As a child, the concept of spending eternity in the presence of an all-knowing God both fascinated and terrified me. I often found myself immersed in apocalyptic dreams where my family and I navigated through volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, zombie invasions, and tornadoes as if we were protagonists in an action-packed movie.
After these dreams, I’d wake up and pray, worried that the trumpet announcing the end of the world could sound at any moment. I’d ask God for forgiveness because I was afraid of missing out on heaven because of my mistakes.
The idea of dwelling in heavenly mansions, strolling on streets adorned with the rarest jewels, and worshiping alongside fellow believers in the divine presence served as powerful incentives to keep going. However, the Book of Revelation served as a haunting reminder of the potential suffering awaiting those who missed the chance for eternal salvation.
What bothered me the most was not knowing if I’d go to heaven if the trumpets sounded right then. We try our best to be good Christians, but we’re only human and mess up sometimes. What if we mess up when it matters most?
The doctrine of predestination continues to trouble me to this day. If God possesses omniscience and already knows the fate of every individual, including whether I will ultimately dwell with Him in heaven, it raises serious questions about free will and divine intervention. At times, I find myself wondering whether our actions are predetermined or if we, as children of God, possess some measure of influence over our destinies.
Psalm 139:4
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
I fear that despite my best efforts to lead a righteous life, God knows the moment of judgment and the state I’ll be in then. He also knows which sins might prevent me from entering heaven.
If I do make it to heaven, is it because of my goodness or because it was destined? This question has troubled me for a long time, and I’ve yet to find a satisfying answer.
God’s omniscience is unquestionable. So, what does this mean for our efforts on earth?
Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.
Example: I was an unbeliever living a sinful life and on my way to hell (God forbid!) but one day I decided to give my life to Christ and from then on became a model Christian.
Does this mean from the very beginning even though i was a sinner and unbeliever, I was meant to be a Christian and that my name was written in the book of life even before I was formed?
John 6:44
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
OR
Does this mean somewhere along the line God added my name to the book of life after I asked for forgiveness?
John 15:16
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you
This contradiction really bothers me because the answer to these questions depends on who you ask.
If the answer to the first question is yes, it means our lives are predetermined, supporting the idea of predestination. It suggests that no matter what we do, our fate is already set, and God, being all-knowing, knows our outcome regardless of our actions. This would mean that those who sin were meant to sin and not because they choose to. It implies that prayer may not alter what’s destined, unless it was meant to change from the start.
If the answer to the second question is yes; this suggests that nothing is certain. It could also mean that God knows He will forgive us when we ask for forgiveness in the future. But how does this align with the concepts of predestination and omniscience? Does God know all the possible outcomes of a situation, or does He know the specific outcome that will occur?
The purpose of this post isn’t to sow confusion in the Christian community, but rather to address common questions that arise from time to time. What are genuine explanations for these questions, not just Bible verses to silence whoever asks. I believe that critical thinking and respectful inquiry are important, as long as we maintain reverence for God’s authority.
We all understand that human knowledge is limited and and we acknowledge that we cannot fully comprehend God. Yet, our human side yearns to understand our purpose on earth. What are the different perspectives that can shed light on these questions?
Usually when asked such questions, people are quick to shut them down or give isolated Bible verses without context or further explanation.
What does the Omniscience of God mean and how does our free will play a part in it?
Stay Blessed x
2 responses to “Divine Destiny: Heaven’s Promise or Hell’s Sentence?”
Great question and insight Faith. My simple answer is that the omniscience of God means he knows everything; specific or general outcome. But he may not intervene in everything, that is up to us because he also gave us free will to act. He knew Jeremiah before he was formed in his mother’s womb, he knew Nathaniel and his thoughts while he was far off. He knew Judas will betray him yet he did not do anything to prevent him. Everyone will eventually have to decide the course of their lives. There is always the choice of eternal life or death
Can I interpret this to mean that God doesn’t dictate our actions at specific moments? Instead, He has granted us free will, allowing us to make choices without interference. His omniscience implies that He already knows what choices we will make. Therefore, when someone commits a sin, it’s not a predetermined destiny but rather their conscious choice, with God already aware of their decision beforehand.