Providence of God and Human Freedom

Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians Direct teaching

...th the control of matter and the forms of matter. For this is the office of the angels: to exercise providence for God over the things created and ordered by Him. So God has the universal and general providence of the whole, while the particular parts are provided for by the angels appointed over them. Just as with men, who have freedom of choice as to both virtue and vice—for you would neither honor the good nor punish the bad unless vice and virtue were in their own power, and some are diligent in the matters entrusted to them by you, and others are faithless—so it is also among the angels. Some, being free agents, as they were created by God, continued in the things for which God had made them and over which He had ordained them. But some outraged both the constitution of their nature and the government entrusted to them. These were this ruler of matter and its various forms, and others of those who were placed about this first firmament. You know that we say nothing without witnesses, but state the things that have been declared by the prophets. These fell into impure love of virgins and were subjugated by the flesh, and he became negligent and wicked in the management of th

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

calls Providence holy and good; and has its being in the knowledge of divine and human affairs, by which it deems the opposites that are in the world to be the fairest harmony of creation.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching

God does, however, exercise providence over all things, and therefore He also gives counsel. When giving counsel, He is present with those who focus on moral discipline. It follows, then, that those watched over and governed should be familiar with their ruler. These beings are not irrational or vain, but have understanding derived from the providence of God. For this reason, certain Gentiles who were less drawn to sensual allurements and indulgence, and were not overly influenced by superstition regarding idols, were moved—though only slightly—by His providence. They were nevertheless convinced that they should call the Maker of this universe the Father, who exercises providence over all things and arranges the affairs of our world.

Origen, Against Celsus Direct teaching

For, continuing unchangeable in His essence, He condescends to human affairs by the economy of His providence.

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Supporting witness

The rule of truth requires that, first of all, we believe in God the Father and Lord Almighty. He is the absolutely perfect Founder of all things. He has suspended the heavens in lofty height, established the earth in its lower mass, spread out the seas with their flowing moisture, and arranged all these things, adorning them and supplying them with what was proper and fitting for each. In the solid vault of heaven, He has awakened the light-bringing risings of the sun. He has filled the white globe of the moon in its monthly waxing as a comfort for the night. He also kindles the starry rays with the varied splendors of shining light. He has willed all these things to move in their proper courses around the whole compass of the world, bringing about days, months, years, signs, seasons, and other benefits for the human race. On the earth also, He has raised the highest mountains into peaks, cast the valleys down into the depths, and smoothly leveled the plains. He has appointed the herds of animals for the various useful services of men. He has also established the oak trees of the woods for the future benefit of human use. He has brought forth harvests for food. He has opened the m

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

... wisdom and eloquence, and because in different parts of this work we must speak about the skill of divine providence, let us for now leave aside this inquiry. It is so closely connected with the other questions that it seems impossible for us to discuss any subject without at the same time discussing providence.

Lactantius, On the Anger of God Direct teaching

There is therefore a divine providence, as those men whom I have named perceived, by the energy and power of which all things which we see were both made and are governed.

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Supporting witness

and also concerning providence, that God cares for us, not only for the living among us, but also for those that are dead: though, indeed, they said this unwillingly, for they were convinced by the truth.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

But, moreover, what is that providence, and how great the clemency, that by a plan of salvation it is provided for us, that more abundant care should be taken for preserving man after he is already redeemed!

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

But if nothing can be done or produced without design, it is plain that there is a divine providence, to which that which is called design peculiarly belongs.

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Supporting witness

and the providence with which God provides nourishment for all flesh, or the subjection in which He has ordained that all things subserve mankind.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Background

An Enumeration of the Several Instances of Divine Providence, and How in Every Age from the Beginning of the World God Has Invited All Men to Repentance.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Direct teaching

1. This expression [of our Lord], “How often would I have gathered thy children together, and thou wouldest not,” set forth the ancient law of human liberty, because God made man a free [agent] from the beginning, possessing his own power, even as he does his own soul, to obey the behests (ad utendum sententia) of God voluntarily, and not by compulsion of God.

