First Day of Seminary: Open Theism 101

“It is utterly impossible for God to always be in control and yet allow free beings to exercise some control…God is in essence all-powerful, though He now chooses not to be.” – Dr. Gregory Boyd

I’m assigned to read Letter’s to a Skeptic by Gregory and Edward Boyd, and write a paper on it at the end of this week. Boyd, as many of you might know, is one of the three leading proponents of “Open Theism,” the other two being John Sanders and Clark Pinnock. I’d explain what it is for you, but the horse’s mouth is always better:

“A freedom which is prevented whenever it is going to be misused simply wouldn’t be freedom.” 30

“Love is really the only reason worth creating! It’s not freedom for the sake of freedom that God values – it’s love. Freedom is simply the only possible means to this end.” 34

“If we have been given freedom, we create the reality of our decisions by making them. And until we make them, they don’t exist.” 38

“God can’t foreknow the good or bad decisions of the people He creates until He creates these people and they, in turn, create their decisions.” 39

Freedom in all of these cases, and in every case of Open theism, is defined only in terms of “libertarian ” or “contra-causal” freedom. That is, a “free choice” is only one in which a person can choose option A just as much as option B. I can have steak, or I can have lettuce. I can watch TV, or I can go to work. I can immediately ventilate absurdities in writing, or I can calm down and pray for a pure heart. I am able to both choose and  actualize each of those choices.

Now, if the fridge is locked, I can’t have lettuce. So I don’t really have “a choice,” but to choose steak: therefore, my choice to have steak isn’t “real,” or “genuine” or ultimately “free.” According to the open theist, without the ability to fully choose one option over another, human beings are as good as robots.

So what’s the real beef? Libertarian freewill is both unbiblical and philosophically unsound. Let me illustrate the latter before the former.

Say you were standing on a beach with thick rubber boots on, and I told you to look straight forward and not to move. Then I walked behind your back and secretly tied a rope around your right boot to a tree further behind you. So if you wanted to lift your right foot forward, you couldn’t because of the rope around your boot that’s tied to the tree. The whole time you don’t know what I’m doing. You can hear me do something next to your feet, “Jamin…sigh, what are you up to now?” but you don’t feel anything because the rubber boots are so thick and you don’t see anything because you’re looking forward. In short, you don’t know about the rope around your foot. But there is one.

Then I walk in front of you and say, “Time to make a freewill choice. Put one of your feet forward, it doesn’t matter which one.” You look at me funny for a moment, but then decide to lift your left foot, and you do. “There, I made a freewill choice to move my left foot….”

According to libertarian freewillists and all open theists, no you didn’t. You were a robot. You did not make a “free” choice at all. Why? Because you didn’t have the ability to do otherwise, because your right foot was tied to a tree. You technically had only “one choice,” and that was to move your left foot. Therefore, even though…

1. You had full confidence in your ability to fulfill the choice.
2. You chose and you actualized your choice.
3. Everything in your personal experience affirms that it was real and genuine and out of your own volition…

…you’re still a “robot” according to Arminians and Open Theists.

This is a poor philosophy. There’s no reason to say that a  person’s choice wasn’t “genuine” or “real” just because they didn’t have the ability to do otherwise. And the Bible certainly doesn’t teach this philosophy.

In the same way, sinner’s left to themselves only have the ability to sin. They cannot not sin, as Augustine argued. And according to the sinner outside God’s grace, he’s living it up making all kinds of “freewill decisions.” It’s perfectly real to him. But the reality is, he’s enslaved, his heart is tied to sin and disobedience and he’s not even aware of it. He is “suppressing the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom 1). The one who sins is “a slave to sin” as Jesus said in John 8:34, and “spiritually dead” (Eph 2) and “unable” to do what is spiritually good (Rom 8:7-8). Of course, this is plain old Calvinism, the “Total Depravity” in TULIP.

Let’s go back and look at the end result of Open Theism according to the opening chapters of Letters to a Skeptic:

“Love is really the only reason worth creating! It’s not freedom for the sake of freedom that God values – it’s love. Freedom is simply the only possible means to this end.” 34

Last I checked, there is no Scriptural teaching that says everything exists for the love of God. Rather, everything exists for the glory of God (i.e Eph 1:14), and that’s the reason for God creating (and destroying) anything he has created or destroyed. As the RealApologetics.org statement of faith puts it, “All that comes to pass does so at the decree of God. All things will, in the end, result in the glory of God.”

