AN EXAMINATION OF DIVINE VOLITION

The Augustinian concept of Divine Simplicity teaches us that Gods nature is

infinitely inseparable. His is so transcendent and complex that His nature is one of tautological
existence. Given such a concept, it would seem that any attempt to consider any particular trait
abstracted from the whole would be mostly futile. If it were not for Scripture, we might feel
hopelessly inadequate defining or singling out particular aspects of His nature. Thankfully, under
the guidance of revelation, we do not have to have an exhaustive understanding of divine
ontology in order to speak truthful of Gods character. With this in mind, I believe that a
discussion of Gods volition, or will, seems to have pervasive implications on His motives in
general and the affairs and purposes of His creation more specifically. Therefore, it is not entirely
imprudent that a brief examination of these things is undertaken.
As we just noted, the broad principles of this investigation must arise first from an
examination of what Scripture teaches us concerning Gods volition, and second what deductions
can be made by way of reason. The particular course of our investigation will begin with a
general classification of Gods volition and its character. Second, we will examine in more
detail, significant aspects of Gods volitional character as it relates both to His own nature and
the nature of creation. Within this area we will consider some of the central manifestations of
Gods will in creation. Finally, we will examine the ways in which our investigation has direct
applicability to our own lives and circumstances.

Classifying Gods Attribute of Volition

Any attempt to comprehend the Divine nature requires that we speak and perceive of
God in terms that will ultimately fall short. As finite creatures, all basic attempts to classify God
never move past the point of analogy. Fortunately, Scripture provides us with a solution to this
problem; for it is in the types and descriptions of God in Scripture that we can be most sure about
our characterizations of God.
However, before we examine the relevant scriptural evidences we should first consider
what we mean by will or volition. The great American theologian Jonathan Edwards defined it in
this manner, The faculty of the will, is that power, or principle of mind, by which it is capable of
choosing: an act of the will is the same as an act of choosing or choice.i This is a rather simple
and excellent definition that applies well to our investigation. So then we might classify Gods
attribute of volition as that faculty in God which is capable of choosing whatsoever God desires.
Ultimately, we know that God possess and exercises volition because Scripture is so
abundantly clear on this matter. Our primary example is found in Daniel 4:35, all the
inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to His will among the
host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand... (E.S.V).
This verse finds its strongest New Testament parallel in Pauls letter to the Ephesians where he
tells them that God works all things according to the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1:11).
The brevity of this examination limits our ability to examine the numerous passages where Gods
will is displayed either directly or by inference. It might suffice to say that anytime Scripture
speaks of Gods desire, His actions, or His sovereignty we can be sure that His volition is to be
considered.

Furthermore, Scripture provides us with not just the affirmation of Gods will, but also
the shape and character of it. In the verses above we see that Gods will is final, or absolute; it is
a governing will, that is to say that it is not apathetic rather it is active and administrative.
Finally, we see that it is not only the highest will, but it is also the source of all willing and doing,
thus it is sovereign, who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?
(Lam. 3:37). Therefore, the evidence from scripture regarding Gods volitional character is
massive -as it should be- for rationality also requires that volition be a primary component of
divinity.
It is important to acknowledge that if Gods being contains anything at all that might
be understood as a necessary and proper characteristic of divine existence then such is the case
with the property of volition. For it should be clear to all that if any being possesses the
capability and power of choice, it is God. Reason is not only clear on the necessity of the matter
but also the character of it as well. A proper consideration of all the other constituent aspects of
deity would lead us to assume that what Scripture says of the basic character of Gods volition
must certainly be true, that is to say that His will should be absolute, administrative, and
sovereign.
Distinctive Aspects of Gods Volitional Character
While a general understanding of the nature and character of Gods will would be
sufficient, we are nevertheless compelled by Scripture and reason to examine some further
distinctions in Gods volitional character; primarily because of the implications that these
distinctions have on our limited ability to rationally comprehend Gods volition, especially as it
relates to His interaction with us.

The Independence of Gods Volition

We have already seen an allusion to this aspect in Gods volition in our general inquiry
above; however, it is important that we examine it in more detail in order to deal with a number
of uncertainties that arise naturally out of the plain sense of Scripture. As we have previously
understood, Gods will is absolute, administrative, and sovereign. A simple way to encapsulate
these ideas is to say that Gods will is independent or free from anything outside of His being.
This means that everything that God wills is contingent only to His own being. In other words,
God wills only by virtue of His own essence, and he never wills anything on the ground of
something outside of himself. Another way of understanding this is to acknowledge that nothing
outside of God every restrains him from acting volitionally; we see this in the Psalms when we
are told that whatever the LORD pleases, he does (Psalm 135:6). Several other passages
point to this as well.
At this point we must be careful to note a possible objection that has been raised
before. Some have supposed that to affirm Gods volition as contingent to His own being implies
a lack of freedom to His will; they will suppose that in order for God to be free he must want
certain things which are free from any supposed contingency, including that of His own nature.
We must see that such a property of volition is logically impossible and to suggest God was
capable of violation in this way would be just the same as to suggest that Gods will, if it is
honestly free, must ultimately be arbitrary or capricious. Of course this is nonsense, and worse it
is certainly not praiseworthy or desirable that God will from such a disposition. Rather, it is
because Gods will is contingent only to His being that he can be truly understood as a totally
free agent. Boyce rightly remarked, When, therefore, God is said to will freely in all matters

