Foreknowledge and predetermination

June 29, 2021

In order to understand the knowledge of God, you must make a distinction between foreknowledge and predetermination. The two are not identical. God does foreknow everything, but he does not predetermine things independent of our will and our merits. Just suppose that you knew the stock market very well. Because of your superior knowledge of business conditions, you said that such and such a stock within six months would be selling ten points higher than it is now. Suppose six months later it actually sold ten points higher. Would you have predetermined and caused it to be ten points higher? Although you foreknew it, other influences were there besides your superior knowledge.