Deuteronomy 8:2, God tests people to know what is in their hearts

by Matt Slick

"And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not," (Deut. 8:2).

The open theist position on this verse is basically that since God does not know the future, He has to test people to see what is in their hearts.  But, there is a problem here because in open theism, God knows all present things exhaustively.  If God is going to test people to see what is in their hearts, then does that mean that God does not know what is already there?  That would make no sense, even in open theism.  If the open theist says that God's test is to discover what will be in their hearts later, then I point them back to the text which does not speak that way.  It speaks of the past.

Deut. 8:2 is an example of anthropomorphism combined with a testing expression; that is, God is speaking in human terms and human ways for the benefit of the people.  In this case it is to reveal to them the quality of their faith before God.

God knows all things (1 John 3:20).  He tests people not to determine that which He does not know, but because God is working within our time frame.  God condescends to teach us and to reveal to us His will.