Does Molinism Have A Biblical Basis?

Addressing some issues regarding the position that God has knowledge of the counterfactuals of creaturely freedom (Molinism).

[BibleSamurai]

“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” Romans 11.34

[clwhite]

Exodus 13:17 God leads the children of Israel a different way because he knew that they would return to Egypt in fear if they went a certain way. Perfect example of God’s knowledge of a counterfactual and sovereignly acting on that.

[MRAGFT]

"People analyzing the Scriptures come up with different doctrines all the time and you have to evaluate, no matter when they emerge, whether or not they are true".

Well put, Turek! As it should be!

[travisecholsecholsfinancia]

Molinism is a philosophical approach to interpreting God's sovereignty and human freedom--versus other philosophical approaches such as determinism (hard or soft), theological fatalism, Thomism, etc. The questions to ask are: Is it philosophically sound? Is it explicitly taught in scripture (it wouldn't have to be to be true)? Is it compatible with scripture (this would have to be affirmative for the Bible believer)? Does it harmonize scriptural themes better than other philosophical approaches?

[merynco]

If one is aware that God is reaching out to them with powerful draw on their hearts, it should open the soul up for more of the love, peace, healing and searching for Him. Have heard many testimonials saying "God literally pulled me back to Him!" After hearing this has happened to many I believe through the God's grace a heart can be changed from stone.

[greglaprade]

Turek is brilliant! How does he remember names like Jackson's in this video? I met Turek at an event and he remembered my name the next day, plus other things I had told him! That's amazing to me as he meets new people constantly.

[Apologia]

Molinism seems to be more of a philosophical position rather than a Biblical/Theological one...

[stefanvolosen]

“You MEANT it for evil....!”

“God MEANT it for good...!”


How can the same word “meant” be interpreted as “intent” in one sentence and in the next sentence it’s interpreted as “turned it to good?.”


“God meant it for good.” Means only one thing! God, intended, planned and accomplished it!

[Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

The verse about joseph is not a good defense for Molinism. "What you MEANT for evil, God MEANT for Good"

[stevec]

Let's consider this: Before creation (eternity past), when it was just the Godhead, where was free will - i.e. did free will exist as something that was outside of God since it tends to subject God to it on humanity? While humanity has free will, it is tainted and cannot appropriately respond to God. Jesus said it best when He said that whoever commits sin is a slave to sin. Only the Son can make you free, which, by the way, when you are free, you commit works in Christ, which then makes you a slave (doulos) to the Lord.

[chrismachin]

Reformed theology has been preached from the very start( because it is Biblical revelation) Clement Diagnetus and other early Church fathers preached the same message.Unfortunately Molinism is just man made philosophical ideas trying to muddle the waters. Notice the number of time Frank Turek and people like William Lane Craig use the words “could”, ” it’s possible”, ” maybe”, and in the next breath announce it as fact. Accepting God has a decree and is fulfilling His purposes, making His power known and Glorifying Himself in a particular people(the elect) is wonderful to understand - it comes straight from the pages of the Holy Bible.

[DougShoeBushcraft]

"How come that system was only developed 1500 years after the New Testament?" - You're assuming that surviving, written history is complete when of course it is not. Not every human conversation was written down, and not everything written has survived. Much less that 1% has been handed down in that way. Turek argues that it's in the New Testament. We're naive to think we're the first ones asking these kind of questions.

[thetrollpatrol]

At first I thought he was talking about modalism and I got worried that Turek was a modalist haha 😅

[chadjohnsen]

God is the architect in the Matrix- watching every response that Neo was going to react to his description of the ONE

[weobeyjesus]

God tests hearts (1Thess 2;4, Jer 17;10) but can also control people by hardening hearts (Rom 9;14-18). Therefore, God controls people only sometimes. He cannot test what he controls.

Calvinists believe God controls people 100% of the time.

[chrismachin]

….” Somehow he rises to prominence in Egypt”….maybe God decreed it would happen?

[MD-wwgy]

Did anyone not here him say God can bring good out of evil when the Bible CLEARLY states " what you MEANT for evil, God MEANT for good".
Their is no argument here! God MEANT it for His purpose!

[nobledpm]

if God is omniscient then he must have knowledge of counterfactuals, but did he create on that basis ?

[mikemas]

Isaiah 10 is what the young man was referring to. I dont know how, after reading the whole chapter, you can reconcile that event in a molinistic frame work.

[davidbermudez]

Starting with Adam when God told him the following:

Genesis 2

15And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Why does God Himself tell Adam “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest FREELY eat”?

Notice it says FREELY!

Verse 17 explains why God didn’t create Adam as a robot preprogrammed to say to God “I love you”.

Adam had a freewill and a choice.

Determinism goes out the window!