I have found free Apps like Grok provide a thorough explanation to a Biblical question as compared to the Logos synopsis based upon an Ai Smart All Search. Should Logos consider improving the Ai model they are using to compete with free Ai models?
I asked the question. "Since God is Sovereign and Omniscient did, He know that Adam would sin, and did he know that certain people would be saved throughout eternity?". The two responses are below.
Logos Ai (All Search) Response
According to the articles provided, God, being omniscient and sovereign, did indeed know that Adam would sin and was aware of those who would be saved throughout eternity. One article states that Adam and Eve's original sin did not catch God unaware, as He foresaw sin's arrival and initiated a plan of salvation through Jesus Christ[1]. This plan of redemption, including the sacrifice of Jesus, was established by God "long before the world began"[1]. Another article mentions that God's election of individuals for salvation is rooted in His eternal plan, suggesting He knew from eternity those who would be forgiven[2]. It is also noted that God's knowledge is infinite, encompassing past, present, and future events[3]. The concept of predestination is discussed, indicating that God chose certain individuals for salvation "from before the foundation of the world"[4][5]. These articles collectively suggest that God's omniscience and sovereignty extend to His foreknowledge of Adam's sin and the salvation of specific individuals throughout eternity.
[1] Cooley, Joshua. The One Year Devotions with Jesus: 365 Devotions to Help You Know and Love the Savior. Tyndale House Publishers, 2015.
[2] Stahle, Rachel S. The Great Work of Providence: Jonathan Edwards for Life Today. Cascade Books, 2010.
[3] Got Questions Ministries. Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered. Logos Bible Software, 2002–2013.
[4] Bray, Gerald. A History of Christian Theology: A Trinitarian Approach. Crossway, 2024, p. 432.
[5] Bray, Gerald. God Has Spoken: A History of Christian Theology. Crossway, 2014, p. 432.
Grok 3 Ai Response
Your question about whether God, in His sovereignty and omniscience, knew that Adam would sin and whether He knew which individuals would be saved throughout eternity is a profound theological inquiry that ties directly into the doctrines of God’s nature, original sin, election, and the infralapsarian/supralapsarian views discussed previously. Using the NIV for biblical references, as requested, I’ll provide a concise answer that addresses God’s foreknowledge of Adam’s sin and the salvation of specific individuals, connecting to the doctrines of original sin, atonement, reprobation, and the “golden chain” of Romans 8:29-30.
God’s Sovereignty and Omniscience
- Sovereignty: God’s sovereignty means He has supreme authority and control over all things, orchestrating His will according to His purpose (Isaiah 46:10, NIV: “I make known the end from the beginning… My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please”).
- Omniscience: God’s omniscience means He knows all things—past, present, and future, actual and possible (Psalm 139:1-4; Hebrews 4:13, NIV: “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight”). This includes human choices and outcomes.
Given these attributes, we can address your two-part question:
1. Did God Know That Adam Would Sin?
Yes, God, in His omniscience, knew that Adam would sin. The Bible supports this through several lines of evidence:
- Scriptural Basis:
- Ephesians 1:4-5 (NIV): “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ.” God’s plan of salvation through Christ was established “before the creation of the world,” implying that He knew sin would enter through Adam, necessitating redemption.
- Revelation 13:8 (NIV): Refers to “the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world,” suggesting that God’s plan for Christ’s atoning death was in place before Adam’s sin, indicating foreknowledge of the Fall.
- Romans 5:12 (NIV): “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin.” While this describes the event of Adam’s sin, God’s eternal plan (e.g., Romans 8:29-30) presupposes His foreknowledge of the Fall, as salvation is planned to address sin’s consequences.
- Theological Reasoning:
- God’s omniscience means He knew Adam’s choice to disobey (Genesis 3:6) before it occurred. His sovereignty means He permitted the Fall to accomplish His purposes, whether to display His mercy and justice (Romans 9:22-23) or to fulfill His redemptive plan through Christ.
- In both infralapsarianism and supralapsarianism, God’s decree to permit the Fall (and thus original sin) is part of His eternal plan. Infralapsarians see the Fall as preceding election, with God responding to sin; supralapsarians see it as a means to display His glory through election and reprobation. In either view, God’s foreknowledge of Adam’s sin is assumed, as His decrees are eternal and informed by His omniscience.
- Connection to Original Sin: As discussed previously, original sin (Romans 5:12-19) results from Adam’s transgression, which God foreknew and permitted. This sin affects all humanity, making atonement necessary. God’s foreknowledge of Adam’s sin aligns with His plan to provide salvation through Christ, as seen in the golden chain (Romans 8:29-30), where the elect are justified to overcome original sin’s effects.