Arnobius, Against the Heathen Direct teaching

...ep inviting you, when His only duty is to make your enjoyment of His bounty depend on your own free choice? Plato says that God does not cause anyone to choose his place in life; nor can another person's choice rightly be credited to anyone else, since freedom of choice was put in the power of the one who made it. Must you even be begged to be willing to accept the gift of salvation from God? And must God's gracious mercy be poured into your heart while you reject it with contempt and run far away from it? Do you choose to take what is offered and use it for your own good? In that case, you have cared for your own interests. Do you reject it with contempt, think little of it, and despise it? In that case, you have deprived yourself of the benefit of the gift. God forces no one and terrifies no one with overwhelming fear. For our salvation is not necessary to Him, so that He would gain anything or suffer any loss if He either made us divine or allowed us to be wiped out and destroyed by corruption.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

...ss to God should be missed. Without doubt, the holiness of the Gnostic, in union with God's blessed Providence, shows the perfect goodness of God through voluntary confession. For the holiness of the Gnostic, and the mutual goodwill of the friend of God, are a kind of corresponding movement of Providence. For God is not good unwillingly, as fire gives warmth. Rather, in Him, the giving of good things is voluntary, even if He receives the request first. Nor will the one who is saved be saved against his will, for he is not without life. Instead, above all, he will willingly and by free choice hasten to salvation. Therefore man also received the commandments, so that he might be moved by himself toward whatever he wished among the things to be chosen and the things to be avoided. Therefore God does not do good by necessity, but from His free choice He benefits those who turn willingly. For the Providence that extends to us from God is not ministerial, like the service that goes from inferiors to superiors. But in pity for our weakness, the continual arrangements of Providence work like the care of shepherds toward the sheep, and of a king toward his subjects. We ourselves also con

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

Since, therefore, both the goodness and purpose of God are discovered in the gift to man of freedom in his will, it is not right, after ignoring the original definition of goodness and purpose which it was necessary to determine previous to any discussion of the subject, on subsequent facts to presume to say that God ought not in such a way to have formed man, because the issue was other than what was assumed to be proper for God.

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

...y of innocence, the way of righteousness, if you walk with a firm and steady step, if, depending on God with your whole strength and with your whole heart, you are only what you have begun to be, liberty and power to act are given to you in proportion to the increase of your spiritual grace. For there is not, as is the case with earthly benefits, any measure or limit in the giving of the heavenly gift. The Spirit, freely flowing forth, is restrained by no limits, and checked by no closed barriers within certain bounded spaces. It flows continually. It is abundant in its overflowing fullness. Let our heart only be thirsty, and ready to receive. In the degree in which we bring to it a faith broad enough to receive, in that measure we draw from it an overflowing grace. From there power is given, with modest chastity, with a sound mind, with a simple voice, with unblemished virtue, able to quench the virus of poisons for the healing of the sick, to purge out the stains of foolish souls by restored health, to command peace to those that are at enmity, rest to the violent, gentleness to the unruly; by startling threats to force the impure and vagrant spirits to confess themselves, spi

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness

...and separating the believing from the unbelieving, since those who believe do His will by their own choice, and the disobedient do not agree with His doctrine by their own choice, it is clear that His Father has made everyone in the same state, each person having a choice of their own and a free understanding, and that He cares for all things and oversees everything, “making His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sending rain on the just and the unjust.”

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness

5. And not merely in works, but also in faith, has God preserved the will of man free and under his own control, saying, “According to thy faith be it unto thee;” thus showing that there is a faith specially belonging to man, since he has an opinion specially his own.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness

But because man is possessed of free will from the beginning, and God is possessed of free will, in whose likeness man was created, advice is always given to him to keep fast the good, which thing is done by means of obedience to God.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness

And such were some of you; but ye have been washed, but ye have been sanctified in the name of our Lord.” If then it were not in our power to do or not to do these things, what reason had the apostle, and much more the Lord Himself, to give us counsel to do some things, and to abstain from others?

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Supporting witness

our freedom of will being preserved to us in either case.

