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Confronting Unwanted Obligations and the Will of God

The concept of confronting unwanted obligations within the framework of God's will involves understanding divine sovereignty, human responsibility, and the nature of moral and circumstantial duties. While individuals may face obligations they do not desire, Christian theology often emphasizes that God's will ultimately prevails and works through various means, even human choices that seem contrary to it [10, 15].

Scripture and theological tradition distinguish between God's prescriptive will (His commands and moral expectations) and His sovereign or decretive will (His ultimate plan that encompasses all events, including those that involve human sin or suffering) [9, 13]. For instance, the Apostle Paul laments, "But if what I don’t desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good" (Romans 7:16). This passage highlights an internal conflict where an individual acknowledges the goodness of God's law even when their actions or desires diverge from it [3]. This tension points to the reality of human free will and the struggle against sin, even as God's overarching purposes remain [12, 16].

Augustine, in On the Holy Trinity, explains that God's will is never defeated, even when intelligent creatures sin and act contrary to His prescriptive will. Instead, God uses the creature's will, even when it opposes Him, as an instrument for carrying out His own will, turning evil to good account [10]. Similarly, in City of God, Augustine states that "wicked men do many things contrary to God's will; but so great is His wisdom and power, that all things which seem adverse to His purpose do still tend towards those just and good ends and issues which He Himself has foreknown" [15]. This perspective suggests that unwanted obligations, or even sinful actions, do not thwart God's ultimate plan but are somehow incorporated into it.

John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, addresses the instrumentality of the wicked, asserting that God employs them while remaining free from any taint of their sin [8]. He clarifies that God's will, though it may appear manifold to human apprehension, does not in itself will opposites [9]. Calvin also distinguishes between God's "will" and His "precept," noting that obeying God's will is not the same as merely executing what God has decreed, especially when it involves sinful actions [13].

Theological discussions also touch on the nature of obligations themselves. Charles Hodge, in his Systematic Theology, discusses how moral obligation is limited by the capacity of the agent. While innate sinful dispositions do not negate moral obligation, the extent of what can be required is bounded by the nature God has given us [11, 14]. This implies that while God may appoint afflictions or allow difficult circumstances [4], He does not willingly send suffering [4] and provides a way for reconciliation through Christ [5].

When facing unwanted obligations, biblical figures often expressed their distress while still acknowledging God's sovereignty. The Psalmist cries out, "Judge me, O God, and strive for my cause against a nation not godly. Deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man" (Psalm 43:1 LITV) [1]. This demonstrates a plea for divine intervention in a difficult situation, recognizing God as the ultimate arbiter. The prophet Balaam, despite his own desires, states, "How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom Yahweh has not defied?" (Numbers 23:8), indicating a recognition that his actions are constrained by God's will [2].

The concept of "overmuch care" about earthly things is discouraged in Scripture, with an emphasis on casting one's cares on God and trusting in His providential goodness [6]. This suggests that while obligations arise, an excessive preoccupation with them, especially those that cause anxiety, can be an obstruction to faith [6]. Instead, believers are encouraged to avoid procrastination in hearkening to God, seeking Him, and keeping His commandments [7].

