the middle-knowledge view

If we take the term foreknowledge as encompassing middle knowledge, then we can make perfect sense of God's providential control over a world of free agents. For via his middle knowledge, God knew exactly which persons, if members of the Sanhedrin, would freely vote for Jesus' condemnation; which persons, if in Jerusalem, would freely demand Christ's death, favouring the release of Barabbas; what Herod, if king, would freely do in reaction to Jesus and to Pilate's plea to judge him on his own; and what Pilate himself, if holding the prefecture of Palestine in A.D. 27, would freely do under pressure from the Jewish leaders and the crowd.

Knowing all the possible circumstances, persons and permutations of these circumstances and persons, God decreed to create just those circumstances and just those people who would freely do what God willed to happen. Thus, the whole scenario, as Luke insists, unfolded according to God's plan.

This is truly mind-boggling. When one reflects that the existence of the various circumstances and persons involved was itself the result of a myriad of prior free choices on the part of these and other agents, and these in turn of yet other prior contingencies, and so on, then we see that only an omniscient mind could providentially direct a world of free creatures toward his sovereignly established ends.

- William Lane Craig, The Middle-Knowledge View

"Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen." - Acts 4:27-28 (NIV)

*****

a year ago, i was a 5-point calvinist. i would not have entertained middle knowledge, let alone endorse it. but God, in His divine providence, has led me to the writings of Norman Geisler (the doctrine of election - revised), Terrance Tiessen (calvinism and middle knowledge), John Walvoord (more on the best possible world), Don Carson (middle knowledge and compatibilism) and now William Lane Craig. in fact, i'm doing a module on the philosophy of religion this term and middle knowledge is one of the things we're looking at.

again, i would describe myself as a two-point calvinist (if there is such a thing):

total depravity - yes
unconditional election - no
limited atonement - no
irresistible grace - no
perseverance of the saints - yes

link: more on the middle-knowledge view (24 may 09)