Playlist:

playlist Go to the God's Foreknowledge (topic) playlist

Filter by Categories

Did God Know You Before Your Birth?

CGG Weekly by Pat Higgins

God's foreknowledge is evident in several biblical examples. He knew Josiah long before his birth, as noted by John Gill. Similarly, God spoke of Cyrus, calling him by name and stating his purpose before he was born, as mentioned in Isaiah 44:28. Jeremiah was also known by God before he was formed in the womb, with God having holy plans for him to be a prophet to the nations, as stated in Jeremiah 1:5. King David acknowledged that God saw him when he was formless and that all his days were written and planned before they began, according to Psalm 139:16. Paul, too, was set apart by God before his birth, as he wrote in Galatians 1:15. James at the Council of Jerusalem affirmed that all of God's works are known to Him from eternity, and since we are His work, created to belong to Christ Jesus and to work for Him, it follows that God knew us before the foundation of the world, as suggested by Ephesians 2:10 and Acts 15:18.

God's Sovereignty and the Church's Condition (Part One)

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

God's foreknowledge is a central aspect of His sovereignty and active role in creation, the church, and individual lives. He is not merely a reactive observer but the Prime Mover who shapes events and circumstances to achieve His purpose. He knows what we need before we ask, as seen in Matthew 6:8, demonstrating His intimate awareness and watchful care over His creation. This foreknowledge is evident in His orchestration of significant events, such as the scattering of the church, which could not occur without His awareness and, at the very least, His allowance. His power ensures that no one can force such events upon Him, as He actively directs the course of history and personal trials toward the end He has in mind. Furthermore, His foreknowledge is shown in prophecies like that of Cyrus in Isaiah 45:4-13, written over a hundred years before Cyrus' birth, where God takes the initiative to raise up a king to fulfill His plan. This same proactive nature is seen in the trials He designs, as with Job, where He arranges and oversees circumstances to produce righteousness and glorify Himself, always providing a way for those burdened to overcome.

Does God Know in Advance If One Will Accept Christ as Savior?

Bible Questions & Answers

God's foreknowledge is evident in His ability to look into the future and know the results of Abraham's obedience and the details of his life and those of his descendants, as seen in various passages from Genesis. This suggests that God can accurately predict whether or not a person will enter His Kingdom.

The Sovereignty of God: Part Two

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

God's foreknowledge is an integral aspect of His sovereignty, reflecting His absolute power and wisdom in governing all creation. He operates according to His purpose, from His perspective, by His plan and time schedule, not ours. His power is exercised as He wills, when He wills, and where He wills, often appearing dormant for long seasons, as if He has gone far away, paying no attention. Yet, His timing and actions are always in alignment with His divine intent, whether in the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, or the strategic fall of Jericho's walls. God's foreknowledge ensures that He delegates and appoints according to His pleasure, giving unique gifts and roles to individuals like Samson with great strength, Elijah with miraculous power, or Elisha with even greater works, while others receive different measures as He sees fit. He establishes kingdoms, overthrows empires, and determines the length of their dominion, demonstrating that no one and nothing can thwart His purpose or resist His will. Even in individual lives, He deals with each person uniquely, preparing them for what He desires for His Kingdom, showing that His foreknowledge encompasses both mercy and severity as He molds each vessel for honor or dishonor according to His sovereign choice.

The Faithfulness of God (Part Two)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

God's foreknowledge is a profound aspect of His unchanging nature and sovereignty, demonstrating His deliberate purpose in the election of His people. As revealed in I Peter 1:1-2, the elect are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, set apart through the sanctification of the Spirit for obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. This foreknowledge is not merely the ability to predict future events, but encompasses God's sovereign determination and influence over His decisions in alignment with His purpose. His purpose is to create a family Kingdom in the image of His Son and Himself, involving the salvation of mankind generally, and specifically, at this time, a smaller group known as the children of promise, which is the church. Further, I Peter 1:17-20 emphasizes that Jesus Christ was foreordained before the foundation of the world to be mankind's Redeemer and Savior, manifesting in these last times for the sake of the elect. This predetermined role is echoed in Isaiah 42:1-4, where Christ is identified as God's Elect One, upheld by Him to bring forth justice to the Gentiles and establish truth without fail. Acts 2:22-23 reinforces this by stating that Jesus of Nazareth was delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, crucified by lawless hands according to His plan from the beginning. In Ephesians 1:4-7, it is clear that God chose the elect in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him in love, predestining them to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of His will. Ephesians 1:11 further confirms that the elect have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. This foreknowledge and predestination reflect God's faithfulness to His purpose, extending to both physical Israel under the Old Covenant and the church as the intensified focus of His plan at this time.

