God's will?

Some theologians have taught of God's determinative will, resulting in action, or predetermined action, that cannot be prevented or thwarted, and of God's permissive or contingent will, that God desires but does not cause or preclude.

If we peruse how "thelo" (G2309) is used, we see that God's inclination is in view, contingent upon our autonomous choice. For example, the old, "if we repent, He will relent" seen in scripture, such as Jonah.

Our word (G2309) is rendered, will, want, desire, wish and the like in about 25 verses. Lets look at just a few.

Mark 6:48 (NASB)
Seeing them straining at the oars—for the wind was against them—at about the fourth watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them.​

But when Jesus saw how fearful His disciples were, He did not pass them by, but stopped and got into the boat.

1 Timothy 2:4 (NASB)
who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.​

Here God's desire is contingent upon our autonomous choice to trust and obey, but our choice only opens the door to salvation, as God alone determines (or not) to credit our faith as righteousness and transfer us into Christ, where we come to the knowledge of the truth.

On the other hand, God's determinative will is on display many times in scripture.

John 6:39 (NET)
Now this is the will of the one who sent me - that I should not lose one person of every one he has given me, but raise them all up at the last day.​

Here another related word (G2307) is rendered will, but in this usage God's determinative will is on full display. Once Saved, Always Saved!

Lastly, lets consider a verse where the same word, "thelema" (G2307) is translated "will" but refers to two different types of wills.

John 6:38 (NASB)
“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will , but the will of Him who sent Me.​

A far less ambiguous rendering would be, "...not to do My own inclination, but the determinative will of Him who sent Me.

 

Some might ask what is the context that requires the choice of inclination and determinative will when the very same word is used in the same sentence?

Jesus is indicating His will is conditional upon His Father's will. Thus inclination rather than determinative. OTOH, Jesus whole life was dedicated to becoming the Lamb of God, a spotless (sinless) sacrifice for sin. Thus Jesus always viewed His Father's will as determinative for Him, as to go against His Father's will would be sin to Him.

None of this unpacking of the verse is suggested by using just the one ambiguous word (will).

 

Thanks for the on topic comment.

Yes, 1 Timothy 2:4 says God desires all people to be saved. But it does not say God desires all people to be saved deterministically, i.e. according to His supposed prior knowledge.

People who are chosen for salvation by God become by that choice the "elect." So rather than the "elect" coming forward, the sheep who put their trust in Christ become "elect" when and if God credits their faith as righteousness.

And yes, those that turn away from Christ go against God's permissive will in that He allows us to make our autonomous choice, even when we go against what He desires for all of us to do.

Yes, many Christians believe in "free will" but seem to not have a specific definition in mind. Are we free to choose what God has disallowed? Nope. For example in Romans 11, God hardened the hearts of disbelieving Jews to facilitate the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles. Those Jews no longer had the free will to choose Christ.

So we are free to choose among the choices God allows. In order to have free will, you have to have choices that result in different outcomes, otherwise it is a non-choice

I am short, fat and old, but in my youth I could run, jump, plant my foot and sail over a 3 or 4 foot fence. But I am not free to choose to do that anymore. So "free will" means free to choose within the confines of reality and what God allows. The rub is some claim reality only allows godless choices for the lost, dictated by our fallen and corrupt nature. But this view is unbiblical nonsense.