Summaries of Christian Theologians' Beliefs on God's Will
Theologian | Summary on God's Will from Thier Perspective | Sources | |
1st Century | |||
| Apostle Paul | God's sovereign plan encompasses all, yet individuals freely choose to follow Christ. Predestination and free will coexist. "For those God foreknew he also predestined..." (Rom 8:29) | Romans 8, Ephesians 1, Galatians 5 | |
| Apostle Peter | Peter speaks much about God's will will lead to suffering through that God will be glorified and that will lead to what God has for you. God's will guides even suffering, making perseverance a testament to faith. Those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. (1 Peter 4:19) "But if you suffer for doing good..." (1 Peter 2:20) | 1 Peter | |
| Polycarp | Obedience to God's will, even unto martyrdom, is the ultimate expression of faith. "I bless you, Father, for judging me worthy..." (Martyrdom of Polycarp) | Martyrdom of Polycarp | |
| Clement of Rome | Clement of Rome focus on God's sovereign will is immutable and irresistible. Everything happens through His will we can't do anything on our own accord. Humility and submission to God's will are crucial for church unity. | 1 Clement, Clement of Rome and the Unity of the Chosen of God | |
2nd Century | |||
| Tertullian | God's will is revealed in Scripture and natural law, discoverable by reason. Humans possess free will to obey or reject it. This free will is the reason for evil in the world since God is good and he can't be the source of evil. | Apologeticus, A Treatise on the Soul, Tertullian on the Problem of Evil and Free Will | |
| Justin Martyr | God desires salvation for all, offering it through Christ. Reason allows understanding of God's creation and will. "Reason directs those who are truly pious and philosophical to honour and love only what is true, declining to follow traditional opinions, if these be worthless" Strongly supports free will, "unless the human race have the power of avoiding evil and choosing good by free choice, they are not accountable for their actions, of whatever kind they be" | First Apology, Dialogue with Trypho, Justin Martyr on Free Will | |
| Irenaeus of Lyons | God wills humanity's salvation and restoration through Christ, reversing the Fall. Irenaeus of Lyons believed that God's will is not about forcing humans to obey, but rather about providing a path to salvation through free choice, meaning God allows humans to choose to follow His will, and that this freedom is necessary for true love and relationship with God; he often stated that "there is no coercion with God, but a good will [towards us] is present with Him continually." "For it was for this end that the Word of God was made man..." | Against Heresies | |
Clement of Alexandria | God's will involves both divine sovereignty and human freedom in pursuing knowledge and virtue. He seems to advocate for Universalism and not that Christ is only way to the father. | Stromata | |
3rd Century | |||
Dionysius of Alexandria | God wills unity and love within the Church, reflecting the divine nature. "Next to the observance of the Divine precepts..." (Epistle to Novatus) | Epistle to Novatus, On the Promises | |
| Origen of Alexandria | God's will ultimately aims at universal salvation, even for those initially lost. God's will is that all men should be saved, but goes to the point of saying we may live multiple lives to reach enough training to be in God's will and be sanctified. | De Principiis, On Prayer, Origen of Alexandria | |
4th Century | |||
| Ambrose | God's will is revealed through Scripture and the Church's tradition, guiding believers towards righteousness. "The precepts of the Lord are right..." (Commentary on Psalm 119) | Commentary on Psalm 119, On the Duties of the Clergy | |
| John Chrysostom | We need to act and pray to see earth as it is in heaven. Creation is good and it declares God's glory. Prayer and seeking God's will in daily life are essential for Christian living. "Prayer is the place of refuge..." | Homilies on Matthew, On the Priesthood, St. John Chrysostom | |
| Jerome | God's will is primarily known through Scripture, calling for a life of asceticism and devotion. "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." (Commentary on Isaiah) | Commentary on Isaiah, Letters | |
| Augustine | Augustine argues for predestination and free will. He leaned towards free will early in his life then predestination and then married the two. Essentially him came to the understanding that we are too far gone to choose God's will without being predestined to do so. He starts with "we assert both that God knows all things before they come to pass, and that we do by our free will whatsoever we know and feel to be done by us only because we will it." Then proceed to "For that the predestination of the saints is nothing else than God's foreknowledge and preparation for His benefits, by which whoever are delivered are most certainly delivered." Human will is fallen but can be redeemed by grace. Augustin debated with Pelagius about the nature of man and the necessity of divine grace. Augustine believed that Adam's sin affected the will of every human, making it difficult for them to love God or follow God's commands. Pelagius believed that humans were capable of following God's commands and that grace simply helped them know what to do. | Confessions, City of God, On Grace and Free Will, Augustine: Advocate of Free Will, Defender of Predestination | |
