Intersection of God's Permissive and Decretive Will in Sovereignty
The concept of God's sovereignty encompasses both his decretive will, which determines the course of events, and his permissive will, which allows certain things to happen. According to Reformed tradition, God's decretive will is his eternal, unchangeable purpose that comprehends all things that ever were or will be [1]. This understanding is rooted in biblical passages such as Daniel 4:25, 35 and Romans 9:15-23, which affirm God's absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure [2].
The distinction between God's decretive and permissive will is crucial in understanding his sovereignty. God's decretive will is his sovereign purpose that determines the outcome of events, whereas his permissive will allows certain things to happen without necessarily ordaining them. For instance, Calvin notes that God's will is not to be sought anywhere else than in his word, emphasizing the importance of understanding God's will in light of scripture [4].
Reformed theologians such as Calvin and John Gill have grappled with the complexities of God's sovereignty. Calvin cautions against speculating about God's absolute power apart from his declared will, warning that this can lead to "absurd dotings" [7]. Gill, commenting on Psalm 135:6, notes that God's sovereignty is evident in creation, providence, and grace, where he acts according to his will and pleasure [8].
The apostle Paul's writings, particularly in Romans 9, have been a focal point for discussions on God's sovereignty. Matthew Henry, a Nonconformist/Puritan commentator, interprets Paul's argument as maintaining the absolute sovereignty of God in disposing of the children of men with reference to their eternal state [3]. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, commentators, explain that God's hardening of some individuals is a result of judicially abandoning them to the hardening influence of sin itself [9].
The interplay between God's decretive and permissive will is also reflected in the biblical concept of a divine "counsel" or "decree." John Gill notes that the Scripture "foresees" events and speaks of them beforehand, indicating God's sovereign purpose [5]. This understanding is echoed in Matthew Henry's commentary on Hebrews 9:15, where he describes the gospel as a "testament" that is made valid and effectual by the blood of Christ [6].
The nuances of God's sovereignty continue to be a subject of theological debate. However, according to Reformed tradition, God's sovereignty is characterized by his absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure, as expressed in scripture [2]. This understanding is grounded in the biblical text and has been articulated by various Reformed theologians throughout history.
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Decrees of God — "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition. The several contents of this one eternal purpose are, because of the limitation of our faculties, necessarily conceived of by us in partial aspects, and in logical relations, and are therefore styled Decrees." The decree being the act of an infinite, absolute, eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign Person, compre”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sovereignty — Of God, his absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure (Dan. 4:25, 35; Rom. 9:15-23; 1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 4:11).”
- Romans (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Romans 9:14: The apostle, having asserted the true meaning of the promise, comes here to maintain and prove the absolute sovereignty of God, in disposing of the children of men, with reference to their eternal state. And herein God is to be considered, not as a rector and governor, distributing rewards and punishments according to his revealed laws and covenants, but as an owner and benefactor, giving to the children of men such grace and favour as he has determined in and by his secret and eternal will and counsel: both the favour of visible church-membership and privileges, ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, section 25.2: be a hinderance in the way of their cheerfully making progress, and allowing what had been begun in them to receive an additional polish. But what knowledge does he desire in their behalf? The knowledge of the divine will , by which expression he sets aside all inventions of men, and all speculations that are at variance with the word of God. For his will is not to be sought anywhere else than in his word. He adds — in all wisdom; by which he intimates that the will of God, of which he had made mention, was the onl”
- Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 3:8: And the Scripture foreseeing,.... This seems to agree with the Jewish forms or citing passages of Scripture, , "what does the Scripture foresee?" and , (n) "what does the law foresee?" The Scripture here, by a "prosopopeia", is represented as foreseeing an event that would come to pass, and accordingly spoke of it before hand, and designs God the author of the Scripture; and so the Syriac version renders it, "for seeing" , "that God" foreknew, &c. and means either the Holy Spirit, who searches the deep things of God, is privy to all his counsels and decrees, and to ”
- Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 9:15: In these verses the apostle considers the gospel under the notion of a will or testament, the new or last will and testament of Christ, and shows the necessity and efficacy of the blood of Christ to make this testament valid and effectual. I. The gospel is here considered as a testament, the new and last will and testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is observable that the solemn transactions that pass between God and man are sometimes called a covenant, here a testament. A covenant is an agreement between two or more parties about things that are in”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 22.13: word of the Lord ought to be inseparably joined with his power; for nothing is more preposterous, than to inquire what God can do, to the setting aside of his declared will. In this way the Papists plunge themselves into a profound labyrinth, when they dispute concerning the absolute power of God. Therefore, unless we are willing to be involved in absurd dotings, it is necessary that the word should precede us like a lamp; so that his power and his will may be conjoined by an inseparable bond. This rule the Apostle prescribes to ”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 135:6: Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he,.... In creation, producing into being what creatures he thought fit; in providence, doing according to his will in heaven and in earth; in grace, predestinating men to grace and glory, according to the good pleasure of his will, and calling by his grace whom he pleased: so Christ quickens whom he will; and the Spirit dispenses his gifts and grace severally to men as he pleases. Sovereignty, or acting according to will and pleasure, is peculiar to the Lord; the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars, are at his direction, and act b”
- Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 9:18: Therefore hath he--"So then he hath." The result then is that He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth--by judicially abandoning them to the hardening influence of sin itself (Psa 81:11-12; Rom 1:24, Rom 1:26, Rom 1:28; Heb 3:8, Heb 3:13), and of the surrounding incentives to it (Mat 24:12; Co1 15:38; Th2 2:17). Second objection to the doctrine of Divine Sovereignty:”