. >> And
He knew this in advance. He knew
00:20:35.63\00:20:43.14
that we humans would do all of
this evil that would bring it to
the point where He Himself
00:20:43.14\00:20:48.44
would suffer on the
Cross. >> Yes. >> And yet
00:20:48.44\00:20:51.08
He was willing to do it anyways.
What greater love could there be
00:20:51.08\00:20:56.55
than this? It's absolutely
amazing to me. But some people
then try to say, "Well, if God
00:20:56.55\00:21:03.36
foreknows things, how could it
be the case that He really has
emotions?" They think that maybe
00:21:03.36\00:21:07.50
the element of surprise is
necessary -- you know, if He
00:21:07.50\00:21:10.90
knew things, maybe He can't
really have emotional reactions.
00:21:10.90\00:21:13.84
>> Sure. >> And that's a
question that's often raised. >>
00:21:13.84\00:21:16.17
Yes. >> But I think that's a
question that is a mistaken
understanding, right?
00:21:16.17\00:21:20.78
I don't know if you've
ever read a book that moved you
00:21:20.78\00:21:25.01
emotionally -- and I'm sure that
you have, right? >> For sure.
00:21:25.01\00:21:27.55
>> Have you ever read a book
a second time like that? >> I
00:21:27.55\00:21:32.65
certainly have. >> But it didn't
-- Did it move you the second
time? >> You know, it's kind of
00:21:32.65\00:21:37.36
an interesting thing. It still
moves you even though there's no
00:21:37.36\00:21:40.20
surprise. >> Yeah, so the fact
is, even if you know what's
coming, you can still be
00:21:40.20\00:21:44.70
emotionally moved and
emotionally affected even the
second time around. So it's just
00:21:44.70\00:21:49.10
a misunderstanding to think
that, if God responds
emotionally or even responds
00:21:49.10\00:21:52.47
truly, that that means He didn't
know. And the fact that He knows
00:21:52.47\00:21:55.51
the future tells us a number of
things -- that we can trust His
00:21:55.51\00:21:59.31
promises, that He is going to
bring about the best good that
He can bring about for us
00:21:59.31\00:22:03.75
in the end. We can trust Him
that what He has done has always
00:22:03.75\00:22:08.72
been the best in all
circumstances that was available
to Him, given all of the other
00:22:08.72\00:22:13.03
things that were happening, and
we can trust the promise that
00:22:13.03\00:22:16.93
God makes in Romans 8 through
Paul -- if we go back to Romans
8 and Romans 8:18...
00:22:16.93\00:22:24.24
which is just 10 verses before
that verse, you know, "All
things work together
00:22:24.24\00:22:28.44
for good for those
who love God..." >> Yes.
00:22:28.44\00:22:31.38
>> Which is often misunderstood
to mean that everything is
really just for good.
00:22:31.38\00:22:36.55
What it really means is that God
works to bring good even out of
00:22:36.55\00:22:40.16
evil things that He didn't want
and He didn't cause. >> Yes.
00:22:40.16\00:22:42.19
>> Just 10 verses before that,
Paul tells us -- he promises
00:22:42.19\00:22:45.89
something about looking forward
to the future. He says, "For I
consider that the sufferings of
00:22:45.89\00:22:49.86
this present time are not worthy
to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in us."
00:22:49.86\00:22:56.14
>> Mm-hmm. >> Now, this text
should not be misunderstood to
00:22:56.14\00:22:59.84
think that Paul is downplaying
or trivializing suffering in the
00:22:59.84\00:23:03.68
world. >> No. >> Paul knew
suffering. >> Yes. >> He knew it
00:23:03.68\00:23:06.18
individually and personally.
He's saying, as bad as it is --
And God doesn't want it either.
00:23:06.18\00:23:09.82
As bad as it is, what God has in
store for those who love Him is
exponentially better.
00:23:09.82\00:23:15.29
And when we look back and can
see everything we can't see now,
00:23:15.29\00:23:18.73
we will then know the truth of
this, that the sufferings of
this present time are not
00:23:18.73\00:23:23.43
even worthy to be compared with
what is coming in the future.
But how could God know that
00:23:23.43\00:23:28.44
for sure without having
knowledge of the future? >>
00:23:28.44\00:23:32.71
That's right. And it is -- You
know, as we have our last -- And
it's hard to believe
00:23:32.71\00:23:36.28
we only have two minutes left in
our show here. The amazing thing
00:23:36.28\00:23:39.68
about this is -- And I often
tell this when people are making
00:23:39.68\00:23:41.88
decisions, you know, and
we're asking for God's guidance
00:23:41.88\00:23:45.52
in making that decision.
Sometimes we make that decision,
00:23:45.52\00:23:50.26
and we don't... When we make the
decision, we're not sure -- you
know, "Aw, you know, I hope
00:23:50.26\00:23:53.96
I made the right decision." It's
only when we are able to look
00:23:53.96\00:23:58.53
back that we're able to say,
"Oh, I see why this happened the
00:23:58.53\00:24:02.67
way it did." >> Right. >> The
difference between us and God is
00:24:02.67\00:24:06.57
God doesn't have to look back.
>> That's right. >> God actually
00:24:06.57\00:24:10.68
looks forward and says, "These
things will help bring about the
00:24:10.68\00:24:16.95
best," because, again, this
is all couched in the reality
00:24:16.95\00:24:22.36
that God loves us. He has
this relentless pursuit of us.