The Sovereignty of God (Part Seven)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

In the example of a child summoned by a parent to clean up his room, the child's dawdling and complaining are not predestined nor are they part of God's will.

Free Will or God's Sovereignty?

Sermon by David C. Grabbe

If God is sovereign and promises salvation to believers, why does it matter how believers live? How significant are our choices in the grand scheme of life?

The Faithfulness of God (Part Three)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

God is absolutely faithful to His promises. We attain salvation is entirely by grace; God owes us absolutely nothing.

God Expects a Return on His Investment (Part Three)

Sermon by David F. Maas

The natural gift, talent, or ability we receive at our birth provides the raw material God's Spirit uses to transform physical gifts into spiritual gifts.

How God Deals With Conscience (Part Five)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Joseph knew and recognized his brothers before they knew him, even as God knows our guiltiest secret sins that we think we have effectively hidden.

The Sovereignty of God (Part Eleven)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Understanding God's sovereignty as a basic doctrine provides a link between knowledge and practice, as well as providing motivation to yield to God's purpose.

The Providence of God (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Calamities, trials, anxiety, evil, and calamities, as well as blessings, happen to Christians in order to become fashioned and molded into God's image.

Image and Likeness of God (Part Five)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The true nature of God differs greatly from the trinitarian concept. Having created us in His form and shape, God is developing us into His character image.

Glorifying God

Sermon by John O. Reid

We have been called for the purpose of glorifying God by totally changing our lives, conforming to His character and image.

God's Non-Transmittable Attributes (Part Three): Omniscience

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

The apostle John declares in I John 3:20 that God 'knows all things,' confirming the extraordinary greatness of the One we worship.

Our Ultimate Purpose (2024)

Sermonette by Austin Del Castillo

As David pointed out in Psalm 139, God had His eyes on us before our birth, foreknowing the individuals He would call, predestining them into His plan.

Many Are Called, Few Are Chosen

'Ready Answer' by John O. Reid

God's calling and predestination can be confusing, especially the verse that 'many are called, but few are chosen'. Why does God not just choose everyone?

Before the World Began

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Mark Schindler

God had each of us in mind before the foundation of the world, realizing how we would develop spiritually, reaching our ultimate destination in His family.

Elements of Motivation (Part Five)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

We can become energized and motivated by our high calling and summons to do the will of God, seeing how vitally important we are to God's purpose.

Ecclesiastes (Part Four; A)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God is sovereign over time; nothing happens without His superintending. Birth and death are divine events which God alone controls.

Where Do We Fit?

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The church exists because of what God has purposed and done, not because anything we have done. When pride exists within us, God can do nothing with us.

Sovereignty, Election, and Grace (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God is intimately involved with the smallest details of our life, including our conception and birth, supplying spiritual gifts to carry out His work.

The Unleavened Sinless Life!

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Like with Joseph, trials and troubles have been preplanned by God to shape us into members of His family, predestined to be sanctified and glorified.

Abraham's Sacrifice (Part Four): Providence Manifested

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The story of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac encourages God's people that they need never doubt God commitment and ability to give them everything they need.

Ecclesiastes (Part Four; B)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God manipulates events to occur at precisely the right time. The timing God uses for us are just as precisely planned and scripted as they were for Christ.

Trial by Fire

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Like a loving parent, God brings just the right pressures to bear to bring about necessary change in His children. Each trial has a place in His purpose.

Don't Be a Prudent Agnostic

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Some of us, facing the stress of the times, may simply be going through the motions but losing every vestige of faith. We must strengthen our convictions.