Question
Gramps,
Recently my friend asked me a question I wasn’t too sure about. He asked me this: God knows everything right? What is the point of being here if God already knows what we are going to choose? Why is agency important if God already has a plan for us? I wasn’t sure how to respond to this! Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Colton
Answer
Colton,
It appears that you and your friend are confusing knowledge with becoming. The difference is between knowing the direction to somewhere and actually traveling there. It’s the difference between knowing what is healthy for us and actually eating the healthier food and doing the exercises.
This life is not about proving or showing to God what we will do. He already knows that. It is about actually doing it. In many cases showing and proving to ourselves the kind of person (how like God) we are willing to become. When judgement comes it will not be a surprise. What we are and what we will have become will have already been proven/shown to us by our own actions.
Many people think that this life is some kind of pass/fail test. In my experience, life is more like a spiritual gymnasium which has all the tools necessary to help us become more like God. How much we are willing to work and use the tools is in our hands. Our spiritual strength, health, and growth is something God foresee. But it is up to us to do the work. While we are doing the work, He is right there encouraging, guiding, assisting like any good personal trainer should.
Gramps