2. Did God Know Certain People Would Be Saved Throughout Eternity?
Yes, God, in His omniscience and sovereignty, knew from eternity which individuals would be saved (the elect). This is explicitly supported by the Bible and ties to the doctrines of election, atonement, and reprobation.
- Scriptural Basis:
- Romans 8:29-30 (NIV): “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son… And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” The “golden chain” begins with God’s foreknowledge, indicating that He eternally knew those He would save (the elect), predestining them for salvation.
- Ephesians 1:4-5 (NIV): “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption.” God’s choice of the elect before creation shows He knew who would be saved.
- 2 Timothy 1:9 (NIV): “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.” God’s eternal purpose includes knowing and choosing the elect for salvation.
- Theological Reasoning:
- Election and Foreknowledge: In Reformed theology, God’s foreknowledge in Romans 8:29 is not merely knowing who would believe but a relational, covenantal choice of the elect (similar to “know” in Amos 3:2). God’s omniscience includes knowing who would be saved, and His sovereignty ensures this through predestination, calling, and justification (Romans 8:30).
- Infralapsarianism: God foreknew the elect from a fallen humanity, choosing them for salvation after decreeing the Fall (Romans 9:11-16). Original sin makes all guilty (Romans 5:12), but God sovereignly selects some for mercy, knowing them eternally.
- Supralapsarianism: God foreknew and predestined the elect before decreeing the Fall, with salvation and reprobation serving His glory (Romans 9:22-23). His omniscience includes knowing who would be saved and who would be reprobate from eternity.
- Connection to Atonement: The atonement, secured by Christ’s death (John 10:15, NIV: “I lay down my life for the sheep”), is for the elect, whom God foreknew. Both views affirm that God knew the elect and provided atonement to save them from original sin’s guilt (Romans 5:18).
- Connection to Reprobation: The non-elect (reprobates) are also foreknown by God, either passed over (infralapsarian) or decreed for judgment (supralapsarian). Their “lost” state (Luke 19:10) reflects God’s foreknowledge of their rejection or exclusion from salvation.
- Connection to Jesus’ Mission (Luke 19:10): Your previous question about Jesus’ mission to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10, NIV) aligns with God’s foreknowledge of the elect. Jesus’ mission succeeds for those God foreknew and predestined (Romans 8:29-30), ensuring their salvation. The non-elect remain lost, as God foreknew their state, whether due to being passed over (infralapsarian) or decreed for reprobation (supralapsarian).
Synthesis and Theological Implications
- God’s Foreknowledge of Adam’s Sin: God’s omniscience ensured He knew Adam would sin, and His sovereignty allowed it to fulfill His redemptive plan (Ephesians 1:4-5; Revelation 13:8). Original sin (Romans 5:12) was not a surprise but part of God’s eternal purpose, whether as a context for mercy (infralapsarian) or a means to glorify Himself (supralapsarian).
- God’s Foreknowledge of the Elect: God eternally knew who would be saved (the elect), as seen in the golden chain (Romans 8:29-30). His foreknowledge undergirds election, atonement, and the exclusion of the reprobate, ensuring that His plan culminates in the glorification of the elect.
- Original Sin and Other Doctrines:
- Original Sin: Provides the context for why salvation is needed, as all inherit Adam’s guilt and corruption (Romans 5:12-19). God’s foreknowledge of the Fall necessitated the atonement for the elect.
- Atonement: Christ’s death addresses original sin’s guilt for the elect (Romans 5:18), whom God foreknew, ensuring their justification (Romans 8:30).
- Reprobation: The non-elect remain under original sin’s condemnation, as God foreknew their state and either passed over them (infralapsarian) or decreed their reprobation (supralapsarian) (Romans 9:22-23).
- Image of God: Your earlier questions about the imago Dei (Genesis 1:26-27) connect here, as original sin corrupts the image in all humans, but God foreknew the elect for restoration to Christ’s image (Romans 8:29), while reprobates remain in sin.
- God’s Holiness (Habakkuk 1:13): God’s foreknowledge of Adam’s sin and the elect’s salvation aligns with His holiness, as He justly permits the Fall and mercifully saves those He foreknew, upholding His purity (Habakkuk 1:13, NIV: “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil”).
Conclusion
God’s sovereignty and omniscience mean He knew Adam would sin, as His eternal plan included the Fall and its remedy through Christ (Ephesians 1:4-5; Revelation 13:8). He also knew from eternity which individuals would be saved (the elect), as outlined in the golden chain (Romans 8:29-30), ensuring their salvation through atonement while leaving the non-elect under original sin’s consequences (Romans 5:12). Infralapsarians see this foreknowledge as God choosing the elect from a fallen humanity, while supralapsarians see it as part of His pre-Fall plan to glorify Himself. Original sin necessitates atonement for the elect and explains reprobation for the non-elect, all within God’s foreknown and sovereign plan.