“If we have been given freedom, we create the reality of our decisions by making them. And until we make them, they don’t exist.” 38

“God can’t foreknow the good or bad decisions of the people He creates until He creates these people and they, in turn, create their decisions.” 39

The whole notion of creating our own reality is popular in Eastern circles of Buddhism, Hinduism, and other types of ontological relativistic religions. But what’s truly disconcerting is that a simple reading of the Exodus overturns the primary assertion in this philosophy, which is that God does not know the future because the future does not yet exist. Now, Boyd goes on to explain that God sort of knows the future…

“This view doesn’t maintain that God doesn’t know anything about the future. It only maintains that God doesn’t eternally foreknow the free decisions people will make in the future. If there are aspects of the future which are already determined, either by present circumstances by God’s own will, these God would know, for they are presently there to know. Future free acts, however, aren’t.” 42

…but, this is ultimately nothing short of false. God foreknew and ordained, without question, the rising up of Pharaoh, the hardening of his heart, and his decision to not let His people go (Exodus 4:21). The real significance, however, is that the fact that God did decree Pharaoh’s decision means that there can be purpose for it. If God doesn’t know what we will choose in the future, then how could He possibly have purpose for absolutely every evil decision that’s made in the world? And every good decision? Listen to Paul in Romans 9:

Rom 9:17  For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.”
Rom 9:18  So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.

To professor Boyd, former professor of apologetics at Bethel University, God didn’t know about Pharaoh’s decision until Pharaoh made the decision, and then God decided to create a purpose for it. God essentially said “oh! You’re not going to let them go? Fine, well, then, I’m going to try and make people proclaim my name throughout the earth as the result of it, then perhaps I’ll be glorified and that way there’s purpose to all this madness.”

Open Theism is the logical extension of Arminianism. Both assume libertarian freewill philosophy as their basis, one is simply more honest (Open Theism) than the other.

What, then, is the alternative to “libertarian freewill”? Stay tuned.

Until then, a quote from Chuck Swindoll:

“When are we going to learn, it’s not about you, it’s not about me…This is the unfolding of the plan. When we get on stream with that it is remarkable what it does to us. You think I’m in charge around here? Are you kidding? I spent ten years thinking I was in charge at the church I was pastoring. That’ll drive you crazy…I can’t change the people, I tolerate them sometimes, I pray for them all the time, but I’m not in charge. If I was in charge I’d pry take my life…well maybe not quite that far, but…I’d think about it…

What does it mean to say “God is sovereign”? What does that mean? What does the resume say? It says who is qualified to be sovereign:

He must see the end as clearly as the beginning. He must have clear an unbiased perspective. He must never have a match or rival on earth or in heaven. He must entertain no fears, possess no ignorance, have no needs, experience no frustrations, limitations, or restrictions. I’m not through. God is sovereign because He always knows what is best and He will always pursue the goal that is consistent with the best, and He will never make a mistake in the process. He must be invincible, immutable, omnipotent, and self-sufficient. Because God is sovereign His judgments must be unsearchable, His ways must be unfathomable, and His will must be unchangeable. Because God is sovereign He must be able to create rather than invent. He must direct, rather than wish or hope. He must control rather than suggest. He must guide rather than guess. He must fulfill rather than dream or plan. And to bring a perfect conclusion rather than close his eyes and hope for the best. That’s our God. That’s our sovereign God. You can trust Him even when He doesn’t explain why.

You think we deserve an explanation? It’s like Habakkuk:

“Lord, you’re using worse people than we are to judge us? What’s going on?”

“If I told you you wouldn’t believe me.”

“No! No! Tell me! I’ll believe it!”

“Ok, this is the reason…”

“I can’t believe it!!!”

That’s exactly what we would do.

“I can’t believe it! I mean, I thought you were holy!”

“I am, but I’m also profound, and unfathomable. And what I do will bring you to the knees. And you’ll discover it was best.”…

There are alot of commands in the Bible, and they’re commands from God. And if we weren’t responsible for some things he wouldn’t command us. Duh! And so He commands us to make His gospel known. He commands us to sing His praises. He commands us to pray. He commands us to wait. Is He sovereign? Yes, it’s a part of his plan. His plan is to bring you in line with His plan. When you pray He doesn’t change, you change. When you pray God doesn’t go “EEKK!! I didn’t know that! Thanks!” Hes working out His plan and you go, “now I see it, now I understand it. Now I trust you.”

My all-wise, all-knowing God reigns in realms beyond my comprehension to bring about a plan that is beyond our ability to hinder, alter or stop. That is sovereignty. Does that include my disease? It does. Does that include my lost child? It does. You see if I were running things you wouldn’t lose a child. But it wouldn’t be for God’s glory; it would be for my comfort. I wouldn’t ever have things go wrong. I only like good news. I’d have people feel great.

That’s not God…are you kidding? He’s not fickle. He’s not waiting to get a date. He’s pulling off his plan. So where will it lead? Go to Romans 11. Look at the end…Oh man, this is so good, I just cannot believe how good this is…

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR?

Lord you never checked with me! Let me give you a little advice! Who’s qualified to do that?” Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN?”

“Get Serious!” is between the lines. “Get a Life!” “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Rom 11:36). Amen? Amen. Amen? Amen. To him be the glory. The glory, that’s what it’s about. You’ll miss it if you just read the stuff of today. You’ll miss it. To Him be the glory…

I’m not ready to believe in open theism, that says somehow God saw what happen and said, “Oh, Ok” and he adjusted his plan so He’s surprised about all this because its so bad. Stop. He’s either all sovereign or He’s not.”