Part 1: https://universalistheretic.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-bible-on-free-will-theological.html
In the first post of this series, we looked at the scriptural evidence for theological determinism, the view that all events which take place (including human choice) are predestined by God. According to the Bible, God “works all things in accordance with the purpose of His will” (Eph. 1:11) and individually fashions “the heart” and “all the deeds” of “all the inhabitants of the earth” (Ps. 33:14-15), as well as “giving to everyone... everything” (Acts 17:25), which necessarily includes thoughts, desires, feelings, etc. Along with many other passages that teach the same thing, these show that humans do not have a true libertarian free will, but choose and act in accordance with the sovereign will of God.
But how could it be possible that God is in control of all the choices and actions of humans? Wouldn’t this mean that His sovereign will somehow contradicts the commandments that He also gives? This view, that God can command one thing while ordaining the opposite action, has been ridiculed as making God out to be a liar and a hypocrite. However, though it may be confusing, scripture is indeed very clear that God in some way has two ‘wills’ which can conflict and even contradict one another. In this post, we’ll look at the evidence for these two differing ‘wills’ of God, as well as the problems that come along with it.
The preceptive and providential wills of God
Throughout the Bible, we are repeatedly told of the “will of God.” This phrase is consistently used in two different ways, which, though they are never explicitly differentiated, are nevertheless clearly distinct. The first way in which the “will of God” is spoken of is referring to the precepts or commandments of God - this can be called God’s “preceptive will.” This will comprises the standard which God expects humans to live by, and is summed up in the two commandments, “Love the Lord your God” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37-40; Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 5:14; Jas. 2:8). For examples of this ‘will,’ see the following passages:
“Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will go in to the kingdom of the heavens, but the [one] doing the will of my Father in the heavens.” (Matt. 7:21)
“For whoever may do the will of my Father in the heavens, he is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matt. 12:50)
“We know that God does not hear sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.” (Jn. 9:31)
And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of the mind, for you to test what is the will of God, the good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom. 12:2)
Do not be foolish, but understand what [is] the will of the Lord. (Eph. 5:17)
For this is the will of God, your sanctification... (1 Thess. 4:3)
In everything give thanks, for this [is] the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thess. 5:18)
In each of these passages, the “will of God” is presented as an ideal which is “good and acceptable and perfect,” a standard of precepts (to love God and neighbor) which can be either obeyed or disobeyed. People go against this ‘will’ all the time. Indeed, that is what sin is: a failure to follow the precepts of God (1 Jn. 3:4 cf. 5:17).
However, there is another way which the “will of God” is spoken of throughout scripture, as referring to the sovereign or providential will of God which absolutely cannot be violated. If something is part of God’s providential will, it is certain to come to pass. For examples of this ‘will’ being spoken of in the Bible, see the following passages:
But He is unique and who can turn Him back? For what His soul desires [LXX: thelo, “wills”], that He does. For He performs what is appointed for me, and many such decrees are with Him. (Job 23:13-14)
I know that You can do all things, that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. (Job 42:2)
[God is] saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My purpose.” (Isa. 46:10)
For I, Yahweh, speak, and whatever word I speak will come to pass. (Ezek. 12:25)
You will say to me, then, “Why does He still blame? For who has withstood His purpose?” Rather, who are you, O man, contradicting God? Will the formed thing say to the [One] having formed [it], “Why did you make me thus?” (Rom. 9:19-20)
According to all of these passages, the “will” (thelema) or “purpose” (boulema) of God is unable to be thwarted; it is always fulfilled, no matter if the inhabitants of the heavens or the earth try to resist it (Dan. 4:35). This cannot be the same as the first “will of God” described above, which is possible to be thwarted (and indeed is thwarted all the time). Thus, there must be two senses in which God can be said to “will” something: either in a preceptive sense, which can be resisted, or in a providential sense (by which He works “all things;” Eph. 1:11) which cannot be resisted.
