^THE REFORMED VIEW ON GOD’S DESIRE VS HIS DECREE

The question haunts every believer who has lost an unbelieving loved one. Scripture declares God “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Yet, why do so many die without Christ? This isn’t merely an academic puzzle—it’s a pastoral crisis that demands a biblical answer.

The Reformed tradition offers a profound solution that honours both God’s genuine compassion and His absolute sovereignty. The key lies in understanding God’s two distinct types of will…

 

UNDERSTANDING GOD’S TWO WILLS

When Scripture speaks of God’s “desires” or “will,” it refers to two different aspects of His divine nature. Reformed theology distinguishes between God’s revealed will (what He commands and desires morally) and His decretive will (what He sovereignly ordains to actually happen).

Consider this: God commands “You shall not murder,” yet He ordained wicked men would crucify His Son for our salvation (Acts 4:27-28). Was God contradicting Himself? Absolutely not. His revealed will forbids murder, while His decretive will ordained this particular murder would accomplish the world’s redemption.

This isn’t theological gymnastics—it’s biblical truth. Isaiah reminds us God’s thoughts and ways are infinitely higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). What appears contradictory to finite minds reflects the perfect harmony of infinite wisdom.

When applied to salvation, this means God genuinely desires all people to be saved (His revealed will), while He has chosen to actually save some (His decretive will). There’s no contradiction here, only the magnificent complexity of divine sovereignty working through human responsibility.

 

THE REALITY OF HUMAN DEPRAVITY

But why doesn’t God simply save everyone He desires to save? The answer lies in understanding humanity’s spiritual condition after the Fall.

Scripture is devastatingly clear: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” (Romans 3:10-11). Paul declares “the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Jesus Himself taught “no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44).

This is the doctrine of total depravity—sin has corrupted every aspect of human nature, including our ability to choose God. We are, as Paul puts it, “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Dead people don’t choose life; they must be made alive by divine power.

Given this reality, the question isn’t “Why doesn’t God save everyone?” The marvel is that He saves anyone at all! Every salvation is a miracle of grace, not an obligation of justice.

 

BIBLICAL PATTERNS OF DIVINE ELECTION

This pattern appears throughout Scripture. God told Israel, “It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples” (Deuteronomy 7:7). Paul quotes Malachi: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” (Romans 9:13)—a choice made before either had done good or evil.

Jesus often revealed truth to His disciples while speaking in parables to the crowds, “because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear” (Matthew 13:13). He explicitly prayed for those “whom you have given me” rather than for the world in general (John 17:9).

Paul’s extended argument in Romans 9 uses the potter-and-clay analogy: “Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honourable use and another for dishonourable use?” (Romans 9:21). This isn’t about God being arbitrary—it’s about His perfect right to show mercy to whomever He chooses.

 

JUSTICE, MERCY, AND THE GOSPEL

God’s justice demands that all sinners be condemned. His mercy is His free choice to save some. As Paul argues, “So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills” (Romans 9:18). Justice gives everyone what they deserve; mercy gives some what they don’t deserve. No one receives injustice.

This doctrine doesn’t diminish evangelistic urgency—it intensifies it. We don’t know who God’s elect are, so we proclaim the gospel to everyone, knowing God uses ordinary means like preaching and personal witness to save His chosen people. The same God who ordains the end (salvation) also ordains the means (the gospel).

 

TRUSTING THE JUDGE OF ALL EARTH

Abraham asked, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:25). The answer is an emphatic yes. God’s ways are perfect, even when they surpass our understanding.

For believers, this truth brings liberating comfort. If God chose us before the foundation of the world, nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). He who began a good work in us will complete it (Philippians 1:6).

Sure, the mystery remains, but so does the worship. With Paul, we declare: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways!… From him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:33, 36).