Sources

  1. Psalms “Psalms 43:1 (LITV) — Judge me, O God, and strive for my cause against a nation not godly. Deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.”
  2. Numbers “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom Yahweh has not defied? -- Numbers 23:8”
  3. Romans “But if what I don’t desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good. -- Romans 7:16”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflictions — God appoints -- 2Ki 6:33; Job 5:6,17; Ps 66:11; Am 3:6; Mic 6:9. God dispenses, as He will -- Job 11:10; Isa 10:15; 45:7. God regulates the measure of -- Ps 80:5; Isa 9:1; Jer 46:28. God determines the continuance of -- Ge 15:13,14; Nu 14:33; Isa 10:25; Jer 29:10. God does not willingly send -- La 3:33. Man is born to -- Job 5:6,7; 14:1. Saints appointed to -- 1Th 3:3. Consequent upon the fall -- Ge 3:16-19. Sin produces -- Job 4:8; 20:11; Pr 1:31. Sin visited with -- 2Sa 12:14; Ps 89:30-32; Isa 57:17; Ac 13:10,11. Often severe -- Job 16:7-16; Ps 42:7; ”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Reconciliation With God — Predicted -- Da 9:24; Isa 53:5. Proclaimed by angels at the birth of Christ -- Lu 2:14. Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances is necessary to -- Eph 2:16; Col 2:14. Effected for men By God in Christ. -- 2Co 5:19. By Christ as High Priest. -- Heb 2:17. By the death of Christ. -- Ro 5:10; Eph 2:16; Col 1:21,22. By the blood of Christ. -- Eph 2:13; Col 1:20. While alienated from God. -- Col 1:21. Without strength. -- Ro 5:6. Yet sinners. -- Ro 5:8. While enemies to God. -- Ro 5:10. The ministry of committed to ministers -- 2Co 5:18,19. Mi”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Care, Overmuch — About earthly things, forbidden -- Mt 6:25; Lu 12:22,29; Joh 6:27. God's providential goodness should keep us from -- Mt 6:26,28,30; Lu 22:35. God's promises should keep us from -- Heb 13:5. Trust in God should free us from -- Jer 17:7,8; Da 3:16. Should be cast on God -- Ps 37:5; 55:22; Pr 16:3; 1Pe 5:7. An obstruction to the Gospel -- Mt 13:22; Lu 8:14; 14:18-20. Be without -- 1Co 7:32; Php 4:6. Unbecoming in saints -- 2Ti 2:4. Uselessness of -- Mt 6:27; Lu 12:25,26. Vanity of -- Ps 39:6; Ec 4:8. Warning against -- Lu 21:34. Sent as a punishment to”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Procrastination — Condemned by Christ -- Lu 9:59-62. Saints avoid -- Ps 27:8; 119:60. To be avoided in Hearkening to God. -- Ps 95:7,8; Heb 3:7,8. Seeking God. -- Isa 55:6. Glorifying God. -- Jer 13:16. Keeping God's commandments. -- Ps 119:60. Making offerings to God. -- Ex 22:29. Performance of vows. -- De 23:21; Ec 5:4. Motives for avoiding The present the accepted time. -- 2Co 6:2. The present the best time. -- Ec 12:1. The uncertainty of life. -- Pr 27:1. Danger of illustrated -- Mt 5:25; Lu 13:25. Exemplified Lot. -- Ge 19:16. Felix. -- Ac 24:25.”
  8. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 34: 198 CHAPTER 18. THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF THE WICKED EMPLOYED BY GOD, WHILE HE CONTINUES FREE FROM EVERY TAINT. 138 138 See Calvin, adv. Libertinos, cap. 15. 16., and Augustin. de Ordine, Lib. 1. and 2., where he admirably discusses the question, Whether the order of Divine Providence includes all good and evil? This last chapter of the First Book consists of three parts: I. It having been said above that God bends all the reprobate, and even Satan himself, at his will, three objections are started. First, that this happens by the per”
  9. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 79: the day unto a rebellious people,” ( Isa. 65:1 ), exerting himself early and late to bring them back. Were they to apply these qualities without regarding the figure, many unnecessary disputes would arise which are quashed by the simple solution, that what is human is here transferred to God. Indeed, the solution which we have given elsewhere (see Book 1, c. 18, sec. 3; and Book 3, c. 20, sec. 43) is amply sufficient—viz. that though to our apprehension the will of God is manifold, yet he does not in himself will opposites, but, ac”
  10. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 100.--THE WILL OF GOD IS NEVER DEFEATED, THOUGH MUCH IS DONE THAT IS CONTRARY TO HIS WILL.: These are the great works of the Lord, sought out according to all His pleasure,(6) and so wisely sought out, that when the intelligent creation, both angelic and human, sinned, doing not His will but their own, He used the very will of the creature which was working in opposition to the Creator's will as an instrument for carrying out His will, the supremely Good thus turning to good account even what is evil, to the condemnation of those whom in His”
  11. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 52: sphere of nature. The inability which thus limits obligation arises out of the limitations which God has imposed on our nature. The principle in question does not apply in the sphere cf morals and religion, when the inability arises not out of the limitation, but out of the moral corruption of our nature. Even in the sphere of religion there is a bound set to obligation by the capacity of the agent. An infant cannot be expected or required to have the measure of holy affections which fills the souls of the just made perfect. It is only wh”
  12. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. II.--THE BLAME OF OUR MISDEEDS NOT TO BE CAST UPON GOD. THE ONE POWER WHICH RESTS WITH MAN IS THE POWER OF VOLITION. (part 1): What moderation, in short, is there in that utterance, "The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away; as seemed (good) to the Lord, so hath it been done!"[10] And accordingly, if we renew nuptials which have been taken away, doubtless we strive against the will of God, willing to have over again a thing which He has not willed us to have. For had He willed (that we should), He would not have taken it away; ”
  13. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 34: to bring good out of evil,” ( Augustin. in Ps. 111:2 ). 4. In the same way is solved, or rather spontaneously vanishes, another objection—viz. If God not only uses the agency of the wicked, but also governs their counsels and affections, he is the author of all their sins; and, therefore, men, in executing what God has decreed, are unjustly condemned, because they are obeying his will. Here will is improperly confounded with precept , though it is obvious, from innumerable examples, that there is the greatest difference between the”
  14. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 50: of sinful dispositions, although those dispositions should be innate and entirely beyond the control of the will. Here it will be seen that the objection is not against the Scriptural evidence of the doctrine that men are born in sin, nor against the testimony of facts to the truth of that doctrine; but it is founded on the difficulty of reconciling the doctrine of innate sin with certain assumed principles as to the nature and grounds of moral obligation. Whether we can refute those principles or not, does not affect the truth of the doc”
  15. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 2.--OF THE ETERNAL AND UNCHANGEABLE WILL OF GOD. (part 1): It is true that wicked men do many things contrary to God's will; but so great is His wisdom and power, that all things which seem adverse to His purpose do still tend towards those just and good ends and issues which He Himself has foreknown. And consequently, when God is said to change His will, as when, e.g., He becomes angry with those to whom He was gentle, it is rather they than He who are changed, and they find Him changed in so far as their experience of suffering”
  16. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 60 [XXXIV.]--THE WILL TO BELIEVE (part 1): IS FROM GOD. Let this discussion suffice, if it satisfactorily meets the question we had to solve. It may be, however, objected in reply, that we must take heed lest some one should suppose that the sin would have to be imputed to God which is committed by free will, if in the passage where it is asked, "What hast thou which thou didst not receive?"(15) the very will by which we believe is reckoned as a gift of God, because it arises out of the free will which we received at our creation. Let the objector”
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