For examples of God’s providential will in action, see the following passages:
For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that I incessantly make mention of you always, imploring in my prayers if somehow, by the will of God, I will prosper to come to you. (Rom. 1:9-10)
Yet I will come soon to you, if the Lord may will... (1 Cor. 4:19)
Yet now, God placed each one of the members in the body as He willed. (1 Cor. 12:18)
...having made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He predestined in him for [the] administration of the fullness of the seasons, to head up the all things in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth, in him, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of the [One] working the all things according to the purpose of His will. (Eph. 1:9-11)
Instead you [should] say, “If the Lord may will, we will live and we will do this or that.” (Jas. 4:15)
For [it is] better to suffer doing good, if the will of God might will [it], than doing evil... (1 Pet. 3:17)
You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because You created all things, and because of Your will they existed and were created. (Rev. 4:11)
This providential will of God, in contrast to the preceptive will of God, can never be thwarted. It controls absolutely everything (Eph. 1:11), from salvation (1 Cor. 12:18) to the success or failure of human plans (Jas. 4:15). Furthermore, unlike the preceptive will of God (which is known from passages like Matt. 22:37-40), the providential will of God cannot be known until it has come to pass, unless God chooses to reveal it in prophecy. Once God has revealed His providential will for the future via prophecy, He makes sure that it comes to pass (for example, see Matt. 26:54; Lk. 24:44; Acts 1:16; 3:18; Rev. 17:16-17).
When the ‘two wills’ conflict
However, the providential will of God does not always coincide with the preceptive will of God. Indeed, all sin (which is a violation of God’s precepts) is part of God’s sovereign plan. As Peter states in the passage quoted above, even the persecution of believers is ultimately part of the providential will of God (1 Pet. 3:17 cf. Php. 1:29). And although God exhorts “all people everywhere to repent” according to His preceptive will (Acts 17:30), we know that all unbelief is nevertheless appointed by God in His providential will (Rom. 11:32; 1 Pet. 2:8).
Although some object to this view that God allows, and indeed directly causes, all sin, this is undeniably taught all throughout the Bible. Even in the very first chapters of Genesis, we are told of God’s control over whether one sins:
And God said to [Abimelech] in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. I also kept you from sinning against Me, therefore I did not let you touch her.” (Gen. 20:6)
According to this passage, God has the ability to prevent a person from sinning against Him. This means that the inverse is necessarily also true; for an omniscient God such as Yahweh, who is apparently able prevent sin, a failure to prevent someone from sinning would be tantamount to a conscious decision to cause that person to sin. For this reason, any time that anyone sins, it must be in accordance with the providential will of God - otherwise, He would simply prevent that sin from occurring.
In line with this assessment, there are many times in the Bible where it is made clear that a certain sin was brought about by Yahweh for a specific purpose. This essentially constitutes a contradiction between God’s preceptive and providential ‘wills.’ See the following examples of contradictions between God’s commandments and the events which He has ordained:
“For [the Israelites] are My servants... they shall not be sold as slaves.” (Lev. 25:42)
And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. But now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life... So now it was not you who sent me here, but God... you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” (Gen. 45:5, 8, 50:20)
And He summoned a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread. He sent before them a man, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. (Ps. 105:16-17)
The selling of Joseph into slavery was unequivocally an evil and sinful action, provoked by hate and jealousy against a brother (Gen. 37:4, 8, 11 cf. Matt. 5:21-22). Furthermore, it went against the precept that God later revealed against selling a fellow Israelite into slavery. However, in a turn of events, Joseph later reveals to his brothers that his being sold into slavery was ultimately caused by God, for the purpose of averting the disastrous consequences of a famine. Indeed, according to the Psalmist, both the famine and Joseph’s enslavement were caused by God! This is a clear example of God’s providential will going against His preceptive will.
And Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning, and stand before the pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go that they may serve Me.”’” (Exod. 9:13)
And the heart of the pharaoh was hardened, and he would not let the sons of Israel go, as Yahweh had commanded by Moses. And Yahweh said to Moses, “Go in to the pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him.“ (Exod. 10:1 cf. Rom. 9:17)
We are first told that Yahweh commanded the pharaoh to let the people of Israel leave and serve Him. Yet at the beginning of the very next chapter, Yahweh states that He has hardened the heart of the pharaoh to prevent him from following His commandment. This is another clear contradiction between the providential and preceptive wills of God.
“Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you.” (Exod. 20:12)
So he said to them, “Why do you do these things? For I hear of all your evil dealings from all these people”... Yet they did not heed the voice of their father, because Yahweh desired to kill them. (1 Sam. 2:23, 25)
In the first passage, God commands the Israelites to honor their parents. Yet in the second passage, we are told that He caused Eli’s sons to ignore their father’s warning, which led to the continuation of their “evil dealings,” precisely because He desired to kill them. This is yet another example of God’s providential will contradicting His preceptive will.
