# The Will of God



## JM (Jan 27, 2009)

What’s the difference between God’s permissive will and Arminian idea of bare permission?

Thanks.


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## Jimmy the Greek (Jan 27, 2009)

I don't agree with this article, but it is from Bible.org, a site run by Dallas Seminary guys. Usually not blatant Arminian:

http://www.bible.org/qa.php?qa_id=489

The four wills described are: God's decretive will, his preceptive will, his desiderative will, and his permissive will. The last two "wills", I believe, are unbiblical distinctions.


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## MW (Jan 27, 2009)

It is good to keep in mind that there is really only one will of God, but man conceives of it in terms of the different spheres in which that will is operative.

In terms of classification, the desiderative is another way of expressing the preceptive, as when the Bible says God desires mercy and not sacrifice. The permissive is the decretive will as it is executed in relation to sin. The Westminster Confession states that it pleased God to permit the fall. As long as permission is not considered as simply foreseen, but as positively determined, then it is a proper use of the term. To speak of God's decretive will is to use the term "will" in its natural sense as an act of volition.


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## JM (Jan 27, 2009)

> As long as permission is not considered as simply foreseen, but as positively determined, then it is a proper use of the term.



Was the fall effectually determined?


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## MW (Jan 27, 2009)

JM said:


> Was the fall effectually determined?



As long as "effectually" is restricted to being an adverb of "determined," then yes, the determination of God is always effectual. But if it is loosely taken as an infinitive verb, "to effect," then no, God did not determine to effect the fall. He decreed that secondary causes should act according to their nature and freedom, so that they and not He was the efficient cause of introducing sin into the world.


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## JM (Jan 27, 2009)

Thank you Rev. Winzer.


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