Athanasius and God's Freedom

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Ben Chomp

Puritan Board Freshman
Here's another perplexing Athanasius quote. This can be found in section 6 of his second chapter of "On the Incarnation". The context is a little lengthy, but I think this selection captures his thinking:

"Surely it would have been better never to have been created at all, than, having been created, to be neglected and perish; and, besides that, such indifference to the ruin of His own work before His very eyes would argue not goodness in God but limitation, and that far more than if He had never created men at all. It was impossible, therefore, that God should leave man to be carried off by corruption, because it would be unfitting and unworthy of Himself."

It sounds like Athanasius is saying that God is somehow bound by his own goodness and nature to save sinners. This seems to contradict what the Westminster Standards often say about God being most free and his grace being free and coming from his mere good pleasure. God is not bound to save sinners. His grace is amazing grace. I have trouble reconciling this Athanasius quote to our standards. Is it reconcilable?
 
It sounds like Athanasius is saying that God is somehow bound by his own goodness and nature to save sinners. This seems to contradict what the Westminster Standards often say about God being most free and his grace being free and coming from his mere good pleasure. God is not bound to save sinners. His grace is amazing grace. I have trouble reconciling this Athanasius quote to our standards. Is it reconcilable?

Classical theism has always held that God is bound by his own nature. He can't do what is not in his nature. He doesn't have a blank check over reality. That is nominalism and wrong.

We all have to agree to that. We can disagree with Athanasius, however, on whether God was obligated to do this particular act. I have my doubts, but not on whether God's nature places God-imposed limits on God. That much is true.

And don't be surprised if there are things in Athanasius (and most of the Greek fathers) that can't be reconciled to Westminster.
 
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