Perseverance of God's Sovereign Will in Theology
Perseverance of God's Sovereign Will in Theology
The perseverance of God's sovereign will is a theological concept that underscores God's unwavering commitment to fulfilling His purposes and promises. This doctrine is rooted in biblical teachings that emphasize God's faithfulness, love, and righteousness [2, 3, 4].
The biblical anchor for this concept is found in various passages that highlight God's enduring nature and His commitment to His people. For instance, Psalm 119:142 states that "Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is the truth" [4]. Similarly, in Lamentations 3:23, it is written, "Great is Thy faithfulness" [2]. These passages demonstrate God's unchanging character and His determination to see His purposes through to completion.
The perseverance of God's sovereign will is closely tied to the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. This doctrine asserts that those whom God has chosen and justified will certainly persevere in their faith and attain everlasting life [1]. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, this doctrine is supported by passages such as John 10:28-29, Romans 11:29, and Philippians 1:6, which emphasize God's immutable decrees and the provisions of the covenant of grace [1].
Different Christian traditions have articulated this concept in various ways. The Reformed tradition, as represented by Calvin and Charles Hodge, emphasizes that the perseverance of the saints is due to God's sovereign grace and faithfulness, rather than human effort or merit [5, 6]. In contrast, the Catholic tradition, as expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, acknowledges that while God's grace is necessary for perseverance, human cooperation and free will also play a role [8].
The Patristic tradition, as seen in the writings of Augustine, highlights the importance of God's gift of perseverance, which enables believers to endure until the end [7]. Similarly, the Anglican tradition, as represented by the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, emphasizes the need to receive God's promises in the manner in which they are set forth in Scripture and to follow God's will as declared in the Word of God [9].
The Jewish tradition, as reflected in the Babylonian Talmud, also acknowledges God's long-suffering nature, which is characterized by patience and delay in both rewarding the righteous and punishing the wicked [10].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Perseverance of the saints — Their certain continuance in a state of grace. Once justified and regenerated, the believer can neither totally nor finally fall away from grace, but will certainly persevere therein and attain everlasting life. This doctrine is clearly taught in these passages, John 10:28, 29; Rom. 11:29; Phil. 1:6; 1 Pet. 1:5. It, moreover, follows from a consideration of (1) the immutability of the divine decrees (Jer. 31:3; Matt. 24:22-24; Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:30); (2) the provisions of the covenant of grace (Jer. 32:40; John 10:29; 17:2-6); (3) the ato”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Faithfulness of God, The — Is part of his character -- Isa 49:7; 1Co 1:9; 1Th 5:24. Declared to be Great. -- La 3:23. Established. -- Ps 89:2. Incomparable. -- Ps 89:8. Unfailing. -- Ps 89:33; 2Ti 2:13. Infinite. -- Ps 36:5. Everlasting. -- Ps 119:90; 146:6. Should be pleaded in prayer -- Ps 143:1. Should be proclaimed -- Ps 40:10; 89:1. Manifested In his counsels. -- Isa 25:1. In afflicting his saints. -- Ps 119:75. In fulfilling his promises. -- 1Ki 8:20; Ps 132:11; Mic 7:20; Heb 10:23. In keeping his covenant. -- De 7:9; Ps 111:5. In executing his judgments. -- Je”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love of God, The — Is a part of his character -- 2Co 13:11; 1Jo 4:8. Christ, the especial object of -- Joh 15:9; 17:26. Christ abides in -- Joh 15:10. Described as Sovereign. -- De 7:8; 10:15. Great. -- Eph 2:4. Abiding. -- Zep 3:17. Unfailing. -- Isa 49:15,16. Unalienable. -- Ro 8:39. Constraining. -- Ho 11:4. Everlasting. -- Jer 31:3. Irrespective of merit -- De 7:7; Job 7:17. Manifested towards Perishing sinners. -- Joh 3:16; Tit 3:4. His saints. -- Joh 16:27; 17:23; 2Th 2:16; 1Jo 4:16. The destitute. -- De 10:18. The cheerful giver. -- 2Co 9:7. Exhibited in The g”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness of God, The — Is part of his character -- Ps 7:9; 116:5; 119:137. Described as Very high. -- Ps 71:19. Abundant. -- Ps 48:10. Beyond computation. -- Ps 71:15. Everlasting. -- Ps 119:142. Enduring for ever. -- Ps 111:3. The habitation of his throne. -- Ps 97:2. Christ acknowledged -- Joh 17:25. Christ committed his cause to -- 1Pe 2:23. Angels acknowledge -- Re 16:5. Exhibited in His testimonies. -- Ps 119:138,144. His commandments. -- De 4:8; Ps 119:172. His judgments. -- Ps 19:9; 119:7,62. His word. -- Ps 119:123. His ways. -- Ps 145:17. His acts. -- J”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, section 5.3: And would that this were present to the mind of all that are called to make a confession of their faith, that they have been chosen by Christ to be as advocates to plead his cause! For were they sustained by such consolation they would be more courageous than to be so easily turned aside into a perfidious revolt. 44 44 “ Ils seroyent si constans et fermes, qu’ils ne pourroyent estre aiseement induits a se reuolter laschement et desloyaument ;” — “They would be so steadfast and firm, that they could not be easily ind”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 16: nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” It will be seen that the Apostle does not rest the perseverance of the saints on the indestructible nature of faith, or on the imperishable nature of the principle of grace in the heart, or on the constancy of the believer’s will, but solely on what is out of ourselves. Perseverance, he teaches us, is due to the pu”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 38.--WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE GIFT OF PERSEVERANCE THAT IS NOW GIVEN TO THE SAINTS. (part 1): And thus God willed that His saints should not--even concerning perseverance in goodness itself--glory in their own strength, but in Himself, who not only gives them aid such as He gave to the first man, without which they cannot persevere if they will, but causes in them also the will; that since they will not persevere unless they both can and will, both the capability anti the will to persevere should be bestowed on them by the liberality of divine gr”
- Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catholic) “Catechism of the Catholic Church, CHAPTER THREE (part 6): anyone obtain eternal life 'But he who endures to the end.'"] Perseverance in faith 162 Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to man. We can lose this priceless gift, as St. Paul indicated to St. Timothy: "Wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith."44 To live, grow and persevere in the faith until the end we must nourish it with the word of God; we must beg the Lord to increase our faith;45 it must be "working through charity," aboundin”
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Section 243: Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise, as they be generally set forth to us in holy Scripture: and, in our doings, that Will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the Word of God.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Eruvin 22a.7: What this means is that God is long-suffering in two ways: He is long-suffering toward the righteous, i.e., He delays payment of their reward; and He is also long-suffering toward the wicked, i.e., He does not punish them immediately.”