“Do not make marriages with [uncircumcised Canaanites]. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. For they will turn away your sons from following Me to serve other gods, and the anger of Yahweh will be aroused against you and suddenly destroy you.” (Deut. 7:3-4)
Yet [Samson’s] father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your brothers, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” Yet Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me.” But his father and mother did not know that this was from Yahweh, for He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. (Judg. 14:3-4)
In the second passage, we read that God caused Samson to take a wife from among the uncircumcised Philistines, against the better judgment of his parents. However, this clearly goes against the commandment not to marry uncircumcised Canaanites, as well as the injunction to honor one’s father and mother (Exod. 20:12). Thus, this is another instance in which God’s providential will contradicted His preceptive will.
And again the anger of Yahweh was aroused against Israel, and He moved David to say to them, “Go, number Israel and Judah”... And David’s heart condemned him in what he had done. And David said to Yahweh, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done.” (2 Sam. 24:1, 10)
This passage is especially interesting, because not only are we told that Yahweh caused David to commit a “great sin,” but in the parallel passage from 1 Chronicles (21:1), we are told that it was the Adversary (Satan) who caused David to sin! This shows that God is, in some way, the ultimate cause of the Adversary’s evil actions. For other passages that demonstrate God’s sovereign control over the Adversary, and the fact that He uses his evil actions for good, see Job 1:6-11 (cf. vv. 20-22); 2:1-8 (cf. v. 10); Lk. 22:31-32; 1 Cor. 5:5; and 2 Cor. 12:7-9.
“You shall not murder.” (Exod. 20:13)
And a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you”... While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you”... Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. Yahweh gave and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be the name of Yahweh.” Through all this Job did not sin nor did he wrongly charge God. (Job 1:14-15, 17, 20-22)
In the second passage, Job attributes the murder of his servants by the Sabeans and Chaldeans to the work of God, and we are told that he did not “wrongly charge God.” Yet the actions of the Sabeans and Chaldeans were without question sinful, going against one of the most basic moral injunctions of the Old Testament, “You shall not murder.” This shows that God is even in control of the death of humans by the instrumentality of other humans (see also 2 Chron. 22:7-9; Isa. 10:5-15).
Furthermore, earlier in this chapter we are told that it was the Adversary (Satan) who caused these sinful and evil actions for the purpose of trying to make Job curse God (1:9-11; 2:4-7). Yet, Job twice attributes the evil that is afflicting him to God Himself, and both times we are told that Job did not sin nor wrongly charge God (1:20-22; 2:10). This demonstrates that even the evil actions of the Adversary are ultimately caused by God, in His providential will.
“God now commands all mankind everywhere to repent, because He established a day in which He is about to judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom He designated, having provided confidence to all [by] having raised him out of the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)
For God shut up the all in disobedience, that He may have mercy on the all. (Rom. 11:32)
And they stumble at “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,” disobeying the word, to which they were also appointed. (1 Pet. 2:8)
According to the first passage, God commands all people everywhere to repent and turn to Him. Yet elsewhere, we are told that God is the ultimate cause of all disobedience, and appoints certain people to become unbelievers. This is yet another clear contradiction between God’s preceptive will and His providential will.
Finally, perhaps the most important instance in which God’s providential or sovereign will conflicted with His preceptive will is at the crucifixion of Jesus. One of the commandments in the Law states, “Do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty“ (Exod. 23:7). Therefore, the death of Jesus, who was the most innocent and righteous man to have ever lived (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 2:21-22), must have been entirely against the preceptive will of God. Indeed, this evil act is said to have been inspired by the Adversary himself (Lk. 22:3), and the apostles repeatedly exhorted the people of Jerusalem to repent of it (Acts 2:36-38; 3:17-19; 4:10-11; 7:52-53).
However, though the crucifixion of Christ was certainly against the preceptive will of God, scripture repeatedly states in no uncertain terms that it was also predestined and ordained by God in His preceptive will. See the following passages:
Yet Yahweh delighted [LXX: boulomai, “purposed”] to crush him; He has wounded him. (Isa. 53:10)
Again, having gone away for a second time, [Jesus] prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is not possible for this to pass unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matt. 26:42)
“Jesus of Nazareth... given up by lawless hands in the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, having crucified [him], you put [him] to death.” (Acts 2:22-23)
“For in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with Gentiles and peoples of Israel, were truly gathered together against Your holy servant, Jesus, whom You anointed, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose had predetermined to happen.” (Acts 4:27-28)
According to these passages, the crucifixion was predestined and brought about by the providential will of God, despite being contrary to the revealed, preceptive will of God. Indeed, the death of Jesus was entirely crucial to God's redemptive plan (Jn. 3:14-16; 12:32-33; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Eph. 1:9-11).
