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God already knows if you'll go to heaven or hell

Postby Math » Thu Dec 06, 2018 12:33 pm

According to determinism, Everything is a consequence of both physical and chemical reactions, meaning that God knows your future and whether you will go to Heaven or Hell.

I am an atheist. Because of what determinism causes, which is explained in the title, God knows what will happen to you and the result of The Last Judgement. Because God is omnipotent, why didn't he save those who would go to hell from sin? A theologist would say, 'God allowed people to sin to give humans free will' but, according to determinism and even quantum mechanics (there is a difference between randomness and free will), free will makes no sense because it is neither determined nor random. Therefore God would be able to save all those who will go to Hell but he does not.
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Re: God already knows if you'll go to heaven or hell

Postby jimwalton » Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:52 pm

I am a theist, a Christian, and an evangelical. I don't believe in determinism and am solidly convinced the Bible does not teach determinism, which is the basis of your whole case.

Now, God's omniscience is not deterministic because knowledge is not causative. If I could pop forward in time to see what you were going to decide, and therefore knew, would not indicate that I had caused it to happen. Rather, it is only that I saw it, not that I caused it. God's omniscience is presented in the same way in the Bible: God can see it, but that doesn't mean He caused it. We are still creatures of free will.

So let's deal with your points one at a time.

> God knows what will happen to you and the result of The Last Judgement.

This is correct.

> Because God is omnipotent, why didn't he save those who would go to hell from sin?

God's omnipotence doesn't mean that God can do everything. He can't create a square circle or a married bachelor, since these things are self-contradictory nonsense. God also cannot override human free will, or it's not free will at all. To be free will it must necessarily be free. God's omnipotence means that His will is never frustrated. He can do everything that is the proper object of His power.

> free will makes no sense because it is neither determined nor random.

Because free will is neither determined nor random doesn't mean it makes no sense. Those aren't the only two choices. Free will is an intentioned expression of a conscious and self-aware entity.

> Therefore God would be able to save all those who will go to Hell but he dose not.

Therefore your conclusion is incorrect. God cannot save all those who choose to reject Him. Determinism is not possible (I could go into this later), free will is necessary (I could go into this later), and God's omniscience is not causative.


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