Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omnipresence under Open Theism

    Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omnipresence under Open Theism 

Open theism challenges classical views of God's omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence by emphasizing divine self-limitation and the reality of human freedom. Below are scriptural passages that open theists use to argue that God does not possess these attributes in the classical sense.


1. God is Not Omnipotent (All-Powerful in a Classical Sense)


Open theism asserts that while God is powerful, He does not exercise absolute control over everything. Some passages suggest God's will can be resisted or that He does not always accomplish His intended plans.


Isaiah 5:1-4 – God plants a vineyard (Israel) expecting good grapes but gets bad ones, indicating His purposes can be frustrated.


Jeremiah 19:5 – "They have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind." This suggests events occur that were not in God's plan.


Matthew 23:37 – Jesus laments over Jerusalem, saying He wanted to gather them, but they were not willing, implying God's desires are not always fulfilled.



2. God is Not Omnipresent (Everywhere in a Classical Sense)


Open theism does not deny God's presence but suggests that He is not inherently present in all places in the same way at all times.


Genesis 18:20-21 – "I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know." This implies God is spatially located and must "go down" to see what is happening.


Jonah 1:3 – Jonah flees "from the presence of the Lord," suggesting a localized divine presence rather than an absolute omnipresence.


Psalm 139:7-10 – This passage affirms God's presence in various locations, but open theists argue that it speaks of God’s awareness rather than a metaphysical omnipresence.



3. God is Not Omniscient (All-Knowing in a Classical Sense)


Open theism argues that God knows all that is knowable but does not have exhaustive knowledge of the future because the future is open and contingent.


Genesis 6:6 – "The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled." This suggests that God did not foresee human wickedness fully.


Genesis 22:12 – After Abraham’s test, God says, "Now I know that you fear God," implying that God gained knowledge through the event.


Jeremiah 3:7 – "I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me, but she did not," showing that God expected one outcome but was surprised by another.


Exodus 32:14 – "Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened." This suggests that God's plans are not fixed but change based on human actions.



Conclusion


Open theism holds that God is not omnipotent in the classical sense because His desires can be resisted.


God is not omnipresent in the classical sense, as He moves to specific locations.


God is not omniscient in the classical sense, as He learns new things and adapts His plans.


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