If God knows all things, why does He have to search the heart?
Question
If God knows all things, why does He have to search the heart?
Answer
Craigslist advertises that it "provides local classifieds and forums for jobs, housing, for sale, personals, services, local community, and events." It is a powerful search engine. God's search engine is more powerful than Craigslist, Goggle, or a host of other engines. God "knoweth the secrets of the heart" (Ps 44:21). Though God at times is said to search our hearts (Ps. 139:1, 23; Prov. 20:27; Jer. 17:10, etc.), God ALREADY knows the heart of all (Ps. 139:2-6; Isaiah 40:13-14). When the Bible says that God is searching the heart, it is a way of expressing that He knows the past, present, and future of one's heart — not that He has to search for something as if it has been lost or otherwise unknown. God knows what has, is, and will happen at Craigslist — and also your very heart.
God's knowledge is infinite (Ps. 147:5); eternal (Acts 15:18; Is. 46:10); universal, extending to all persons, times, places and things (Heb. 4:13); and perfect, relating to what is past, present and to come. He knows all, infallibly and perpetually (Jer. 10:6,7; Rom. 11:33).
Answer by: Joseph R. Nally, Theological Editor, on behalf of the staff at IIIM. The opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily the "official position" of Third Millennium Ministries.