God's Permissive Will in Theological Context
God's Permissive Will in Theological Context
The concept of God's permissive will is rooted in biblical teachings and has been explored by various Christian traditions. The idea is closely tied to the understanding of God's sovereignty and providence. In essence, God's permissive will refers to God's allowance or permission for certain events or actions to occur, rather than His direct causation of them [4].
The biblical basis for this concept can be seen in several passages. For instance, in Psalms 59:10, it is written, "My merciful God will prevent me: God will let me see my desire upon mine enemies" [1]. This verse suggests that God's will is not always directly causal but can be permissive, allowing certain outcomes. Another relevant passage is 1 Peter 2:15, which states, "For the will of God is as follows: by doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people" [2]. This indicates that doing good is part of God's will, but it does not directly address the permissive aspect.
The concept of God's will is multifaceted, encompassing both His sovereign decree and His permissive allowance. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, "The doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the 'secret things' of God" [3]. This highlights the complexity of understanding God's will, including its permissive aspect.
In the Baptist/Reformed tradition, John Gill interprets God's will in the context of His sovereign purposes. For example, on Hebrews 6:16, Gill notes that God's will is immutable and is related to His counsel concerning the salvation of His people through Jesus Christ [5]. This understanding underscores the idea that God's will is not limited to permissive allowance but is also actively engaged in the salvation of humanity.
The Presbyterian tradition, as represented by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, also explores the nuances of God's will. In their commentary on 1 Timothy 1, they discuss Paul's commission "by the commandment of God," highlighting the authoritative nature of God's will [6]. This authoritative aspect is crucial in understanding the interplay between God's sovereign will and His permissive will.
The distinction between God's decretive will (what He decrees to happen) and His permissive will (what He allows to happen) is significant in theological discussions. While God's decretive will is directly related to His sovereign purposes, His permissive will acknowledges human freedom and the complexities of divine providence [4].
Sources
- Psalms “Psalms 59:10 (Geneva1599) — My mercifull God will preuent me: God wil let me see my desire vpon mine enemies.”
- I Peter “I Peter 2:15 (LEB) — For the will of God is as follows: by doing good to silence the ignorance of foolish people.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Predestination — This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom. 8:29, 30; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events. This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guid”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Providence — Literally means foresight, but is generally used to denote God's preserving and governing all things by means of second causes (Ps. 18:35; 63:8; Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3). God's providence extends to the natural world (Ps. 104:14; 135:5-7; Acts 14:17), the brute creation (Ps. 104:21-29; Matt. 6:26; 10:29), and the affairs of men (1 Chr. 16:31; Ps. 47:7; Prov. 21:1; Job 12:23; Dan. 2:21; 4:25), and of individuals (1 Sam. 2:6; Ps. 18:30; Luke 1:53; James 4:13-15). It extends also to the free actions of men (Ex. 12:36; 1 Sam. 24:9-15; Ps. 33:14, 15; ”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 6:16: Wherein God, willing,.... Or "wherefore", as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions render it; that is, whereas an oath is used among men to confirm anything that might be doubted; therefore God, in condescension to the weakness of men, made use of one; being very desirous and determined, more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel; by which is meant, not the Gospel nor the ordinances of it, though these are sometimes called the counsel of God; but the decree of God, concerning the salvation of his people by Jesus Christ, which is im”
- 1 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Timothy 1 (introduction): ADDRESS: PAUL'S DESIGN IN HAVING LEFT TIMOTHY AT EPHESUS, NAMELY, TO CHECK FALSE TEACHERS; TRUE USE OF THE LAW; HARMONIZING WITH THE GOSPEL; GOD'S GRACE IN CALLING PAUL, ONCE A BLASPHEMER, TO EXPERIENCE AND TO PREACH IT; CHARGES TO TIMOTHY. (1Ti. 1:1-20) by the commandment of God--the authoritative injunction, as well as the commission, of God. In the earlier Epistles the phrase is, "by the will of God." Here it is expressed in a manner implying that a necessity was laid on him to act as an apostle, not that it was merely at his option.”