12th Century | |||
| Francis of Assisi | God's will is best fulfilled through radical obedience, poverty, and service to others, imitating Christ. "Preach the Gospel at all times..." (Legend of the Three Companions) | Writings of St. Francis, Legend of the Three Companions | |
13th Century | |||
| Bonaventure | St. Bonaventure believed that God's will is for people to imitate Christ in all things, and that this is the path to salvation. He believed that Christ's life was a model for Christians to follow, and that the church was the primary means for people to access the divine life. | Journey of the Mind to God, Breviloquium | |
| Thomas Aquinas | God's will is perfectly rational and ordered, reflected in natural law and divine law. Humans have free will to cooperate with or resist God's grace. "Grace does not abolish nature but perfects it." (Summa Theologica) | Summa Theologica | |
14th Century | |||
| John Wycliffe | Was a predestination advocate. “Neither place nor human election makes a person a member of the church but divine predestination in respect of whoever with perseverance follows Christ in love" God's will is revealed solely in Scripture, not Church tradition. Salvation comes through faith, not works. | On the Truth of Holy Scripture | |
| Jan Hus | God's will is for a reformed Church, free from corruption and focused on Christ. Preached against indulgences and emphasized individual conscience. "I am willing to die for the truth of the Gospel." (Letter to the Council of Constance) | Letters, De Ecclesia | |
15th Century | |||
| Desiderius Erasmus | Desiderius Erasmus believed that humans have free will and that God's grace assists humans in using their free will to choose between good and evil. He also believed that the Bible supports the existence of free will, and that God's foreknowledge of events does not mean that God causes those events. | The Handbook of the Christian Knight, Enchiridion Militis Christiani, The Praise of Folly | |
| Martin Luther | God's will is sovereign in salvation, granting it by grace through faith alone. Rejected human merit and emphasized the authority of Scripture. "Justification by faith alone is the article by which the Church stands or falls." (Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences) | Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences (95 Theses), On the Bondage of the Will | |
| Huldrych Zwingli | God's will is absolute and revealed in Scripture. Stood against the pope and government when it conflicted scripture. Emphasized God's sovereignty and predestination. "Those whom God has elected he calls." | Commentary on True and False Religion, Sixty-Seven Articles | |
| Ignatius of Loyola | God's will is discovered through spiritual exercises, discernment, and submission to the Church's authority. Emphasized finding God in all things. "To give and not to count the cost..." (Spiritual Exercises) | Spiritual Exercises | |
16th Century | |||
| John of Avila | God's will is to be loved and served above all else. Following God's will and praising him in adversity is worth more than perfect devotion in times of prosperity. "One 'Blessed be God' in times of adversity, is worth more than a thousand acts of gratitude in times of prosperity." Emphasized personal holiness and devotion. | Audi, Filia, Letters | |
| John Calvin | God's will is sovereign and encompasses all things, including predestination. Believers are called to live holy lives in gratitude for God's grace. "Man's nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols." (Institutes of the Christian Religion) | Institutes of the Christian Religion | |
| John Knox | Believed in absolute sovereignty of God over all things. Believed the success of his ministry ultimately lay with God, not him. Advocated for resistance to ungodly rulers and religious leaders. Focused on the power of prayer Mary Queen of Scots once said, "I am more afraid of [Knox's] prayers than an army of ten thousand men." | History of the Reformation in Scotland, First Book of Discipline, John Knox | |
| Teresa of Avila | God's will is encountered through prayer and mystical union. Emphasized the interior life and the pursuit of divine love. "Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things are passing away..." (poem) | The Interior Castle, The Way of Perfection, Life | |
| John of the Cross | He advocated for our wills to become one with his when he wrote, “Here we have the reason for stating that two wills become one. And this one will is God's will, which also becomes the soul's. If a person were to desire an imperfection unwanted by God, this one will of God would be undone because of the desire for what God does not will.” God's will is found in self-denial and surrender to the "dark night of the soul," leading to union with God. "In the dark night of the soul, bright flows the river of God." (Dark Night of the Soul) He calls us to love God and others, be imitators of Christ, strive for peace, and allow our faith to be guide our actions. | Dark Night of the Soul, Ascent of Mount Carmel, Jesus Christ in John of the Cross, The Doctrine of John of the Cross 3 | |
