Please Support the Bible Translation Work of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
$5.00
 |
 |
 |
The Rise of Open Theism: A Brief Contextual Overview
Open theism, often referred to as “openness theology” or “free will theism,” is a relatively modern theological development that attempts to resolve long-standing questions about divine omniscience, human free will, and the presence of evil. Open theism posits that the future is not entirely known even to God—not because of any deficiency in His omniscience, but because the future, being dependent on genuinely free human choices, is not fully knowable even in principle. This view places considerable emphasis on libertarian free will and God’s dynamic relationship with His creation.
Proponents argue that open theism is an attempt to restore a biblical view of God that has been distorted by centuries of synthesis between Greek philosophical concepts (especially immutability, impassibility, and timelessness) and Christian theology. The open theist insists on the need to understand God’s omniscience in light of Scripture’s narrative rather than in terms dictated by classical theism, which was significantly shaped by philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and their followers.
Yet when one turns to Scripture itself—not filtered through philosophical speculation but interpreted through the literal, historical-grammatical method—open theism collapses under the weight of its own contradictions and the overwhelming testimony of the inerrant, infallible Word of God. The purpose of this article is to expose the theological and exegetical errors of open theism and demonstrate that its foundational claims are in direct conflict with the teaching of the Bible.
 |
 |
 |
What Open Theism Affirms and Why It Is Problematic
Open theism rests on two pillars: first, the libertarian freedom of human beings, and second, a redefined understanding of divine foreknowledge. Open theists reject the idea that God exhaustively knows the future in every detail, especially in relation to free human choices. They maintain that God’s omniscience encompasses all that can be known, and since future free choices are, by nature, unknowable, God does not know them in advance.
This has profound implications for theology proper. God, in the open theist framework, is portrayed as changing His mind, being surprised, or even mistaken in some of His expectations. He reacts in real time as human events unfold. Passages such as Genesis 6:6, Exodus 32:14, and Jonah 3:10 are commonly cited as evidence that God “repents,” “relents,” or “changes His mind.”
The philosophical motive here is clear: to absolve God from responsibility for evil and to make room for human autonomy. However, this theological maneuver comes at a cost—a diminished view of God’s omniscience, sovereignty, and immutability, all of which are plainly and repeatedly affirmed in Scripture.
 |
 |
 |
A Biblical Refutation of Open Theism
God’s Knowledge of the Future Is Exhaustive and Absolute
The consistent witness of Scripture is that God knows all things—past, present, and future. He is not discovering, reacting, or learning. Isaiah 46:9–10 declares:
“I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’”
The Lord not only declares the end from the beginning, but He also accomplishes His purposes. This leaves no room for a God who merely observes free human choices and adjusts accordingly. The same truth is echoed in Psalm 139:4, which asserts, “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Jehovah, You know it altogether.” Likewise, Job 37:16 describes God as “perfect in knowledge.” There is nothing in Scripture to support the notion that God’s foreknowledge is probabilistic, partial, or dependent on creaturely action.
Even more directly, Acts 2:23 says of Jesus:
“This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.”
Here, divine foreknowledge and predetermined plan are tightly intertwined, demonstrating that God’s knowledge of human decisions includes even the sinful ones, and that His plan is not contingent on human free will but is sovereign over it.
 |
 |
 |
“God Repented”: Understanding Anthropopathic Language
Open theists build much of their case around a selective interpretation of certain Old Testament passages where it appears that God changed His mind. Genesis 6:6 states, “And Jehovah regretted that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him to His heart.” Exodus 32:14 says, “So Jehovah changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.”
However, these must be interpreted in light of clearer texts and the totality of Scripture. Scripture interprets Scripture. God explicitly declares in Numbers 23:19:
“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”
Likewise, 1 Samuel 15:29 says:
“Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind.”