00:24:22.36\00:24:26.93
He loves all people, and
His desire is to have the best
00:24:26.93\00:24:31.63
outcome. >> That's right, and He
knows our decisions in a way
that doesn't remove our freedom.
00:24:31.63\00:24:35.97
Now, people have a lot of
trouble understanding that, and
00:24:35.97\00:24:38.74
I will admit I don't understand
how God knows the future either,
but I don't need to know how God
00:24:38.74\00:24:42.94
does something in order to
believe that He does. I don't
00:24:42.94\00:24:47.72
know how God is all-powerful
either. I don't know how He is
00:24:47.72\00:24:51.35
eternal, right? >> That's right.
>> But I know that He is
all-powerful and that
00:24:51.35\00:24:54.39
He is eternal because the Bible
teaches that. Similarly, because
00:24:54.39\00:24:57.79
the Bible teaches that God knows
the future, and it teaches that
00:24:57.79\00:25:01.23
we have free will, if I believe
in the Bible and I understand
the texts to mean that as I do,
00:25:01.23\00:25:06.27
then I have to believe that
both of those things are true
00:25:06.27\00:25:10.97
in a way that doesn't lead to a
contradiction. So God knows the
00:25:10.97\00:25:15.14
future in a way that is
descriptive of what will happen
but doesn't make us
00:25:15.14\00:25:20.08
do what we do at the time. And
we don't fully understand that,
but I think that we can
00:25:20.08\00:25:25.75
believe by faith that both
things are true because the
00:25:25.75\00:25:28.32
Bible teaches both things. >>
And both of those things being
00:25:28.32\00:25:32.69
true are set atop the foundation
that God desires the best for us
00:25:32.69\00:25:38.53
and anxiously looks forward
to the day that He will reunite
00:25:38.53\00:25:42.54
with us, and that's really
what's best for us, is our
00:25:42.54\00:25:45.94
ultimate reunion with Him. >>
Yeah. So we can trust Him. He
knows what's best, and
00:25:45.94\00:25:49.28
He wants what is best for us. >>
Dr. Peckham, why don't you pray
for us as we conclude
00:25:49.28\00:25:53.72
today's show? >> Dear Father
in heaven, we are so thankful to
00:25:53.72\00:25:59.35
You that You have revealed so
much about Yourself to us in
Your Word. We thank You that
00:25:59.35\00:26:05.26
You have a plan for our lives,
that You know the future, and
00:26:05.26\00:26:09.66
You hold the future in Your
hands, and because of You, we
00:26:09.66\00:26:13.34
can have a future, and we can
have a hope. I pray, Lord, that
You will help us to come
00:26:13.34\00:26:17.24
more in line with the will that
You have for our lives so that
00:26:17.24\00:26:22.51
we can come into closer
relationship with You and also
serve You better in this world.
00:26:22.51\00:26:26.18
In Jesus' name, we
pray. Amen. >> Amen.
00:26:26.18\00:26:29.18
My dear friends, the depth and
the breadth of God's love is
almost incomprehensible.
00:26:30.82\00:26:39.03
Over the last several weeks,
we have done our best to scratch
00:26:39.03\00:26:44.10
the surface of understanding how
God relentlessly pursues each
00:26:44.10\00:26:48.54
and every one of us. He gives
us the free choice to respond to
00:26:48.54\00:26:55.04
that love and enter into a
relationship with Him, all the
while with His divine
00:26:55.04\00:27:00.95
foreknowledge bringing
about events in our life
00:27:00.95\00:27:05.52
that would help us to choose
Him. Friend, today's offer is a
00:27:05.52\00:27:13.23
DVD set of this entire
series. If you'd like to receive
00:27:13.23\00:27:17.00
that DVD set, here's
the information you need
00:27:17.00\00:27:20.17
to receive today's offer.
>> To request today's offer,
00:27:20.17\00:27:24.14
just log on to
www.ItIsWrittenCanada.ca.
00:27:24.14\00:27:29.04
If you prefer, you may call
toll-free at 1-888-CALL-IIW,
00:27:29.04\00:27:34.95
and thank you for your prayer
requests and your generous
00:27:34.95\00:27:38.05
financial support. >> I'm so
thankful for our guest, Dr. John
00:27:38.05\00:27:43.59
Peckham, joining us today to
help us understand the depth and
breadth of God's love.
00:27:43.59\00:27:48.93
Dr. Peckham, thank you so much
for being here. >> Thank you,
00:27:48.93\00:27:54.17
Chris. >> My dear friend, I
want to invite you to go to our
00:27:54.17\00:27:57.44
website, ItIsWrittenCanada.ca.
There you can find resources
00:27:57.44\00:28:01.68
to dive deeper into
this relationship with God
00:28:01.68\00:28:06.18
and relentlessly
pursue after Him who is
00:28:06.18\00:28:09.38
relentlessly pursuing after you.
I'm so glad you joined us today.
I invite you to join us again
00:28:09.38\00:28:16.83
next week. Until then, remember,
"It is written: 'Man shall not
00:28:16.83\00:28:22.23
live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceeds from
the mouth of God.'"
00:28:22.23\00:28:28.60
¤¤
00:28:28.60\00:28:31.97
¤¤
00:28:36.75\00:28:46.59
¤¤
00:28:50.93\00:28:58.47