Active and Passive Will in Reprobation Theology
The concept of active and passive will in reprobation theology pertains to the nature of God's sovereignty and human responsibility in the context of salvation and damnation. Reprobation refers to the doctrine that God has predestined some individuals to damnation. The distinction between active and passive will is crucial in understanding how different Christian traditions interpret God's role in reprobation.
In reprobation theology, the active will of God refers to His sovereign decision to pass over certain individuals, not predestining them to salvation. This concept is often associated with the Reformed tradition. According to John Gill, a Baptist/Reformed theologian, God's reproof is a manifestation of His active will, where He convicts individuals of sin through the ministry of the word [1].
The passive will, on the other hand, relates to God's permissive will, where He allows certain individuals to remain in their sinful state. This permissive will is not directly causing their damnation but rather not intervening to save them. one commentary tradition by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown touches on this idea in their interpretation of Proverbs, highlighting God's mercy and truth as aspects of His character that are involved in reproof and salvation [3].
Different Christian traditions have varying views on the role of God's active and passive will in reprobation. The Reformed tradition, represented by theologians like John Gill, tends to emphasize God's sovereignty in both salvation and reprobation. In contrast, the Lutheran tradition has historically been more cautious in its articulation of reprobation, focusing more on the universal offer of salvation.
The biblical basis for the concept of reprobation and the distinction between active and passive will is found in various passages, including Proverbs and the New Testament. For instance, Proverbs 1:23 is interpreted by John Gill as a call to attend to the ministry of the word, which reproves sin [4]. Similarly, Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's commentary on John 16:8 highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment [5].
The historical development of reprobation theology has been shaped by various controversies and theological debates, particularly during the Reformation period. The Reformed tradition's articulation of reprobation was partly in response to Arminianism, which emphasized human free will in salvation.
The nuances between active and passive will in reprobation theology underscore the complexity of God's sovereignty and human responsibility. While the Reformed tradition emphasizes God's active will in reprobation, other traditions may differ in their interpretation of God's role. The biblical text remains a foundational anchor for understanding these concepts, with various commentaries offering insights into the nature of God's reproof and salvation [1, 2, 4].
Sources
- Job (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Job 13:10: He will surely reprove you,.... Or "in reproving he will reprove you" (r); he will certainly do it, it may be depended upon, and be expected; he will never suffer sin to go unreproved and uncorrected; he will do it to the purpose, with sharpness and severity, as the nature of the crime requires; he reproves by his spirit, and it is well for men when he thoroughly, and in a spiritual and saving way, reproves them by him, and convinces them of sin, righteousness, and judgment; and he reproves by his word, which is written for reproof and correction; and by his ministers, ”
- Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 15:31: Note, 1. It is the character of a wise man that he is very willing to be reproved, and therefore chooses to converse with those that, both by their words and example, will show him what is amiss in him: The ear that can take the reproof will love the reprover. Faithful friendly reproofs are here called the reproofs of life, not only because they are to be given in a lively manner, and with a prudent zeal (and we must reprove by our lives as well as by our doctrine), but because, where they are well-taken, they are means of spiritual life, and lead to eternal li”
- Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 14:22: As usual, the interrogative negative strengthens the affirmative. mercy and truth--that is, God's (Psa 57:3; Psa 61:7).”
- Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 1:23: Turn ye at my reproof,.... Or rather "to my reproof", for the words are not an exhortation to the conversion of the heart, or to him repentance; but to an attendance to the external ministry of the word preached, which reproves of sin, righteousness, and judgment; and does not design the turning of the heart to it, which is God's work, but the turning of the face and ears to hear it; and so the Targum, "turn your face to my reproof,'' and not your backs, as they did, showing a dislike of it; or, as Aben Ezra, "turn ye to hear my reproof;'' turn your ears and”
- John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 16:8: And when he is come, he will, &c.--This is one of the passages most pregnant with thought in the profound discourses of Christ; with a few great strokes depicting all and every part of the ministry of the Holy Ghost in the world--His operation with reference to individuals as well as the mass, on believers and unbelievers alike [OLSHAUSEN]. he will reprove--This is too weak a word to express what is meant. Reproof is indeed implied in the term employed, and doubtless the word begins with it. But convict or convince is the thing intended; and as the one”