1 Esdras 4:62 Direct teaching

And they praised the God of their fathers, because he had given them freedom and liberty

Deuteronomy 30:19 Direct teaching

I call both heaven and earth to witness this day against you, I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: choose thou life, that thou and thy seed may live;

Gregory Thaumaturgus, Oration to Origen Direct teaching

... also secured that when the soul had now become endowed with that power, though not gifted with the divine and pure reason, it might at least not be without that fear which agrees with this reason. Thus the human reason and the divine reason began to act in me at once and together. The one gave help with a power that, at least to me, cannot be explained, though proper to itself. And the other received help. When I reflect on this, I am filled at once with gladness and with terror. I rejoice indeed in the leading of providence, and yet I am also filled with awe by the fear lest, after being granted such blessings, I should still somehow fail of the end. But I do not know how my discourse has stayed so long on this matter. I am eager to give an account of the wonderful arrangement of God's providence in the course that brought me to this man. Yet before this, I had been anxious to pass in few words to the matters that come next in order. Certainly I did not imagine that I could offer to him who dealt with me in this way the tribute of praise, or gratitude, or piety that is due to him. For if we gave our discourse such names while still saying nothing worthy of the subject, we migh

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

...dence. Since there is a Providence, it would be impious to think that the whole of prophecy and the divine arrangement concerning a Savior did not take place according to Providence. And perhaps one should not even try to prove such things, since divine Providence is clear from the sight of all its skillful and wise works that are seen. Some of these take place in order, and some appear in order. And He who gave us being and life has also given us reason, since He wished us to live rationally and rightly. For the Word of the Father of the universe is not the spoken word, but the wisdom and most clear kindness of God, and also His power, which is almighty and truly divine, and not incapable of being understood by those who do not confess—the all-powerful will. But since some are unbelieving, and some are argumentative, not all attain the perfection of the good. For it is not possible to attain it without the exercise of free choice. Nor does the whole depend on our own purpose, as, for example, in what is determined to happen. For by grace we are saved. Not, indeed, without good works. But by being formed for what is good, we must gain an inclination toward it. And we must have t

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Supporting witness

...ter, which is beyond man, does not appear at once, at first glance, to those who are less versed in divine discipline, this is not at all to be wondered at. For divine things are brought down somewhat slowly to the understanding of men, and escape notice in proportion as one is either skeptical or unworthy. For although it is certain that all things which exist in this world, or take place in it, are ordered by the providence of God, and certain events do appear with sufficient clearness to be under the disposal of His providential government, yet others unfold themselves so mysteriously and incomprehensibly that the plan of Divine Providence with regard to them is completely concealed. So it is occasionally believed by some that particular occurrences do not belong to Providence, because the principle escapes their grasp, according to which the works of Divine Providence are administered with indescribable skill. Yet this principle of administration is not equally concealed from all. For even among men themselves, one individual gives less consideration to it, another more. While by every man, He who is on earth, whoever is the inhabitant of heaven, is more acknowledged. And th

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

But if we ascribe to the providence of God all things whatsoever, however unjust they may be, then it is no longer true that the providence of God regulates all things, unless we refer directly to God's providence things which flow as results from His arrangements.

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Supporting witness

but God foreknowing all that shall be done by all men, and it being His decree that the future actions of men shall all be recompensed according to their several value, He foretells by the Spirit of prophecy that He will bestow meet rewards according to the merit of the actions done, always urging the human race to effort and recollection, showing that He cares and provides for men.

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

...inted out beforehand both the traitor and the one who would swear falsely, they did not fear Him as God and stop, the one from his planned betrayal and the other from his false oath?" Here the learned Celsus did not see the contradiction in what he said. For if Jesus knew future events beforehand as God, then it was impossible for His foreknowledge to prove false. Therefore, it was impossible for the one whom He knew would betray Him not to carry out his purpose, or for the one whom He warned would deny Him not to be guilty of that sin. For if it had been possible for the one to hold back from betrayal, and the other from denial, because they had been warned beforehand about the result of these actions, then the words of Him who foretold that one would betray Him and the other would deny Him would no longer be true. For if He had foreknowledge of the traitor, He knew the wickedness from which the betrayal came, and that wickedness was not taken away at all by His foreknowledge. And again, if He knew that one would deny Him, He made that prediction because He saw the weakness from which that denial would come, and yet that weakness was not removed at once by His foreknowledge. Bu

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

Exodus 3:18-19 For He shows both things: both His divinity in His foreknowledge of what would take place, and His love in affording an opportunity for repentance to the self-determination of the soul.

