Priori knowledge is a philosophical idea and has no scriptural endorsement

Priori knowledge is a philosophical idea and has no scriptural endorsement

STATEMENT:

Jeremiah 1:1–6 mentions our life before our human birth. We were made with the knowledge of right and wrong, kindness and cruelty. In old language, this was called a priori knowledge. Socrates in Plattos Dialog, Phaedo, explains our pre-birth knowledge as remembering concepts such as empathy, beauty, loyalty, honesty, courage. It's a vital discourse one must read.

RESPONSE:

I’m not sure how you obtain “knowledge of our life before birth” from Jer.1:1-6.

Jer 1:5  Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

The verse indicates that it is the Lord who knew Jeremiah before his birth and separated him for a purpose and office. Jeremiah knew nothing before or directly after his birth. A newly born baby is a blank slate mentally. Furthermore, at the right time, Jeremiah was eventually called and separated unto a prophet’s office by the Lord’s will. Priori knowledge is a philosophical idea and has no scriptural endorsement. On the other hand, the Word repeatedly confirms that both knowledge and wisdom are obtained by the fear of the Lord, by seeking and studying His words, and by inclining one’s ear to truth.

I say the following in respect, even though it is biased, but when it comes to comparing Socrates and Phaedo with the word of God, there is no comparison. Philosophy ends in vanity, but the words of God are truth and eternal.

Those qualities you mention are wonderful, but it does nothing to overcome the sin nature of man. It is the word of God that regenerates the heart of men and places in us the nature of His Son. It is from this spiritual source that we produce the qualities of true empathy, love, joy, righteousness, peace, kindness, and goodness, Gal.5:22-23. These qualities are not generated by our own mind and efforts, but by the Holy Spirit within us, who reveals God’s Word to us and helps us in our understanding of it and in our obedience to it.