which are without, it is not meant to deny that he is governed by His nature in all respects, in
which that nature ought to affect His will.ii
Gods Ontological Will and Moral Will
Some theologians in the past of spoken of further distinctions such as Gods secret
will and His revealed will; others have distinguished between His decretive will and His
preceptive will. For clarities sake, it will be beneficial for us to encapsulate both distinctions
under the umbrella of what we might term Gods ontological will and His moral will. By Gods
ontological will we mean those things which God wills most absolutely and immutably by virtue
of His nature. In other words, His ontological will is His willing of all things to be exactly as
they are; others have termed this Gods sovereign will. This includes the ideas present in Gods
secret will and His decretive will; although it would be inadequate to say that Gods ontological
will is synonymous with these other distinctions. For one, it is true that Gods ontological will is
quite secret and mysterious; however, it is not now entirely hidden. In fact, Scripture speaks of
His ontological will, at times in specific detail; making known to us the mystery of His will,
according to His purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite
all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:9-10)iii. So Paul tells us that
in Christ, and the plan of redemption, that Gods ontological will had as its aim the salvation and
uniting of all things to himself. Indeed, any example in Scripture of the revelation of Gods
purposes in history and action should be seen as the revealing of some part of His ontological
will. Before moving on we should firm acknowledge that Gods ontological will is timeless and
immutable.
When we speak of Gods moral will we are simply referring to His will in relation to
all things of a moral nature. It is narrower because it is focused on those dispositions or actions

which are pleasing in and of themselves, without consideration of the whole. There is a
comparative component to it whereby he judges the pleasantness of a thing in direct relation to
His own nature. His moral will has within it the ideas contained in discussions of His preceptive
will and His revealed will. We should see how important and prevalent this concept is in
Scripture. Indeed, it was Gods moral will which was the source of His initial communication to
Adam and his wife, and much more abundantly to Moses and the people of Israel. Finally, Gods
moral will has been fully exposed to all men through Christ.
We are obligated to stop here for a moment and consider something of massive
significance to our examination. We noted previously that Gods ontological will is absolute and
immutable, nothing can stay His hand and His ontological will is never thwarted. What is
interesting, however, is that Scripture gives us ample evidence to deduce that the same is not true
of Gods moral will. This is specifically the case in regards to humanity. Scripture makes it
abundantly clear that God has created man as a free moral agent; we can and indeed have so
often chosen to transgress the moral will of God. In fact, such is our condition that Adam and all
his posterity have unfailingly transgressed the moral will of God; for although they knew God,
they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him (Romans 1:21). This would seem to imply
that the moral will of God is in some sense presently mutable, and so it is; to deny this would be
to deny the clear teaching of scripture on this matter. However, one glaring problem seems to
arise from this. Considering our previous determination regarding the nature of Gods will, we
might be inclined to ask; how can any aspect of Gods will be ultimately mutable?
Thankfully, we find our answer in Scripture. To see this solution, it might be helpful to
rephrase our question; what is the ultimate fate of Gods moral will? Is it ultimately muted, left
in a state of being transgressed? Is justice and reconciliation ever carried out? Of course we

know that the answer is a yes; for Scripture tells us that God has fixed a day on which he will
judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed (Acts 17:31). So then we
see that Gods future judgment is a clear sign that Gods moral will shall be vindicated, and that
he will not allow it to be ultimately mutable. Furthermore, God has already vindicated His moral
will for those who are in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to
be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance he
had passed over former sins. It was to show His righteousness at the present time, so that he
might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:24-26). So we see
that the propitiatory work of Christ brought about a reconciliation of Gods moral will.
Therefore, we have seen from reason and scripture that the operation of Gods will
takes a multidimensional form. For we might venture to say that it is Gods ontological will
which wills the allowance of His moral will to be transgressed. Thus in a sovereign sense he
wills the transgression of His moral will, not as sin for its own sake, but for the sake of the
ontological good to be brought about through its transgression. Edwards describes it this way,
God, though he hates a thing as it is simply, may incline to it with reference to the universality
of things. Though he hates sin in itself, yet he may will to permit it, for the greater promotion of
holiness in this universality, including all things, and at all times.iv
Application and Conclusion
We now conclude by asking what the benefits and implications of these things weighty
things might be for our own lives. First, understanding the nature and character of Gods will,
specifically the distinctions we examined, goes a long way in helping us understand what may
seem at times to be devastatingly conflicting ideas of Gods will in Scripture. For instance it
helps us reconcile what the Bible means when it says on the one hand that the Lord is not

willing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance, yet on the other hand, God
choosing to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the objects of
His wrathprepared for destruction (2 Peter 3:9; Romans 9:22). If we apply what we have
learned, we can see that it is Gods moral will that none perish and that all obey His precepts and
yet it is His ontological will which moves him to choose to show His wrath and make His power
known, even creating people with that very end in view. Such is the case with a good many
passages in scripture which have often been the source of controversy and confusion. Second,
and perhaps most importantly, this examination should help us begin to see the disparity that
exists between our own will and that of Gods. Finally, our examination should cause us to
rejoice because scripture tells us that in regenerating our hearts God has changed our previously
corrupt moral will. Now, as Paul says, I have the desire to do what is rightfor I delight in the
law of God, in my inner being (Romans 7:18, 22). Now we wait for the day of glory when
Gods ontological will is fully realized, and His moral will is fully vindicated.

Jonathan Edwards, Freedom of the Will, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust,
1974), p. 4.
ii
James P. Boyce, Abstract of Systematic Theology: Chapter Xii the Will of God, Founders Ministries, August 2,
2013, accessed August 2, 2013, http://www.founders.org/library/boyce1/ch12.html.
iii
Cf. Isaiah 46:10; Matthew 11:25, 13:11, 16:17; Acts 2:23; Romans 8:28, 11:2, 16:25; 1 Corinthians 1:21, 2:10;
Ephesians 1:5, 3:3; Colossians 1:26; 1 Timothy 3:16
iv
" Jonathan Edwards, Concerning the Divine Decrees," The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: Banner
of Truth Trust, 1974), pp. 527-28
i