1689 BCF, Chapter 3, Paragraph 4: Certain and Definite Decree

INTRODUCTION

As we come to paragraph 4 I would like us to consider a question that intrigues many science fiction fans and authors. This is a question which has to do with the nature of time and God’s relation to it. The question is: can we change the future? Does God have a plan; do we have the ability to influence it; can I change my destiny? The question is assuming a few things, firstly, that the future is something that has been scripted and is on a firm path to fulfilment. Those who have a belief in God believe that God has a plan for the future; those who do not believe in God see the question as ridiculous and falsely assuming the fixity of the future. For those who believe that God has a plan there are then a number of different questions about how we relate to that future and whether we have the ability to change it. Can God have a plan and our actions still be free? Does that plan include the willing of sin, and if so doesn’t that make God the author of evil? Is human will a mirage or a reality?