The same Hebrew verb used in Genesis 6:6 for “regretted” (נִחָם nicham) can mean to feel sorrow or compassion or to change an attitude toward someone, but it does not require a change of mind in the way finite, fallible humans experience. God’s “relenting” is a way of expressing His unchanging faithfulness and responsiveness to conditions that He has sovereignly ordained. As Jeremiah 18:7–10 makes clear, God conditions His judgment or blessing on the behavior of nations, but this is not because He lacks foreknowledge or control—it is part of His eternal, sovereign plan.
 |
 |
 |
God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
Open theists argue that divine sovereignty is incompatible with genuine human freedom. But the Bible affirms both. Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of man plans his way, but Jehovah directs his steps.” Isaiah 10:5–15 shows that God uses the Assyrians to accomplish His judgment against Israel—even though the Assyrians themselves intend evil, God uses their will for His own holy ends. Later, He judges them for their arrogance. This is not contradiction; it is divine sovereignty over human agency.
God does not need to violate human will in order to accomplish His purposes. He sovereignly ordains outcomes through the freely made decisions of individuals. This is compatibilism—not the coercion of the will, but the alignment of human action with divine intention. Joseph’s brothers meant evil against him, “but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result” (Genesis 50:20). They were responsible; God was sovereign.
Jesus Christ and the Futility of Open Theism
The open theist faces insurmountable difficulties when confronting the life and mission of Jesus Christ. In John 13:19, Jesus said:
“From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.”
He predicted His betrayal (John 13:21), Peter’s denial (Luke 22:34), and even His own death and resurrection (Mark 8:31). These were specific human decisions, predicted with precision. If the future were genuinely open, as open theists claim, Jesus could not have known these things. But as the eternal Son of God (John 1:1), Jesus knows all things (John 16:30; 21:17).
The apostles did not teach a God who is surprised or learning. Paul wrote that “those whom He foreknew, He also predestined… called… justified… glorified” (Romans 8:29–30). These are not probabilities. These are certainties, grounded in the immutable decree of the sovereign God.
 |
 |
 |
Divine Immutability: God Does Not Change
Malachi 3:6 is unequivocal:
“For I, Jehovah, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.”
This is the bedrock of divine immutability. God does not change His essence, His nature, or His plan. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Open theism, by making God subject to time and change, implicitly denies this foundational truth.
Theologians may debate how God interacts within time, but the biblical data is clear: God’s character is immutable, His purposes are unalterable, and His knowledge is absolute.
 |
 |
 |
Open Theism’s Theological and Pastoral Dangers
Beyond the academic and philosophical errors, open theism poses significant spiritual and pastoral dangers. If God does not know the future, then He cannot promise anything with certainty. How can we trust Romans 8:28—that “God works all things together for good”—if He does not know what tomorrow holds?
If God is learning and adjusting, then He is no longer the Rock (Deuteronomy 32:4), the Shepherd who guides us through the valley of death (Psalm 23:4), or the Refuge to whom we flee (Psalm 46:1). Instead, He becomes a cosmic risk-taker, reacting to a world He does not fully control.
This is not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is not the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a man-made projection, crafted to appease philosophical discomforts at the expense of biblical truth.
The Verdict of Scripture
The God of the Bible is sovereign, omniscient, immutable, and absolutely trustworthy. His purposes stand (Isaiah 14:27). His knowledge is without limit (Psalm 147:5). He does not repent in the way that finite creatures do, and He does not adjust His will based on unforeseen circumstances. Every prophecy, promise, and act of God is rooted in His unchangeable nature and perfect wisdom.
Open theism fails because it does not take the whole counsel of God into account. It isolates texts, misinterprets anthropomorphic language, and denies foundational truths about God’s attributes. It may attempt to protect divine love or human freedom, but it does so at the cost of God’s sovereignty and faithfulness.
The Bible calls us to worship a God who is not only loving but infinitely wise, eternally sovereign, and perfectly trustworthy. Open theism offers a god in our own image—a god who is doing his best but may still get it wrong. That is not the God of the Scriptures.
 |
 |
 |
About the Author
You May Also Enjoy
CLICK LINKED IMAGE TO VISIT ONLINE STORE
Leave a Reply