Open Theism
Rev. Steve Marlowe, evangelist for Christ
“Open Theism” explains God's foreknowledge of the future and the free will of mankind. In short, Open Theism means God and humans are free, God's knowledge is dynamic and God's providence is flexible. Whereas several versions of traditional theism picture God's knowledge of the future as a singular, fixed trajectory, however, Open Theism sees it as a plurality of branching possibilities, with some possibilities becoming settled as time moves forward (Roger E. Olson, The Westminster Handbook to Evangelical Theology, John Knox Press. p. 190, 2004). In the field of Mamre by the grove of terebinth trees, Abraham sees three figures. He recognizes the Lord YAH (the I AM, although he knew him by the title of EL Shaddai) and invites Him and His companions (angelic beings) to come and stay with him. God eventually informs Abraham that He came to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Here Open Theism is at word, for Abraham intercedes for the cities. The Lord YAH told Abraham that he would destroy the city because of the people's sins. Abraham sought to spare the people and he asked if God would not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if he could find even ten righteous people. If ten righteous people were found, the Lord would change His mind and spare the cities.
Thus, the future, as well as God's knowledge of it, is open (hence, "open" theism). The contrary version of Open Theism is Reformed Theism, which holds that God fully determines the future, entailing that there is no free choice (the future is closed). Open Theists hold that these ideas of Reformed Theism do not agree with the biblical concept of God, that is the biblical understanding of Divine and human freedom. Open Theists tend to emphasize that God's most fundamental character trait is love and that this trait is unchangeable, and this affords the mercy of God to be everpresent. But if God prognosticates that man is going to sin, without it being in the heart of man to sin, then what about man's free will? The argument of Open Theism is essentially this: human beings are truly free; if God knew that Adam would sin before there was any thought on the part of Adam to sin, then human beings could not truly be free. In terms of Reformed Theology, one cannot resist God’s foreknowledge. You cannot separate God’s foreknowledge from the will of God. Therefore, God does not know everything when it comes to the prognostication of sin, but He does foretell events, that will come to pass, however, unless it is in the heart of man to sin, God does not know that he will sin. Then how is God all-knowing? He indeed is all-knowing, and when a human being first entertains a spark of jealousy, envy, or willingness to sin, God knows. Therefore, if it is a reality, whether actual, or an idea, God is all-knowing of reality, but until there is a reality, it is not knowable. God is, reality is, non-reality is not anything.
Open theism holds that future sinfulness on the part of mankind is not knowable to God, because God is not the author of sin. Therefore, God knows everything that can be known but does not know that which is not presently known. If a man desires to do evil in his heart, God knows all things and He knows sin is at the door; but if man repents and turns to the paths of righteousness, God did not know he would sin until it was determined in his heart to sin. This is the principle, that God is not the author of sin, confusion, or imperfection, and this cannot be stressed enough. We can see Open Theism at work in the story of Cain and Abel. When Cain was so angry to the point of doing great harm to Abel, God knew. Why would God try to stop Cain from murdering his brother, if he knew it would happen absolutely unless He knew it was not an absolute, but depending solely on, the free agency, the will of Cain?
We read in Genesis 4:2-10, “Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time, it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose against Abel his brother, and killed him.
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.”
Open theism is based on Scripture passages that describe God “changing His mind,” “being repentant,” or “allowing for change.” As we find in Genesis 6:5-8, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” God told Abraham to sacrifice his son. But God reversed this commandment In Genesis 22:12, “And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” It was never in the heart of Abraham to kill his son Isaac, so God did not know if Abraham would actually do it. Another example is found in Exodus 32:7-14, “And the Lord said to Moses, “Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ ”
And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! Now, therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation.”
Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, and said: “Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ” So the Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.”
In Jonah 3:10, The prophet Jonah goes to Nineveh to announce their destruction, which God was determined to do, but they repented, we read, “Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way, and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.” In light of the many other Scriptures that declare God’s knowledge of the future, these Scriptures should be understood as God describing Himself in ways that we can understand based on the free agency of man, which affords man’s ability to change within the providence of God. God knows in an instant what our actions and decisions will be, but allows for repentance, hence the free agency of mankind. Apart from that, anything within the heart of man such as sin is not a reality until it is in the heart of man to do, therefore God does not know of any sin in man until he decides to sin. He, the LORD, fixes that He is going to do something, but then He “changes His mind” regarding His actions based on our actions. God’s disappointment at the wickedness of humanity does not mean He was not aware it could occur based on His omniscience, however, until He knew that sin was in the heart of man, and only then, would God know it was in the heart of man to do. God knows all the ways a man can go whether for good or evil, but it is up to the man to choose, but until man decides, God does not determine it. God does not know sin unless it is in the heart of man to do sin. God is perfect anything outside of perfection is a sin.
In what may appear as a contradiction to “Open Theism,” we read in Psalm 139:4,16, “Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD...All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” How do we understand this? One why, if one can accept it, is when a father plans for his son to go to college, but the son decides not to go. How could God predict intricate details in the Old Testament about Christ if He does not know the future? How could God in any manner guarantee our eternal salvation if He does not know what the future holds? Reform Theologians believe that ultimately, open theism fails in attempting to explain the unexplainable—the relationship between God’s foreknowledge and mankind’s free will, for them is not tenable. Just as extreme forms of Calvinism fail in that they make human beings nothing more than pre-programmed robots, so in the Reformist’s understanding, Open Theism fails in that it rejects God’s true omniscience and sovereignty. But are human beings automatons? God must be understood through faith, for “without faith, it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Reformists determine that Open Theism is, therefore, not scriptural. It is simply another way for finite man to try to understand an infinite God. They strongly believe that Open Theism should be rejected by followers of Christ, however, they fail to understand, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29). While Open Theism is an explanation for the relationship between God’s foreknowledge and human free will, Reformists believe it is not the biblical explanation, and yet Open Theist have provided Scriptural evidence.
