What God doesn't know (More thoughts from John 16)

Have I got you scratching your head?

Or, worse, have I upset you? (I hope not.)

I hope you are just intrigued, and wondering if I fell and bumped my head or something. How can I be saying that there are things that God doesn't know?

How?
I mean, seriously, check this out:

                 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge
                 of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable
                 His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became
                 His counselor? (Romans 11:33-34)

                 ...But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  (Matthew 10:30)

                 Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One
                 who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name;
                 because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power,
                 not one of them is missing. (Isaiah 40:26)

                 It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what
                 is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.  (Daniel 2:22)

We are lingering in the sixteenth chapter of John, specifically focused on these verses that we studied before:

                 His disciples said to Him, "See, now you are speaking plainly, and
                 using no figure of speech! Now we are sure that You know all things,
                 and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we
                 believe that You came forth from God."  (John 16:29-30)

But there are still some  things that God does NOT know. Ready? Let's dive in!

God doesn't know of a sinner that He does not love.
(Phew! Now I see you nodding your head. This is a relief, isn't it? We can all agree on this.) There has not been a sinner born yet on this earth that God didn't love. He loves all sinners, and it's His earnest desire that all would come to accept the gift of eternal life in Christ.
Here is evidence from the Old Testament:

                 The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you
                 with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn
                 you."  (Jeremiah 31:3)

God loves all men, all women, all children, all sinners. And He has loved us with an everlasting love that causes Him to draw us to Himself. The sinner may resist and reject, but His love is constant.
Here is more evidence, this time from the New Testament:

                   At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved
                  by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy,
                  being hated and hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness and love
                  of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of righteous things
                  we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing
                  of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us
                  generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that, having been justified
                  by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
                  (Titus 3:3-7)

Now that I've reassured you that I'm not off my crumpet, let's go on to look at another thing that God does not know -- He doesn't know of a person that He will not save.

                   As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to
                  shame.” ¹² For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same
                  Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, “Everyone
                  who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:11-13)

What an amazing promise from the Father! He knows all, and everything. And within that knowledge, there is still NO ONE that He will not save. Matthew 18:11 tells us that the "Son of man is come to save that which was lost." No restrictions. Not, if you are a certain race or creed, or if you have a certain amount of money, or if you have lived an exemplary life. He will save us if we call upon Jesus' name and in so doing, we turn away from our sins.
Peter says it so much better than I can:

                   The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slack-
                   ness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish
                   but that all should come to repentance.  (II Peter 3:9)

Another thing that God doesn't know:
He doesn't know of any sins that have been put under the blood.
As the hymn writer so eloquently put it, "Oh the bliss of this glorious thought!" Here, you can read the evidence:
 
                   If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is
                   not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will
                   forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:8-9)

Yes, He will forgive us. But we humans forgive others and still remember their deeds and words . . .read here in the book of Hebrews for fabulous news:

                   "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says
                   the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them
                   on their minds." Then He adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will
                   remember no more."  (Hebrews 10:16-18)

And here in Psalms:

                    For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his
                    love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west,
                    so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Ps. 103:11-12)

The last thing we want to look at today is that God doesn't know of a life that He can't change. This is certainly cause for rejoicing! No matter how badly we mess things up, He can change things. He will change our lives completely, by removing our sin and washing us as white as snow.

                    . . . and this is what some of you were. But you were washed, you
                    were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
                    Christ and by the Spirit of our God.  (I Corinthians 6:11)

Later on today, take a stroll through Isaiah 35. We can see there that when God saves His people, he changes their lives -- He changes everything completely. Flowers will grow in the desert; people who are weak become strong; blind people see and deaf people hear. Things that seemed impossible become reality.

He doesn't know of a life that He can't change.

                      Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things
                      have passed away; behold all things have become new. (II Cor. 5:17)

So, today we have learned of four things that God does not know -- He doesn't know of a sinner that He doesn't love, nor does He know of a person that He won't save. He also doesn't know of a sin that's been placed under the blood, and He doesn't know of a life that He can't change.

I hope you will join me next time as we continue.