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

But yet, since He knew that it would be good, He created both angels and men free to do that which is righteous, and He appointed periods of time during which He knew it would be good for them to have the exercise of free-will;

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

For God, wishing both angels and men, who were endowed with free-will, and at their own disposal, to do whatever He had strengthened each to do, made them so, that if they chose the things acceptable to Himself, He would keep them free from death and from punishment;

1 Peter 1:2 Direct teaching

elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

Romans 9:11 Supporting witness

though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—

Acts 4:28 Supporting witness

For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

Tatian, Address to the Greeks Direct teaching

...f good, for that is with God alone. But in men it is brought to perfection through their freedom of choice. This is so that the bad man may be justly punished, since he became depraved through his own fault, while the just man may deservedly be praised for his virtuous deeds, since by the exercise of his free choice he refrained from transgressing the will of God. Such is the constitution of things in reference to angels and men. And the power of the Word, having in itself a faculty to foresee future events, foretold from time to time the issues of things to come. It did this not as if they were fated, but as things taking place by the choice of free agents. It also became a forbidder of wickedness by means of prohibitions, and the encomiast of those who remained good. And when men attached themselves to one who was more subtle than the rest, because he was the first-born, and declared him to be God, though he was resisting the law of God, then the power of the Word excluded the beginner of this folly and his adherents from all fellowship with itself. And so the one who was made in the likeness of God, since the more powerful spirit is separated from him, becomes mortal. But tha

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Supporting witness

...consistent other people, and in fact almost the majority, have been in what they said about God and providence. Some have completely denied God and providence. Others, however, have affirmed God and declared that all things are governed by providence. Therefore, the intelligent listener and reader must pay close attention to their words. Simylus also said, "It is the custom of poets to use one common name for both the extremely wicked and the excellent; therefore we must make distinctions." Philemon also says, "A foolish man who sits and only listens is a troublesome thing, for he does not criticize himself, so foolish is he." So then, we must pay attention and think carefully about what is said, examining critically what the philosophers and the poets have spoken.

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Supporting witness

...esponsible for their actions. We demonstrate that both virtuous and flawed actions are made by free choice. We observe people switching between good and bad behaviors. If it were destined for someone to be either good or bad, they would not be capable of such changes. Moreover, not everyone would be good or bad, as this would make fate responsible for evil and contradict itself; or it would imply that neither virtue nor vice truly exists, and that things are considered good or evil merely by opinion, which the truth reveals as the greatest impiety and wickedness. However, we assert that it is inevitable fate that those who choose good receive worthy rewards, and those who choose the opposite receive due consequences. Unlike trees or animals that cannot act by choice, God created humans with the ability to choose. Thus, a person is deserving of reward or praise for freely choosing good, and is deserving of punishment for being evil by their own choice, rather than being inherently incapable of anything other than what they were made to be.

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

Belief in Antinous, then, or in any other such person, whether among the Egyptians or the Greeks, is, so to speak, unfortunate. But belief in Jesus would seem to be either fortunate, or the result of thorough investigation. To the multitude, it has the appearance of the former; to exceedingly few, of the latter. And when I speak of a certain belief as, in the judgment of the multitude, unfortunate, I in such a case refer the cause to God, who knows the reasons for the different fates allotted to each person who enters human life. The Greeks, moreover, will admit that even among those considered to be most richly endowed with wisdom, good fortune has had much to do with it. This is seen in the choice of one kind of teacher rather than another, in meeting a better class of instructors, since there were teachers who taught the most opposite doctrines, and in being brought up in better circumstances. For many were brought up in surroundings of such a kind that they were prevented from ever receiving any idea of better things. Instead, from their earliest youth, they passed their life either as the favorites of licentious men or of tyrants, or in some other wretched condition that kept

Minucius Felix, Octavius Supporting witness

But if the world is governed by providence, and directed by the will of one God, antiquity of unskilled people ought not, however delighted and charmed with its own fables, to carry us away into the mistake of a mutual agreement, when it is rebutted by the opinions of its own philosophers, who are supported by the authority both of reason and of antiquity.

Minucius Felix, Octavius Background

Chapter 20. Argument: But If the World is Ruled by Providence and Governed by the Will of One God, an Ignorant Antipathy Ought Not to Carry Us Away into the Error of Agreement with It: Although Delighted with Its Own Fables, It Has Brought in Ridiculous Traditions.

Arnobius, Against the Heathen Supporting witness

nor can another's choice be rightly attributed to any one, since freedom of choice was put in His power who made it.