 

IF GOD WANTS EVERYONE SAVED…: RELATED FAQs

What do Reformed expositors say about this issue? John Piper articulates this in his concept of God’s “two wills.” He argues God has a “will of command” (desiring all to repent) and a “will of decree” (choosing to save some). Piper emphasises both are genuine aspects of God’s will, not mere appearances. RC Sproul focused on the distinction between God’s “preceptive will” (what He commands) and His “decretive will” (what He ordains), arguing that confusion between these leads to theological error. John MacArthur adds that God’s desire for all to be saved demonstrates His genuine compassion while His election demonstrates His sovereignty. Sinclair Ferguson emphasises this tension should drive us to worship, not to resolve what God hasn’t fully revealed. These theologians unite in affirming God’s character is never compromised by His sovereign choices.

• How do Arminian and other traditions answer this question differently? Arminianism argues God’s desire to save all is thwarted by human free will—that people can ultimately resist God’s grace. They maintain election is based on God’s foreknowledge of who will believe, making salvation ultimately dependent on human choice. Universalism claims God’s desire to save all will ultimately be fulfilled—everyone will eventually be saved, either in this life or after death. Open Theism suggests God desires to save all but doesn’t know who will choose Him, making the future partly uncertain even to God. The Reformed view makes better sense because it alone preserves both God’s absolute sovereignty and the genuine nature of His desires. Arminianism makes salvation ultimately depend on human will, contradicting passages like John 6:44 and Ephesians 2:1-5. Universalism ignores clear biblical warnings about eternal judgement. Open theism diminishes God’s omniscience and sovereignty.
• What about passages that seem to say Christ died for “all” or the “whole world”? Reformed theologians handle these passages through careful exegesis. When John 3:16 says God “so loved the world,” the focus is on the breadth of God’s love (not just Jews), not necessarily every individual. Similarly, 1 John 2:2 saying Christ is the propitiation for “the whole world” emphasises the global scope of the gospel, not universal atonement. John Owen’s classic argument remains compelling: if Christ died to actually save all people, then either all will be saved (universalism) or Christ’s death failed for many. The Reformed position holds Christ died effectively for the elect and sufficiently for all—His death has infinite value but intended application. Ligon Duncan and Albert Mohler argue “all” and “world” often refer to “all kinds of people” (ethnic groups, social classes) rather than every individual, which fits the biblical context better than universal interpretations.

How does this affect evangelism and missions if God has already chosen who will be saved? Far from hindering evangelism, Reformed theology has historically produced the most robust missionary movements. William Carey, Adoniram Judson, and Hudson Taylor were all Reformed in theology. Why? Because they knew God’s elect were scattered among all nations and that God uses human preaching as His ordained means of salvation. John Piper argues election makes missions necessary, not optional—we must preach because we don’t know who the elect are, and God has ordained that they be saved through hearing the gospel (Romans 10:17). Mark Dever and 9Marks emphasise this doctrine gives evangelists confidence: we’re not trying to convince God to save people, but proclaiming the message God uses to awaken His chosen ones. This removes pressure and adds boldness—the success of evangelism doesn’t depend on our persuasive ability but on God’s sovereign grace.

Doesn’t this doctrine make God seem unfair or arbitrary? This objection assumes that fairness means everyone deserves an equal chance at salvation. But Scripture teaches that no one deserves salvation—we all deserve condemnation (Romans 3:23, 6:23). If God saved no one, He would be perfectly just. That He saves anyone demonstrates mercy, not obligation.

RC Sproul often illustrated this: if you had ten death-row inmates and pardoned five, the pardoned five couldn’t complain about injustice, nor could the remaining five—they’re receiving exactly what their crimes deserve. The pardoned ones receive mercy; the others receive justice.

Wayne Grudem emphasises God’s election isn’t arbitrary but based on His own wise purposes, even if those purposes aren’t fully revealed to us. The doctrine preserves God’s absolute freedom while maintaining His perfect justice and mercy.

 

IF GOD WANTS EVERYONE SAVED…: OUR RELATED POSTS

• The Purpose of Election: Why Does God Choose?
• Does God Choose Who Goes to Hell? How Is It Even Fair?
• Unveiling Reprobation: Does Scripture Truly Teach This Difficult Doctrine?
• Why Does God Show Grace to Some Sinners and Send Others to Hell?
•  If God Ordained Evil, Why Am I Accountable? Find Bible Answers
• The Calvinist View of Human Free Will: Are We Truly Free?