What God’s Knowledge Is Not

What God’s Knowledge Is Not

In this month’s article, I want to explore what God’s knowledge is not. By focusing on what God’s knowledge excludes, we can better contrast His knowledge with the way we acquire knowledge and the severe limits of our own. In this article, we will examine what it means for God to possess one, perfect knowledge. We will see why God can neither learn anything nor be taught. We will also be confronted with the reality that His knowledge is neither limited, incomplete, nor temporary.

God Has One Knowledge

When you hear the word “omniscient,” you may not immediately know its meaning. Omni- means “all” or “one,” and scient- comes from the Latin for “knowledge.” God has one knowledge. Practically speaking, this means God knows everything. There is not one blade of grass or one star in the universe that He does not know intimately — down to the very cells that form and structure it. God possesses perfect knowledge of everything that exists or will ever exist. Because He has one knowledge, He has known all things for all eternity.

If this is true, then God can never learn anything new. Contrast this with human knowledge: everything we know comes to us either through learning or through divine revelation from this eternal God. God, however, has never learned anything — and that is one of the key ways we humans gain knowledge - by His revelation.

This is what it means for God to be infinite — unlimited in His very nature. Just as God is all-powerful, He is all-knowing. In the verse below, we see that all three persons of the Trinity share this perfect knowledge as part of their divine essence (Godness), while still possessing distinct personhood:

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

In His personhood, we sometimes see the Son voluntarily limiting the expression of His infinite knowledge during His earthly ministry. For example:

“Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped…” (Philippians 2:6)

This refers to the Son’s personhood rather than His divine essence. This is what it means for the God-Man to be truly God and truly man — possessing two natures. In His humanity, He was willing to lay aside the full exercise of certain divine attributes in order to truly experience life as a human being.

Now, returning to God’s omniscience: If He knows all things, it logically follows that God cannot learn anything.

He Cannot Learn Anything

If God already knows all things, then He cannot learn anything new. This truth powerfully demonstrates that God is not like us. Learning is a central part of what it means to be human — image bearers of God. For God, however, learning is unnecessary. He is a perfect listener who understands on a level no creature ever could. Far from being distant, cold, or calloused, He is intimately engaged with all His creation.

Because God is omniscient, His knowledge is also not limited.

His Knowledge Is Not Limited

No one and nothing can ever limit God — especially in His knowledge. We are limited creatures, restricted in energy, time, and mental capacity. This sharp contrast highlights how vastly different the one true living God is from us. His knowledge is not limited because He never runs out of energy, He exists outside of time, and His capacity to comprehend is infinite.

“But you remain the same, and your years will never end.” (Psalm 102:27)

How Do We Understand Passages About God “Changing His Mind”?

Some may wonder how to reconcile God’s unchanging nature with passages that describe Him repenting or changing His mind. Muslim apologists, in particular, often point to verses like this:

“So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.” (Exodus 32:14)

How should we rightly understand this text? First, we must recognize that this passage is primarily about Moses’ intercession on behalf of a rebellious and sinful people. Nevertheless, the text does say that God “changed His mind.”

I know what you may be thinking: “But you said God does not change — He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” That remains true. The best way to understand this is through an illustration:

Imagine I am a college professor and my daughter is taking one of my classes. A young man in the class begins dating her, and they eventually marry. He is now known to me not only as my student but also as my son-in-law.

What changed? Not my nature or character — only our relationship. He is now my son-in-law. In the same way, in Exodus 32, God did not change in His nature or character. Instead, He changed in His relationship toward Israel: He extended mercy instead of justice in response to Moses’ intercession. This highlights the importance of intercession for a rebellious people. The ultimate picture of such intercession is found in Jesus Christ.

God did not change in His essence; He changed in His relational response to His people.

His Knowledge Is Not Incomplete

Not only does God possess one perfect knowledge and cannot learn anything new, but His knowledge is also not limited or incomplete. There are no gaps in God’s knowledge. We humans reason, receive new information, and often change our minds. God is the opposite. He needs no time to process information. He never needs to “sleep on it.” He knows all things completely and without any misunderstanding.

Some might point back to the Exodus passage and argue that God “changing His mind” implies incomplete knowledge. But two realities are happening at once: God’s unchanging nature and the unfolding of His relationship with people in time. God was teaching us through this relational shift the vital need for an intercessor. He knew from eternity that this moment would occur for the benefit of His people. There was no gap in His knowledge. When Moses interceded, God did not respond as if He had forgotten what He had done for Israel in Egypt. That is not the case at all.

God’s knowledge is complete in every way. There is no second-guessing or uncertainty. He always acts from perfect, complete knowledge of every situation.

His Knowledge Is Not Temporary

As we age, we sometimes forget things. We have to re-memorize Bible verses we once knew well. This reminds us that we are fragile, broken human beings. Our ability to retain information is limited and fading. Our knowledge is temporary and constantly needs refreshing — or even complete relearning.

In stark contrast, our Creator never forgets. His knowledge never fades.

“For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6)

Because God does not change in His nature, it is impossible for His knowledge to be temporary. His knowledge contains no gaps that need to be filled as history unfolds, because He exists outside of time and space. He is not limited by any inability to know. It is impossible for Him to learn anything because He already knows all things perfectly.

This kind of knowledge belongs to only one Being — the one true and living God revealed in the Bible. Because of His gracious revelation, we can truly know Him and understand our purpose and meaning in life.

Until next month, when we explore the omnipresence of God, go out and boldly share the Gospel so that lives may be transformed.