As the outworking of His will, the decree of God has three aspects — permanent, perfect, and permissive. The permanent aspect is those things in which God directly and actively brings to pass.
The perfect and permissive aspects exist within the permanent aspect of God’s decree. Picture God’s permanent will as a circle. Within that circle is the perfect and permissive aspects of God’s will. They are contained within the circle. They cannot change or alter the circle.
The perfect describes those things that God has commanded His people to do.
The permissive describes those things which God allows. Following the perfect results in blessing, whereas following the permissive results in a curse or chastisement.
- For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited), - Isaiah 45:18
- It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. - Daniel 2:21
- All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, What have You done? - Daniel 4:35
The perfect and permissive aspects exist within the permanent aspect of God’s decree. Picture God’s permanent will as a circle. Within that circle is the perfect and permissive aspects of God’s will. They are contained within the circle. They cannot change or alter the circle.
The perfect describes those things that God has commanded His people to do.
- Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. - Romans 12:1-2
The permissive describes those things which God allows. Following the perfect results in blessing, whereas following the permissive results in a curse or chastisement.
- See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today. - Deuteronomy 11:26-28
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