NON-PERMISSIVE FAITH

When some hear the word Permissive, they might allow their thoughts to wander to the concept of Gods Permissive Will.

Which then brings to light that Gods Permissive Will, is not the same thing as Gods Perfect Will.

Here’s a great example of the stark difference between the two:

God created human beings with free will, fully knowing that shortly thereafter they would leverage their new free will and choose to disobey everything that he asked them not to do…That’s Gods Permissive Will.

God, who knew all this well in advance, vowed to love them despite anything they could or would ever do…That’s God’s Perfect Will.

Can you see the difference? What he allows vs what he desires.

Which of you would willingly and knowingly give anyone the opportunity or chance to hurt or disappoint you? I know I wouldn’t!

Unless … I was bound by something greater than my own personal will.

Just as God is bound by something greater, His Unrequited Love for us. Unrequited Love is loving someone that you know doesn’t love you.

In other words, it’s when your love for someone is not dependent upon them loving you in return. It’s unrequited, unwarranted, unwanted, not returned, not rewarded. Who could possibly love that way?  GOD !

Which brings me to today’s topic on Non-Permissive Faith.

Non-Permissive Faith is not your standard theological term. In fact, there is nothing standard or common place about non-permissive faith. It is rarely spoken of and almost never taught about.

More people are familiar with the concept of “permissive faith”, where you believe, what you want to believe, when you choose, to believe it.

Permissive faith is really an oxymoron. True Faith is Non-Permissive. God does not demand nor require our permission for Him to exist or to do the things he does. God doesn’t require a cosigner!

Having Faith means that you’ve consented to accepting Gods Will be done in all circumstances. If this is truly the case, then having Faith, forfeits your right requiring God to seek your permission prior to doing anything. Simply put, God does not have to explain himself to you!

Non-Permissive faith means that you accept Gods perfect will for your life, no questions asked. Permissive Faith says I can ask questions, while Perfect Faith says so can I, but I don’t need to because I trust Him/God!

Let me offer another example of Permissive Faith vs Non-Permissive Faith that took place prior to the first recorded murder in the Bible.

Cain presented to God what he felt God would/should settle for. “Afterall God knows my heart, he knows my situation” - Permissive

But Able offered God, what God deserved, his very best. His sacrifice was said to be superior because it was offered with genuine faith, rather than a performed act for a ritual.  – Non-Permissive a.k.a. Perfect Faith

Non-Permissive Faith rejects the idea of Permissive Will, insisting that all events are a part of God's direct and perfect plan, which further asserts that God knows what is best, and he will always do what is best.

Non-Permissive Faith believes only in God's wills, both his perfect and sovereign will. Affirming that He can be trusted to correctly orchestrate all things, with no need for pervasive perspectives, personal preferences, or optical illusional opinions from those who can’t see the full picture.

As humans we often tend to lean into either legalism or permissiveness.  One says punish all. The other has no accountability. Neither is correct.

Legalism tends to focus on works-based activities or rituals like Cain did.  A form of righteousness that is attained by keeping the “rules”.
Permissiveness, on the other hand is purely opinion-based.  Where one’s righteousness is self-defined and self-designed, it’s flexible and non-binding. It can change just as easily as the situation changes. Also Cain.

The root word of Permissive is Permission. Do you really want God to seek your permission before He does something for you? Do you really want to limit a limitless God by only utilizing what you can think of using your own intellect, only using what you think makes sense?

We should do our best to avoid them both, because each is a miscarriage of truth. Sadly…these extremes have divided and damaged many.

We’re born with an entitled belief that we are in control of our own lives. Yet this very concept is in direct conflict with living a life of Faith.

When you choose to live by Faith, you willingly forfeit your right to know Why, How, Where or When something will happen.

Trusting Gods plan means to trust Gods’ pace!

God is asking us to exchange our right to know, for a trust in Him, that He knows what’s best.

We should have Unrequited Faith because we have been the recipients of Unrequited Love, making us able to operate by Non-Permissive Faith.

Noone loves us more than God does. I think we can trust Him, don’t you?

This should be our simple, yet powerful mantra…I BELIEVE GOD!

This a Thompson Truth