Permissive Will

You have likely heard the theology explaining God's perfect and permissive will: the perfect being our choices in life that agree with God completely; the permissive being choices that may not be the best God wants for us, but that He will permit anyway. If God's sovereignty is to be fully embraced, then the belief of a permissive will cannot be accepted, as this goes against God's character. He does not compromise His holiness or sovereignty in order to deal compassionately with His chosen ones. It is His grace, not permissiveness, that we experience. Jesus has accomplished the sacrifice needed in order for God's Spirit to dwell alongside our sinful nature. This is how grace has been provided and purposed, so that the process of sanctification might be accomplished. All that God allows is His perfect will. We make no mistakes or bad choices. We only lack the ability to choose what is good and wise until His Spirit has enlightened us to the depravity of our own perception of what is good and wise against the holiness of His life. To embrace the permissive will theology reveals an incomplete understanding of God's amazing grace upon His children.

PJR

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works." (Titus 2:11-14)