Journal: Conservative Theological Journal
Volume: CTJ 06:18 (Aug 2002)
Article: The Partially Infinite God: An Exegetical Response to Greg Boyd’s The God of the Possible Part II
Author: H. Wayne House

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CTJ 6:18 (August 2002) p. 164

The Partially Infinite God: An Exegetical Response to Greg Boyd’s The God of the Possible
Part II

H. Wayne House

Professor of Theological Studies
Faith Seminary, Tacoma, Washington

This is the second article of two addressing some issues brought to the fore by the Openness of God movement. The author continues here with another argument.

God Knows All Things That He Has Determined But He Has Only Determined Some Things

According to Greg Boyd, God knows all things that He has planned or determined but not other matters which He has chosen not to determine or plan, namely, the free choices of human beings. In seeking to defend this viewpoint he turns to two important passages on God’s sovereignty and omniscience in Isaiah 46 and 48.

Isaiah 46:9–11 reads:

(9) “Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, (10) Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ (11) Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.” (NKJV)

Isaiah 48:3–7 reads:

(3) “Long ago, I foretold things that happened, From My mouth they issued, and I announced them; Suddenly I acted,

CTJ 6:18 (August 2002) p. 165

and they came to pass. (4) Because I know how stubborn you are (Your neck is like an iron sinew And your forehead bronze), (5) Therefore I told you long beforehand, Announced things to you ere they happened — That you might not say, ‘My idol caused them, My carved and molten images ordained them.’ (6) You have heard all this; look, must you not acknowledge it? As of now, I announce to you new things, Well-guarded secrets you did not know. (7) Only now are they created, and not of old; Before today you had not heard them; You cannot say, ‘I knew them already.’”1

Let us now examine how professor Boyd interprets these traditionally favorite passages for God’s omniscience and sovereignty.

A. Isaiah 46:10–11 and Isaiah 48:3–55: God Knows All that He Plans

Boyd declares that the passage does not reveal a God who knows the entirety of the future but one who knows that part of the future in which He has decided ...

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