Wednesday, January 28, 2009

The Lord Is Able to Do All Things According to His Will -- 1 Nephi 7:12

This post covers the third aspect of the will of the Lord -- His Permissive Will. I write this with some concern: this discussion is of theology and doctrine. As you will see as you read, this is not a subject that should be taught, by itself, in the context of trying to comfort those enduring grief, loss or despair. By itself, the Permissive Will of God can seem to portray Him as merciless and uncaring. It is critical, therefore, in applying this teaching to those who suffer, that the doctrine of God's Providential Will (the subject of a later post) be included as well.

The Permissive Will of God is explained simply: it is that which God permits or allows to happen, but which He does not otherwise cause. The concept of the Permissive Will arises from three great truths that are taught so clearly in Scripture that we cannot cite all of the references. These truths are: (1) that God is omniscient, so that He knows in advance (from our perspective) everything that is going to happen; (2) that God is omnipotent, so that He could prevent any particular event from occurring; and (3) that God is infinitely kind, loving and merciful, so that His goal is to bring about the greatest joy for each of His children. It involves the ancient and continuing questions: Why do bad things happen to good people? Where is God when appallingly terrible things happen? Why was there a Holocaust? Why did 9/11 happen? Why do tens of thousands of children die every day from disease and famine? Of these things and of everything else that occurs, the Scriptures require us to acknowledge that it is, at a minimum, in accord with the Permissive Will of God.

The teachings of Scripture also outline for us three principles that seem to apply to God's decision whether to allow a particular event to happen. (1) God is fully committed to honoring human agency or freedom of choice. He does not force any of His children to choose either good or evil. He always allows each person to choose how that person will act, even if that decision may have a devastating impact on others. (2) God has established a physical world that is governed by natural law. To teach His children the crucial lesson that breaking or keeping such laws has necessary consequences, He generally does not intervene in the operation of natural law. (3) Finally, and most importantly, God's infinite compassion and mercy require Him to use His unlimited power always to bring good out of evil. God does not allow any event to occur unless, somehow, someday, it will yield an eternal benefit to someone. This last principle is the overriding one. God may allow someone to chose evil, but may intervene to limit the effects of that choice. God may allow nature to take its course, even as He directs the track of the storm.

This can be a hard doctrine, especially if it is not considered at the same time as the doctrine of God's Providence. Yet, if we can learn it during relatively good times, it can be a great comfort in the times of trial. It assures us that the calamity that is a surprise to us is not a surprise to Him. It also teaches us that if God has allowed it to happen, He already knows how it can be turned to a good purpose.

Such is the understanding that inspired 18th century English poet, William Cowper, to write one of the greatest expressions of faith ever put on paper. Cowper suffered throughout his life from severe depression and attempted suicide several times. Having passed through such darkness into one of the brighter periods of his life, he wrote:

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Ye fearful Saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding ev’ry hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan his works in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.
{Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.}
{Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.}
Hymns, #285. (The last two stanzas
were omitted from the 1985 LDS hymnbook.)

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