perfect – Snyder's Soapbox

Let me dip my toes in your mind butter for a moment.

Some people argue that since God made us, and we are not perfect, then God is imperfect. They assume that a perfect originator or uncaused causer would necessarily be imperfect by creating imperfect beings. This assumption doesn’t make sense. The error is to assume that our imperfection impunes the perfection of God. Rather, instead it affirms the perfection of God. God in creating, necessarily cannot create perfect creatures. There cannot be more than one perfect being. God is the perfection of all attributes and defines them by His nature. Anything He makes will be less than Him. Anything less than Him is not Him and by definition is not perfect because He is the definition of perfection. So the fact that we, are finite, subject to space and time, we cannot create ex nihilo, we’re limited in our knowledge, its amount, and quality, we’re dependant on Him for our continued existence, and so on, should be evidence that we are imperfect. We are not God. By our imperfection, we know that He is perfect.

Omniscience is the quality of having all knowledge. The word comes from two words, “omni” meaning, “all” and, “science” meaning, “knowledge.” In the Christian faith we believe God to be omniscient. He is the creator of all things. This includes knowledge. Whatever can be known by man is only knowable because God has created it and given revelation of it to us, as well as the ability to perceive it and understand it. There is nothing that God does not know. This includes all things past, present, and future.

Some people don’t like the idea of an, “all-knowing God.” This idea threatens their sense of self-originating will and free agency. The idea, that God knows who will be saved, and who will not be saved, before He creates them, seems to them to be an offense. They object on the basis of God’s love. They say, “If God is love He wouldn’t make a man knowing he was destined to Hell.” What they miss is that all men since the fall are destined for Hell. We don’t deserve anything good. We deserve death, and Hell. This simple truth escapes them. They don’t see man as depraved sinners, corrupted through and through by sin.

I however, should take comfort in the omniscience of a sovereign and eternal God. The fact that He knows everything gives me great peace. I can trust Him in His complete, perfect knowledge. He, knowing everything and ordaining all things by His will, comforts me. I can sit by and not worry, because in Him is the primacy of His will and deity which by His nature is goodness and love for those that are in Him.