Theological Implications of Saying If It Is Gods Will

The phrase "if it is God's will" carries significant theological weight, reflecting beliefs about divine sovereignty, human free will, and the nature of God's interaction with creation. The concept of God's will is foundational in Christian theology, with various aspects articulated in scripture and by theologians.

God's will is understood as both secret and revealed. The "secret decisions of God's will" are His judgments, while the "revelations of his will" are found in His commands and teachings ^[2]. The Bible itself is called the "Word of God" because its writers were God's instruments in communicating His will to humanity, making it infallible and binding ^[3]. Jesus states that those who desire to do God's will will understand His teaching (John 7:17) ^[1].

Theological traditions emphasize that God's will is unchangeable and eternal ^{[5, 14]}. Thomas Aquinas argues that will exists in God just as intellect does, and that God wills not only Himself but also things apart from Himself, acting as the cause of all things by His will ^{[6, 9, 10]}. This divine will is always good, though it can be fulfilled even through the evil will of humans ^[13]. Augustine notes that God's will is sometimes fulfilled through human actions that are contrary to human desires, such as when saints pray for something God does not perform, even though God inspired their prayer ^[5].

The "call of God" is also understood as an expression of His will, extended through Christ, the Spirit, His works, ministers, and the Gospel ^[4]. This call is of grace, according to God's purpose, and is described as high, holy, and heavenly, leading to fellowship with Christ and holiness ^[4].

The expression "if the Lord will" (James 4:15) serves as a reminder of God's ultimate sovereignty over human plans and actions ^[11]. It acknowledges that all events occur according to God's determining will and purpose ^[11]. This perspective also touches on the relationship between divine will and human free will. Augustine, for instance, discusses whether the will to believe is a gift from God or arises from natural free will, concluding that it is a gift, lest humans boast of something not received ^[8]. He further asserts that God works in believers "both to will and to do of His own good pleasure," indicating that even the freedom to act well is a divine gift ^[12]. Tertullian also addresses the idea that "to will and to do are of God," clarifying that this does not imply God wills evil, but rather that the general capacity for willing and doing originates from Him ^[7].

