God’s omniscience, or all-knowing nature, is a foundational doctrine in many religions. But how exactly can we know that God possesses total knowledge of all things past, present and future? Let’s explore some of the main arguments and evidence put forth to support God’s omniscience.
Biblical Support
For those who take the Bible as the authoritative word of God, there are numerous verses throughout the Old and New Testaments that point to God’s all-knowing attributes. Here are some examples:
- “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” – Psalm 147:5
- “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” – Isaiah 46:9-10
- “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.” – Psalm 139:4
- “Whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” – 1 John 3:20
- “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” – Hebrews 4:13
These verses point to a God who knows the beginning from the end, who understands all things completely, and from whom nothing can be hidden. For those who take scripture as God’s own words, such assertions provide strong evidence for God’s total knowledge.
Theological Arguments
Beyond explicit biblical claims of God’s omniscience, theologians and philosophers over the centuries have developed detailed arguments aiming to demonstrate God’s all-knowing nature based on reason and logic.
One common argument notes that God must be omniscient in order to be sovereign over all creation. If there were things God does not know, he could not guarantee he is in control of everything that happens. His omniscience is required to ensure his sovereignty.
Similarly, God’s omniscience is linked to his role as the supreme judge. God could not perfectly judge human hearts and deeds without knowing all the minute details and hidden motivations involved. Only by knowing everything could God’s judgments be considered perfectly just.
God’s omniscience is also argued to be necessary if human prayers are to have meaning. For prayer to be effective, God must know the full situation and hear the petitions and longings of each person’s heart. Without total knowledge of every person and circumstance, God could not answer prayers or interact in an intimate, personal way.
Furthermore, some assert that since God is understood to be timeless rather than bounded by time, he sees all of history – past, present and future – in one eternal present. From this perspective outside of time, God has knowledge of all things throughout all ages.
Infinite Nature
Connected to these lines of theological reasoning are arguments based on the classical understanding of God’s nature as infinite. If God is indeed limitless, then it follows that his knowledge would also be limitless – that is, omniscient.
The philosopher Thomas Aquinas illustrated it this way in his prominent work Summa Theologica: “Since the knowledge of God is His substance … it knowable in itself, and not merely in its effect, in the same way as our knowledge is. Therefore His knowledge is not discursive, that is, going from one thing to another, but embracing all things together.” In other words, if God’s being encompasses all, so does his knowledge.
This ties into the concept in classical theism that identifies God’s will and God’s knowledge. As expressed by Christian philosopher William Lane Craig, “God’s knowledge is co-extensive with reality because God knows intuitively … Since God’s will determines reality, God knows reality exactly as it is.” From this standpoint, God’s all-encompassing will entails his all-encompassing knowledge.
Omnipresence
There is also a close connection drawn between God’s omniscience and his omnipresence, or existence everywhere simultaneously. As expressed by Christian philosopher Norman Geisler: “God knows all things because He is everywhere present with His being and sees all things as they take place.” In this view, God’s unlimited knowledge stems directly from his unlimited presence.
Theologian R.C. Sproul vividly explained it this way: “If God is everywhere present at all times, He possesses the cognitive powers to see and know all things at all times … God does not learn. He does not puzzle. He does not investigate. He never wonders, forgets, overlooks, distorts, or misinterprets anything … Nothing escapes his notice. Nothing can overwhelm him.” For a God who is everywhere, total knowledge naturally follows.
Objections
There have certainly been objections raised against the concept of God’s omniscience over the centuries. Prominent among them is the logical paradox proposed regarding whether God can know what it is like to not know something. Can an omniscient God understand the experience of discovering something for the first time?
There are a variety of responses philosophers and theologians have proposed to this paradox. Some note that God chooses to limit his knowledge and thus can accept new information. Others suggest God possesses “middle knowledge” – knowledge of counterfactuals about what free creatures would choose in any given circumstance. This allows God to anticipate what any experience would be like. The debate continues among scholars.
Other objections have focused on God’s foreknowledge – his knowledge of future free decisions and events that have not yet happened. Some argue this threatens human freedom or God’s own free will. In response, many theologians embrace a “compatibilist” view of free will, arguing God’s foreknowledge is compatible with human freedom.
Conclusion
While objections and unresolved paradoxes remain, God’s omniscience has stood as a foundational doctrine about the nature of God throughout most of Christian history. The testimony of scripture, along with influential philosophical and theological arguments, provide powerful support for the view that God possesses absolute knowledge spanning all of existence. This provides great comfort for many believers, giving them confidence that God hears their prayers, cares about their lives, and is actively involved in all circumstances.
Yet debates continue in academic circles about the scope and implications of God’s knowledge. Omniscience is not easily grasped by the human mind. But wrestling with this divine attribute can lead to deeper insight into the God whose ways always transcend full human understanding. As Romans 11:33 declares in response to God’s wisdom and knowledge, “How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”
| Attribute | Description | Biblical Support |
|---|---|---|
| Omniscience | Total knowledge of all things past, present and future | “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.” – Psalm 139:4 |
| Foreknowledge | Knowledge of future free decisions and events | “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” – Isaiah 46:9-10 |
| Middle Knowledge | Knowledge of what free creatures would choose in hypothetical circumstances | “Whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” – 1 John 3:20 |
God’s omniscience has important implications for concepts like prayer, sovereignty, judgement and more. This divine attribute generates both comfort and paradoxes that theologians continue to explore.
ImportantThinkers on Divine Omniscience
- Thomas Aquinas – Viewed God’s knowledge as identical to his limitless essence.
- William Lane Craig – Equates God’s knowledge with his determining will.
- Norman Geisler – Connects omniscience to God’s omnipresence.
- Augustine – Wrote on timelessness of God’s knowledge.
- Aristotle – Influential idea of God as “thought thinking itself.”
Throughout history, philosophers like Aristotle and theologians like Aquinas and Augustine have contributed key perspectives on this difficult but important concept. The relationship between God’s knowledge and will, and between foreknowledge and human freedom, remain rich topics for ongoing theological discussion.
Key Takeaways
- Numerous biblical verses explicitly attest to God’s absolute knowledge.
- God’s omniscience connected to his sovereignty, justice, prayer and timelessness.
- Follows from classical view of God’s infinite, unlimited nature.
- Related to doctrines of omnipresence and relationship of God’s will and knowledge.
- Raises philosophical questions about paradoxes, foreknowledge and human freedom.
While questions persist, the doctrine of divine omniscience is central to classical theism’s understanding of God across major monotheistic faiths. Engaging this concept can lead to deeper perspective on the nature of God and enrich spiritual practices like prayer, worship and trust.