| Jacob Arminius | God's will includes offering salvation to all, but individuals can resist grace. Emphasized human free will and conditional election. "God desires all men to be saved." (Declaration of Sentiments) | Declaration of Sentiments | |
17th Century | |||
| John Milton | God's will allows for human freedom and responsibility, even in a fallen world. Explored themes of divine justice and free will in his writings. He explores God's will is to for us to serve God and others. If we don't we are following the ways of saten. "Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven." (Paradise Lost) | Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, Areopagitica | |
| John Owen | God's will is sovereign and encompasses all things, including salvation and the workings of the universe. "The chief end of all being is to glorify God." (The Death of Death in the Death of Christ) | The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, Communion with God | |
| George Fox | God's will is known inwardly through the "Inner Light" of Christ, accessible to all. Emphasized direct revelation and personal experience of God. Fox believed that people should submit to an internal process to open themselves to the Divine Spirit. He compared this process to the refiner's fire, where baser instincts are burned away. | Journal of George Fox | |
| John Flavel | God's will is both revealed (in Scripture) and secret (His hidden decrees). Believers should submit to both, trusting in God's wisdom and goodness. "Providence is wisely and powerfully ordering all things to their best end." (The Mystery of Providence) | The Mystery of Providence, The Fountain of Life | |
| John Gill | God's will is sovereign and absolute, determining all things. Emphasized God's meticulous providence and predestination. "God has decreed all things that come to pass." (Body of Doctrinal Divinity) | Body of Doctrinal Divinity, Exposition of the Bible | |
18th Century | |||
John Wesley (and Charles) | God's will is for all to be saved and to live holy lives through sanctification. Emphasized human responsibility and the pursuit of Christian perfection. "Our main business is to do the will of God." (Sermons) | Sermons, Journal of John Wesley, Hymns of Charles Wesley | |
| Jonathan Edwards | God's will is sovereign and encompasses all things, including salvation and natural events. States that those who receive salvation receive it by God's decree. Emphasized God's glory and the beauty of His holiness. Tried to point people to turn away from sin in his sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" | Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Freedom of the Will, Religious Affections | |
| George Whitefield | God's will is to save sinners through the preaching of the Gospel. Emphasized the necessity of conversion and the power of the Holy Spirit. "The whole world lies in wickedness." (Journals) | Journals, Sermons | |
| Adam Clarke | God's will is revealed in Scripture and through reason. Believed in human free will and that we must be fully sanctified. He also believed we could be fully sanctified in a moment and not just over our life. Believed that the bible is a wonderful gift from God and could be its own interpreter. "The Bible is its own interpreter." (Commentary on the Bible) | Commentary on the Bible, Adam Clarke: Holiness Saint and Scholar | |
| Charles Finney | God's will is for individuals to choose Christ and live moral lives. Emphasized human agency and the importance of revivalism. "The moral government of God" (Lectures on Revivals of Religion) | Lectures on Revivals of Religion | |
19th Century | |||
| Charles Spurgeon | God's will is sovereign and good, even in suffering. Theologian Charles Spurgeon said, “When your will is God's will, you will have your will”. Spurgeon believed that Christians should align their desires with God's will, and that doing so would lead to satisfaction in the Lord. He also believed that the Bible was a guide for living in accordance with God's will. Spurgeon also preached a sermon titled "If the Lord will" in 1892, in which he encouraged people to write "if the Lord will" across their lives and to recognize God in the future. Spurgeon's theology was centered around the cross, which he believed was the place where Christ was exalted and the only message that could overturn people's enslavement to sin. | Morning and Evening, Sermons, Charles Spurgeon on the Will of God | |
| Karl Barth | God's will is revealed in Jesus Christ, the Word of God. Emphasized God's transcendence and the need for revelation. "Jesus Christ is the Lord." (Church Dogmatics) | Church Dogmatics | |
