There are four mainline theologies: Reformed (Calvinism), Classical Arminianism, Neo-Arminianism, and Open Theology, sometimes called Open Theism. The one main difference between them is their view of history and the foreknowledge of God.
- Calvinism/Reformed and Classical Arminianism have all history predestinated, predetermined, completed, and unchangeable. Having predestinated all, God knows all. History is closed.
- Neo-Arminianism rejects predestination and has history just being there complete, finished, unchangeable, where it comes from is never stated, God just looks down from eternity and sees the past, present, and future, all at once. Being able to see all, God knows all. History is closed.
- Open Theology accepts that history is running in real time under the control and guidance of God. Many things are predestinated, predetermined, but not all. There is room for free will plus time and chance. The future has not happened yet, hence, history is open.
Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
Open Theology recognizes that God rules in the lives of men and sets up and takes down whom he will.
1 Samuel 2:7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
There are so many false teachings on what Open Theology is that it distracts some from studying it out, which I believe is the object of the fallacies. I have heard it preached that Open Theology has God guessing at what the future will be and attempts to juggle things accordingly. Such nonsense is unbecoming to anyone claiming to be a preacher of the truth.
God’s direction, man’s free will, and time and chance, all work together under God’s guidance and control. He is not having any difficulty controlling events to suit his purposes in having mercy or judgment upon the earth and leading all things to his predetermined end. God does not have to see what has been done to know what men will do, he knows their hearts and minds. History must be open and flowing for God to deal with and attempt to change the mind and hearts of men. The God of Open Theology is much greater than those of Calvinism, Arminianism, or neo-Arminianism.
See: Calvinism, Arminianism, Neo-Arminianism, Open Theology
Man’s free will is limited to thoughts and intents of the heart, what you would like to do, or would do if you could get away with it. Free will of action is more restrictive. You may desire to murder someone, but no one dies unless the Lord says so. God may use your desire to act for his own purposes, your desire to kill but God chooses the victim. He may let you do something just so he can deal with you using it to correct or punish you or another, etc.
When you start thinking about why God does or allows something it can get complicated. America has rejected God so why not let it tear itself apart while letting it be a last warning to its citizens?
There are so many reasons why God allows or directs the actions he does. We will have to wait until all is revealed.
Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.
James 4:13-15 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
Much of the lack of understanding is the false concept of the extant and limits of biblical free will. Man’s free will extends and is limited to the thoughts and imaginations of his heart and mind. Men do not have free will of action. God may not allow you to perform the actions you desire, or he may use your desire to have you perform certain actions to suit his purposes. That is why we are judged according to the thoughts and intents of our hearts, sin is not in the doing, but in the wanting to.
Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Numbers 35:20-21 But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; 21Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.
Numbers 35:22-23 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, 23Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm:
It is the lusting and desire to sin that condemn us.
James 1:15 KJV Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
The Bible only makes sense if history is running in real time and God is judging and dealing with the hearts of men. Holding to some other theology is why so many find the Scriptures confusing.
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