Things We understand by Faith
by Jerry Vander Veen
We have an obsession to know and go where we can't and where it is forbidden. There are matters that God will not have you to know and to seek. Only God is sovereign, which is something that we do not possess. Of all the attributes of God one is OMNISCIENCE which means "all knowing." It is therefore normal to ascribe the attribute of foreknowledge to God. What has brought this to my mind are the many sorrows that come to us, which leads us to reflect on the fact that it is good for us not to know the future, which may neutralize one with fear. Knowing, our tomorrows, which is only in the domain of God, may be cause for not wanting to get up in the morning.
God's grace is sufficient for us a day at a time according to Matthew 6:34. The evidence of God's foreknowledge is described in John 6:64 where we are told what some will do with the biblical knowledge of salvation, "But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him."
The simple definition therefore, is that there is nothing hidden from the Lord in terms of past, present and future. We may thus conclude that what transpires is according to God's foreknowledge. In terms of the past, Jesus said to the Jews, who emanated to claim their status through ascribing to the lineage of David, "Most assuredly, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I AM" John 8:58.
In terms of the future David said, "thou understandest my thought afar off – acquainted with all my ways --- Thous knowest it all together – such knowledge is to wonderful for me: it is high, and can not attain unto it." Read Psalm 139:1-8. Job had such an encounter with the Lord that he declared, "I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be witholden from thee" 42:2.
When all is said and done God will respond to every soul according to his commitment to Him, Jeremiah 17:10 "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." We must, therefore, conclude that God has matters well under control. Whether you bow down to God's authority or not matters very little in terms of God's over-all plan. You may kick against conscience, hate God and curse Him, but He has a love for you that you cannot break. He established the painful way of salvation for you thousands of years before your existence and is doing all He can to bring you to Him, which means may well oppose the flesh, "whom He loveth, He chasteneth."
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