| A. W. Tozer | “God sovereignly decreed that man should be free to exercise moral choice, and man from the beginning has fulfilled that decree by making his choice between good and evil.” God's will is for believers to experience intimacy with Him through prayer and worship. Emphasized the pursuit of God's holiness. "The Pursuit of God" (book) | The Pursuit of God, The Knowledge of the Holy, The Sovereign Ship: A.W. Tozer on the Will of Man | |
| C. S. Lewis | God's will is for humans to freely choose to love and serve Him. Explored themes of free will, suffering, and redemption in his writings. "Mere Christianity" (book) | Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Problem of Pain | |
| Martyn Lloyd-Jones | God's will is sovereign and good, even in trials. Emphasized the importance of preaching and the work of the Holy Spirit. "Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and its Cure" (book) | Spiritual Depression, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount | l |
20th Century | |||
| Gordon Clark | God's will is revealed in Scripture, the ultimate source of truth. Emphasized the importance of logic and reason in understanding God's Word. "The Philosophy of Gordon H. Clark" (book) | The Philosophy of Gordon H. Clark, Religion, Reason and Revelation | |
| Watchman Nee | God's will is for believers to experience spiritual growth and transformation through the cross. Emphasized the importance of the church and spiritual warfare. "The Normal Christian Life" (book) | The Normal Christian Life, Sit, Walk, Stand | |
| Dietrich Bonhoeffer | God's will is to be followed in the midst of suffering and injustice. Emphasized costly discipleship and resistance to evil. "The Cost of Discipleship" (book) | The Cost of Discipleship, Letters and Papers from Prison, Ethics | |
| F. F. Bruce | God's will is revealed in Scripture, which is historically reliable and authoritative. Emphasized the importance of biblical scholarship and evangelism. "The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?" (book) | The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?, Commentary on the Book of Acts | |
| Carl F. H. Henry | God's will is for the redemption of all creation and the establishment of His kingdom. Emphasized the importance of Christian worldview and cultural engagement. "God, Revelation and Authority" (book series) | God, Revelation and Authority, The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism | |
| Anthony A. Hoekema | God's will is sovereign and encompasses all things, including salvation and the natural world. Emphasized the importance of Reformed theology and Christian living. "Saved by Grace" (book) | Saved by Grace, The Four Major Cults | |
| Billy Graham | God's will is for all to repent and believe in Jesus Christ for salvation. Emphasized the importance of evangelism and personal commitment to Christ. "How to be Born Again" (booklet) | How to be Born Again, Peace with God | |
| John Stott | God's will is for believers to live holy lives and be agents of reconciliation in the world. Emphasized the importance of social justice and environmental stewardship. "Basic Christianity" (book) | Basic Christianity, The Cross of Christ, Issues Facing Christians Today | |
| Charles Stanley | God's will is for believers to trust in Him and experience His peace and joy. Emphasized the importance of prayer and obedience. "The Wonderful Spirit-Filled Life" (book) | The Wonderful Spirit-Filled Life, How to Listen to God | |
| Dallas Willard | God's will is for believers to experience spiritual formation and transformation through disciplines like prayer, solitude, and fasting. Emphasized the importance of character development and the kingdom of God. "The Divine Conspiracy" (book) | The Divine Conspiracy, The Spirit of the Disciplines | |
| John F. MacArthur | God's will is revealed in Scripture, which is inerrant and authoritative. Emphasized the importance of expository preaching and biblical interpretation. "The MacArthur Study Bible" | The MacArthur Study Bible, The Gospel According to Jesus | |
| R. C. Sproul | God's will is sovereign and encompasses all things, including salvation and the natural world. Emphasized the importance of Reformed theology and apologetics. "The Holiness of God" (book) | The Holiness of God, Chosen by God | |
| Wayne Grudem | God's will is revealed in Scripture, which is inspired and authoritative. Emphasized the importance of systematic theology and complementarianism. "Systematic Theology" (book) | Systematic Theology, Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth | |
| Ken Ham | God's will is revealed in Scripture, including the creation account in Genesis. Emphasized the importance of creationism and a literal interpretation of the Bible. "The Lie: Evolution" (book) | The Lie: Evolution, Already Gone | |
| Alister McGrath | God's will is for the redemption of all creation and the flourishing of human life. Emphasized the importance of science and faith dialogue and Christian apologetics. "Dawkins' God" (book) | Dawkins' God, The Twilight of Atheism | |
| R. C. Sproul, Jr. | God's will is sovereign and good, even in suffering. Emphasized the importance of Reformed theology and Christian education. "Eternity in Their Hearts" (book) | Eternity in Their Hearts, The Holiness of God for Kids |
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