I recently googled "open theism" on the internet, and I was saddened by some of the negative websites that appeared on top of the list of search results.  While not really surprised at the opposition against the teaching of open theism, I was frankly amazed at the unwarranted, vicious way some prominent Christian leaders have portrayed and misrepresented us.  Books recently published against open theism and it's proponents have likewise been very uncharitable and unprofessional in their approach.  I saw the words "dangerous" and "heresy" thrown around quite a bit, and if they could get away with it they would probably have many of us stretched out on a rack until we recanted.  Yet, beyond the emotional outbursts and fear-promoting, I couldn't find any logical, substantive, or Scriptural arguments that convincingly affirmed their classical view or negated the open theist position.

    One of the main accusations I saw being made against open theism was that it presented a limited, or lesser view of God than the classical view.  They are partially correct in this, in that we do see God as indeed having some limitations, but ironically, these very limitations are what actually make our God greater, not lesser than the God they espouse.

    You see, most people, Christian or otherwise, have the false impression that God can do anything.   They think that God is in every way infinite and without limitations.  But does the Bible really teach this?  I know this may sound shocking, but nevertheless it's true...God cannot do just anything and everything!  Many of us have been wrongly taught that God is whatever we can imagine Him to be, only infinitely greater.  However, our ability to conceive or imagine God as having certain attributes or abilities does not necessarily make it true.  The Bible tells us plainly what God is like...He is like Jesus!

Colossians 1:15
He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Hebrews 1:3a
And He (Jesus) is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature...

    Whenever we depart from what is clearly revealed in the Scriptures and begin to trust in our imaginations or opinions, we are on slippery ground.  I am not saying that it's impossible to imagine truth, but we need to be very careful that our imaginations do not contradict clear Scriptures.  In fact, we are urged by the apostle Paul (2 Cor. 10:5) to cast down imaginations that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God.  

    Let me now illustrate how God indeed is limited with some examples that are easy to comprehend.  I want you to think for a moment about sin.  Think of all the things that the Lord forbids His people to do.  God's laws and commandments prohibit stealing, murder, coveting, lying, and scores of other sins.  Does God do any of those things?  Of course not, because God does not and cannot sin!  A good working definition of sin, then, is any thought or action that God can't do.  So then, every sin you can think of is just one more thing that God can't do.  God's nature is clearly limited.  He will not act or behave in any way apart from who He is.  His very character actually defines or "limits" Him.  Does this mean God is small or weak?  Of course not.  The idea that God can do anything imaginable is actually a heathen concept, a product of Greek philosophy and Roman mythology, where their gods were indeed capable of anything, both good and evil.
  
    The apostle Paul in Titus 1:2 states that God cannot lie, and Hebrews 6:18 states that it is impossible for God to lie.  These verses clearly reveal that there are things that God can't do.  The plain fact of the matter is that God indeed has His limits.  He cannot act apart from His own nature.  This is why He cannot lie.  He is confined to His righteousness and holiness.  God's way is a narrow way (Matthew 7:13-15), and this is the way He desires us to walk, as His dear children, as lights in this dark world.  He wants to reveal through us what He is like.  He asks us to do what He does, and forbids us to do what He cannot.  He desires to limit us just as He is limited, in order that we might glorify Him with our lives.

    I hope that I have been able to show to your satisfaction that God definitely has His limitations.  Do you think God is any lesser or weaker because of it?  Do you trust Him any less?  I hope not.  You should actually feel more secure having a clearer, sharper view of what He is like.  A true and accurate view of God is far better to possess than a god of your own preference or design, no matter how "grand" a god you can envision for yourself.  Remember, God is not necessarily what we believe Him to be, but God is who He is, in spite of our beliefs.  Therefore, since the Bible nowhere states that God or Jesus can see the future, and furthermore calls "foretune-telling" a sin, then open theism should not be criticized or dismissed simply because we are "limiting" God to what the Bible says about Him.  They will have to come up with something better than that if they want to continue calling us dangerous or heretical.

    For the past 500 years, there have been two major opposing views about God vying for preeminence and influence over protestant Christianity, Calvinism and Arminianism, and these two can never be reconciled.  Each group claims the other is wrong.  Most denominations today find themselves embracing one of those positions.  Open theism suggests they are both wrong, exposes the obvious problems within each, and then presents us with an alternative, Scriptural, understandable, satisfying, and livable theology.   It is my prayer that all of us would honestly seek and desire to know what the true nature of God really is, no matter what our friends, parents, pastors or priests may teach or believe about Him.  Religious tradition and the current, prevailing, popular beliefs about God should be frequently subjected to examination and testing by every new generation, because historically it has always been the few, a small remnant, who have found and embraced great truths, who were then fiercely persecuted by the majority who saw their rich livelihoods being threatened.  May we all seek and speak the truth...in love.

-nOFuTuRe