Reform Theologians and Mormons have this Theology in common when looking at the Sovereignty of God. Adam and Eve were given this commandment, “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28). The Book of Mormon states, “And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the Garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state…and they must remain forever, and had no end. And they would have had no children…having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold all things have been done in the wisdom of Him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; men are that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:22-25). According to Mormon theology, in order for Adam to obey God to have children, he first had to sin against God in order to obey God, that is to be fruitful and multiply. Mormon theology exonerates Satan because he, not really acting as an adversary, but as the catalyst for the fall of Adam to fulfill God’s commandment. And how could Reformist Theology argue against the Mormon take on the fall of Adam when they share in the absolutism that “all things have been done in the wisdom of Him who knoweth all things.” Both believe that when God created Adam, He knew that Adam would sin. How do we reconcile God’s commandment to Adam to be fruitful and multiply, but for Adam to obey, he first had to sin against God? This shows the pollution of Reformist theology.
God created Adam for righteous reasons, not to end in sin and death. The free agency of man is demonstrated in the choices God gave to man. We read, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:15-17). For the Reformist theologian, the appearance of choice is no choice. So, who is responsible for sin? The Reformist theologians would have God and Satan working together, as demonstrated in the Book of Mormon.
Those Christians, who do not fault God as the originator of sin, hold mankind accountable, and the unrepentant man is worthy of Hellfire. Therefore, lovers of God must hold to Open Theism because this demonstrates God’s mercy. Open Theism expresses the reality: 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16-18). It is the choice of man to sin, which is never based on the prognostication of God that man will sin regardless. God’s mercy is great. He revealed the name of Salvation, and it is man’s choice to reject the name of Salvation. In verse 18, we see the consequences of rejecting the revealed name of salvation, and this is totally up to mankind. The name Jesus has only existed in its present form since the late 17th century c.e. God never revealed the name of Jesus or the name of Jehovah. Did the prophet Isaiah lie when he foretold the essential name of salvation?
Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation’” (Isaiah 12:2 NKJV).
YAH is the name which is above every name.
YAH means I AM, as revealed to Moses (Hebrew, HaYAH Ashar HaYAH, in English, “I AM Who I AM”, see Exodus 3:14). There is no greater name in all the earth above the name YAH. The Savior told the people that He is YAH, the I AM, in John 8:58, He said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” The people knew what He meant, He just told them that He was their God, and their reaction proves this as they picked up stones to stone Him for blasphemy. The apostle Peter testified to this name and said, Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Did the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic church change the very revealed name of our Savior? They are apostates, what do you think? Did the apostle Paul hear the name which is above every name on the road to Damascus? The name which is above every name has only been revealed in Hebrew. Paul testified, 14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?” What name in Hebrew did the Lord reveal to Saul (later known as the apostle Paul)? Jesus, a French-Latin name, transformed from Iesus (ee-sus, a Latin name), and Iesus transformed from the Greek name Iesous, which is a transliteration of the Aramaic name Yeshua. None of these names, Jesus, Iesus, or Iesous, were revealed by God. These names came to us by the tongue of man, and not by the revelation of God. So does the apostle Paul give us a clue of what he heard in Hebrew on the Road to Damascus? He does indeed give testimony to the revealed name, but not to the name, or names, produced by the tongue of man, as due to linguistic evolution whereby the revealed name becomes a totally different name with no intrinsic meaning regarding salvation. He wrote, 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of YAHSHUA, every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that YAHSHUA the Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). Every tongue, every language, is to know the one revealed name given in Hebrew for our salvation. YAH is the name which is above every name, and we rightly praise this name in the expression “Halleluyah,” praise YAH, not jah, or ia, or even yeh. Why does this matter, well other than the fact of God’s revelation, God’s truth is consistent, and inconsistency is a lie. YAH=I AM, and Shua= “my help,” as in my “salvation.” YAHSHUA means I AM Salvation. Joseph was commanded, as in you shall name Him, and this name is a Hebrew name, not a Latin or Greek name, for the angel said in Hebrew, 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name YAHSHUA, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). There is no etymological meaning of the name Jesus related to savior, salvation, the Etymological Dictionary states, the Aramaic (Semitic) proper name Yeshua (Hebrew Yeshua) means "Jah is salvation." However, the name “Yeshua” is devoid of the name YAH. Also, there is no J sound in Hebrew, the Hebrew Yodh corresponds to the English Y. Hence, Halleluyah, not Hallelujah.
Despite all that has been told here, most, if not all, will not accept it. After all, Satan is deceiving the whole world (Revelation 12:9). Christ knew the hearts of men, that they would reject truth due to their traditions. 5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”
6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 7 And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men…and many other such things you do.” 9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition (Mark 7:5-9).
Thus we were warned us:
The Narrow Way
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
You Will Know Them by Their Fruits
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Religious leaders, who are a Law unto themselves and hold to the Traditions of men
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
Build on the Rock, And That Rock is Christ (Isaiah 44:6-8; 1 Corinthians 10:1-4)
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the Rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the Rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” “And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). Do you know the revealed name of the Savior, or will you call on another name never revealed by God?