So... how is God good?
All of these many, many examples demonstrate that it is possible for the providential will of God to run contrary to His preceptive will. Indeed, if it is true that God "works all things according to the purpose of His will" (Eph. 1:11) and that He fashions "all the deeds" of "all the inhabitants of the earth" (Ps. 33:14-15), then there can be no doubt that all sin is brought about by God's sovereign will. Both good and evil find their ultimate source in God. Although many Christians are uneasy about this idea, it is explicitly taught in several passages:
And I set my heart to seek and search out concerning all that is done under the heavens. It is an evil experience that God has given to the sons of men, to humble them by it. (Ecc. 1:13)
“I am Yahweh, and there is no one else. I form light and create darkness, make peace and create evil; I, Yahweh, do all these things.” (Isa. 45:6-7)
“Shall we accept good from God and not evil?” In [saying] all this, Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:10)
Who speaks, and it comes to pass, if Yahweh has not commanded it? Does not the evil go out from the mouth of the Most High along with the good? Why should a living man complain about his sins? (Lam. 3:37-39)
If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is evil in a city, has not Yahweh caused it? (Amos 3:6)
All these passages clearly teach that God is the ultimate cause of evil actions. Indeed, there is nothing that a person can say or do without God having predestined it (such is the nature of theological determinism). However, this raises a very important question: if God is the source of both good and evil, obedience and disobedience, then how is God good or praiseworthy? And how is it possible for God to repeatedly contradict Himself? And how can humans be considered responsible for their sin, if it is actually God causing them to break the commandments that He Himself made in the first place?
If you take a look at most of the passages quoted in the above section, you can see that they are written in such a way as to absolve God of all guilt (despite stating that He is the source of the sinful action) while affirming that the humans who committed the sin are guilty, evil, and/or lawless. For example, when God brought about the death of Jesus, it was for the much greater purpose of salvation, while the humans involved killed Him for their own shortsighted, hateful goals. When He hardened the pharaoh's heart, it was to show His glory throughout the earth and mightily save the Israelites, while the pharaoh kept the Israelites out of selfishness. When Yahweh caused Samson to disobey his parents and marry an uncircumcised Philistine, it was for the purpose of bringing down the oppressive Philistines, while Samson did it out of disobedience.
All of these instances exemplify a rule which, I believe, is best illustrated by the words of Joseph: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:20). Although the sin of humans is evil because it comes from a place of hatred and jealousy, God's goodness is not compromised when He brings about this sin, because He does it in the best interest of the people involved. Indeed, without the experience of evil, we would be unable to fully understand and appreciate goodness. If we had never fallen into sin, we would never have known God's perfect love and grace.
Furthermore, although from our limited perspective, it may seem that the preceptive and providential wills of God contradict, this is only because we are unable to see the larger picture. Remember that the preceptive will of God essentially boils down to two commandments: to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:37-40; Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 5:14; Jas. 2:8). Humans often fail to live up to these precepts by being unloving, which results in sin and evil.
But when God brings about this sin and evil, He does so out of love (for He loves all people; Matt. 5:43-48), for the greater good, and therefore it does not contradict the central message of His preceptive will. As the author of Lamentations wrote,
The Lord will not cast off forever. For though He causes suffering, yet He will show compassion, according to the greatness of His mercies. For He does not afflict from the heart, nor suffer the sons of men. (3:31-33)
The suffering which God temporarily brings is not “from the heart,” that is, God does not cause us to suffer out of His own morally evil condition, but for the fundamentally good purpose of later showing mercy. According to Paul, the "mystery of His will" by which He "works all things" is to "head up all things in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth" (Eph. 1:9-11). We must have faith that every evil which we suffer now will make our experience of eternity that much better [1]. This shows that God can create evil without compromising His own perfect goodness and light.
Part 3: https://universalistheretic.blogspot.com/2022/10/the-bible-and-free-will-open-theism-and.html
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[1] This balancing act between God's sovereignty and goodness only works in a universalist worldview, however. If God fails to save even one person, then the experience of evil is unjustified for that person, and God has failed to truly love that person (since love, although it may punish, ultimately works for the greatest good of the object of love; Heb. 12:5-11). Fortunately, scripture supports the idea that God's providential will works toward the salvation of all, for Paul states that "the mystery of His will" by which He "works all things" is to "head up all things in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth" (Eph. 1:9-11).
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