What does it mean that God is omniscient?
What Does It Mean That God Is Omniscient?
A Graduate-Level Study in the Knowledge of God
The omniscience of God is one of His incommunicable attributes and refers to His perfect, eternal, and exhaustive knowledge of all things—actual and possible. The word “omniscience” comes from the Latin omni meaning "all" and scientia meaning "knowledge." Therefore, omniscience means “all-knowing.”
This attribute is essential to God's sovereignty, immutability, omnibenevolence, and justice, for He could not rule all things righteously unless He knew all things perfectly. The doctrine of God’s omniscience holds profound implications for theology proper, Christology, providence, and Christian living.
1. God Knows All Things—Fully, Instantly, and Eternally
First John chapter 3, verse 20 affirms:
"For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things."
God’s knowledge encompasses the past, present, and future without any need for discovery, process, or learning. His knowledge is not acquired—it is innate, eternal, and immediate.
Jesus taught that even the most mundane details of the created order are under God's knowing care:
Matthew chapter 10, verses 29 through 30 says:
"Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered."
Nothing escapes His sight—not even the smallest atom or the most fleeting thought. As Psalm chapter 139, verse 4 says:
"For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether."
And further in verses 1 through 3:
"O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways."
God’s omniscience includes not only what is but also what could have been—He knows all contingencies and possibilities. As the only eternal and infinite being, His knowledge is not subject to growth or change, unlike the knowledge of His creatures.
2. God’s Omniscience Extends to the Heart and Intentions of All
First Kings chapter 8, verse 39 says:
"Then hear in heaven Your dwelling place and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know—for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men."
God not only knows what is observable; He knows what is hidden within the heart. He sees motives, desires, and secret intentions.
This is an important aspect of divine justice. Jeremiah chapter 17, verse 10 adds:
"I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings."
3. Jesus Christ as Omniscient God
Although the Son of God humbled Himself and assumed human nature (Philippians chapter 2, verses 6 through 8), the Scriptures still affirm that He retained His divine omniscience.
The early disciples recognized this. In Acts chapter 1, verse 24, they prayed:
"You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen."
The Lord Jesus demonstrated omniscience during His earthly ministry:
Matthew chapter 9, verse 4: "But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, 'Why do you think evil in your hearts?'"
John chapter 4, verse 18: "For you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly."
John chapter 11, verses 11 through 14: "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up... Then Jesus said to them plainly, 'Lazarus is dead.'"
John chapter 1, verses 47 through 48: "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" Nathanael said to Him, 'How do You know me?' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.'"
Even when Jesus expressed ignorance of the day or hour of His return (Matthew chapter 24, verses 36), this was a voluntary limitation consistent with His self-emptying during the incarnation (Philippians chapter 2, verse 7), not a denial of His divine nature.
4. God’s Omniscience in Election and Redemption
God’s foreknowledge is more than mere foresight—it is intimately tied to His redemptive purposes.
Ephesians chapter 1, verses 4 through 6 says:
"Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved."
Romans chapter 8, verse 29 says:
"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son..."
God knew us before we were, loved us while we were yet sinners, and secured our redemption in Christ from eternity past.
5. Implications for the Believer
Trust: If God knows all things, including our needs, pain, and future, we can trust Him completely.
Prayer: We do not inform God in prayer; we align with His will. Matthew chapter 6, verse 8 reminds us: "For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him."
Comfort: No suffering or injustice is hidden from Him. He will vindicate all righteousness.
Accountability: Nothing is hidden. God knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts. This should instill holy fear and integrity.
6. Eternal Wonder and Worship
Though we will be glorified and perfected in the life to come, we will never fully comprehend the mind of God. His omniscience will forever inspire worship.
Romans chapter 11, verse 33 says:
"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!"
And so we say with David in Psalm chapter 139, verse 6:
"Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it."
Conclusion: The Omniscient God Is Our Refuge and Lord
To say God is omniscient is to affirm that there is nothing He does not know, nothing that surprises Him, and nothing outside His perfect understanding. In Christ, the omniscient God has drawn near. He knew our sin, yet He came anyway.
Hebrews chapter 4, verse 13 reminds us:
"And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."
Let us then draw near to the One who knows us better than we know ourselves and yet loves us with an everlasting love.