Sources

John “If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God, or if I am speaking from myself. -- John 7:17”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Judgments of God — (1.) The secret decisions of God's will (Ps. 110:5; 36:6). (2.) The revelations of his will (Ex. 21:1; Deut. 6:20; Ps. 119:7-175). (3.) The infliction of punishment on the wicked (Ex. 6:6; 12:12; Ezek. 25:11; Rev. 16:7), such as is mentioned in Gen. 7; 19:24, 25; Judg. 1:6, 7; Acts 5:1-10, etc.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Word of God — (Heb. 4:12, etc.). The Bible so called because the writers of its several books were God's organs in communicating his will to men. It is his "word," because he speaks to us in its sacred pages. Whatever the inspired writers here declare to be true and binding upon us, God declares to be true and binding. This word is infallible, because written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and therefore free from all error of fact or doctrine or precept. (See [670]INSPIRATION; [671]BIBLE.) All saving knowledge is obtained from the word of God. In the case of ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Call of God, The — By Christ -- Isa 55:5; Ro 1:6. By his Spirit -- Re 22:17. By his works -- Ps 19:2,3; Ro 1:20. By his ministers -- Jer 35:15; 2Co 5:20. By his gospel -- 2Th 2:14. Is from darkness -- 1Pe 2:9. Addressed to all -- Isa 45:22; Mt 20:16. Most reject -- Pr 1:24; Mt 20:16. Effectual to saints -- Ps 110:3; Ac 2:47; 13:48; 1Co 1:24. To man is Of grace. -- Ga 1:15; 2Ti 1:9. According to the purpose of God. -- Ro 8:28; 9:11,23,24. High. -- Php 3:14. Holy. -- 1Ti 1:9. Heavenly. -- Heb 3:1. To fellowship with Christ. -- 1Co 1:9. To holiness. -- 1Th 4:7. To liber”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 2.--OF THE ETERNAL AND UNCHANGEABLE WILL OF GOD. (part 2): will, desire many things which never happen. They pray, e.g., for certain individuals--they pray in a pious and holy manner--but what they request He does not perform, though He Himself by His own Holy Spirit has wrought in them this will to pray. And consequently, when the saints, in conformity with God's mind, will and pray that all men be saved, we can use this mode of expression: God wills and does not perform,--meaning that He who causes them to will these things Him”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), The Will of God, Art. 1: Article: Whether there is will in God? I answer that, There is will in God, as there is intellect: since will follows upon intellect. For as natural things have actual existence by their form, so the intellect is actually intelligent by its intelligible form. Now everything has this aptitude towards its natural form, that when it has it not, it tends towards it; and when it has it, it is at rest therein. It is the same with every natural perfection, which is a natural good. This aptitude to good in things without kno”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — FROM THE LATIN.: 19. After this there followed this point, that "to will and to do are of God."[3] Our opponents maintain that if to will be of God, and if to do be of Him, or if, whether we act or desire well or ill, it be of God, then in that case we are not possessed of free-will. Now to this we have to answer, that the words of the apostle do not say that to will evil is of God, or that to will good is of Him; nor that to do good or evil is of God; but his statement is a general one, that to will and to do are of God. For as we ”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 57 [XXXIII.]--WHENCE COMES THE WILL: TO BELIEVE ? But it remains for us briefly to inquire, Whether the will by which we believe be itself the gift of God, or whether it arise from that free will which is naturally implanted in us ? If we say that it is not the gift of God, we must 109 then incur the fear of supposing that we have discovered some answer to the apostle's reproachful appeal: "What hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it ?"(1)--even some such an answe”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), The Will of God, Art. 2: Article: Whether God wills things apart from Himself? I answer that, God wills not only Himself, but other things apart from Himself. This is clear from the comparison which we made above (Article [1]). For natural things have a natural inclination not only towards their own proper good, to acquire it if not possessed, and, if possessed, to rest therein; but also to spread abroad their own good amongst others, so far as possible. Hence we see that every agent, in so far as it is perfect and in act, produces its like. ”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), The Will of God, Art. 4: Article: Whether the will of God is the cause of things? I answer that, We must hold that the will of God is the cause of things; and that He acts by the will, and not, as some have supposed, by a necessity of His nature. This can be shown in three ways: First, from the order itself of active causes. Since both intellect and nature act for an end, as proved in Phys. ii, 49, the natural agent must have the end and the necessary means predetermined for it by some higher intellect; as the end and definite movement is pre”
James (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on James 4:15: For that ye ought to say,.... Instead of saying we will go to such and such a place, and do this, and that, and the other thing, it should be said, if the Lord will, and we shall live, and do this and that; the last "and" is left out in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions; and the passage rendered thus, "if the Lord will, and we shall live, we will do this": so that here are two conditions of doing anything; the one is, if it should be agreeable to the determining will and purpose of God, by which everything in the world comes to pass, and into w”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 32.--THE FREEDOM OF THE WILL IS ALSO THE GIFT OF GOD, FOR GOD WORKETH IN US BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO. (part 1): And further, should any one be inclined to boast, not indeed of his works, but of the freedom of his will, as if the first merit belonged to him, this very liberty of good action being given to him as a reward he had earned, let him listen to this same preacher of grace, when he says: "For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of His own good pleasure;"(4) and in another place: "So, then, it is not of him that willet”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 101.--THE WILL OF GOD, WHICH IS ALWAYS GOOD, IS SOMETIMES FULFILLED THROUGH THE EVIL WILL OF MAN.: Sometimes, however, a man in the goodness of his will desires something that God does not desire, even though God's will is also good, nay, much more fully and more surely good (for His will never can be evil): for example, if a good son is anxious that his father should live, when it is God's good will that he should die. Again, it is possible for a man with evil will to desire what God wills in His goodness: for example, if a bad son wishes h”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), The Will of God, Art. 7: Article: Whether the will of God is changeable? I answer that, The will of God is entirely unchangeable. On this point we must consider that to change the will is one thing; to will that certain things should be changed is another. It is possible to will a thing to be done now, and its contrary afterwards; and yet for the will to remain permanently the same: whereas the will would be changed, if one should begin to will what before he had not willed; or cease to will what he had willed before. This cannot happen, unle”

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