Basic HTML Version
71
may be called the effective energy of His nature, or that perfection of His Being by which He is
the absolute and highest causality. It is customary to distinguish between a potentia Dei
absoluta (absolute power of God) and a potentia Dei ordinata (ordered power of God).
However, Reformed theology rejects this distinction in the sense in which it was understood by
the Scholastics, who claimed that God by virtue of His absolute power could effect
contradictions, and could even sin and annihilate Himself. At the same time it adopts the
distinction as expressing a real truth, though it does not always represent it in the same way.
According to Hodge and Shedd absolute power is the divine efficiency, as exercised without the
intervention of second causes; while ordinate power is the efficiency of God, as exercised by
the ordered operation of second causes.[Shedd, Dogm. Theol. I, pp. 361f., Hodge, Syst. Theol. 1,
pp. 410f.] The more general view is stated by Charnock as follows: “Absolute, is that power
whereby God is able to do that which He will not do, but is possible to be done; ordinate, is that
power whereby God doth that which He hath decreed to do, that is, which He hath ordained or
appointed to be exercised; which are not distinct powers, but one and the same power. His
ordinate power is a part of His absolute; for if He had not power to do everything that He could
will, He might not have the power to do everything that He doth will.”[Existence and Attributes
of God II, p. 12. Cf. also Bavinck, Geref. Dogm. II, p. 252: Kuyper, Dict. Dogm., De Deo I, pp.
412f.] The potentia ordinata can be defined as that perfection of God whereby He, through the
mere exercise of His will, can realize whatsoever is present in His will or counsel. The power of
God in actual exercise limits itself to that which is comprehended in His eternal decree. But the
actual exercise of God’s power does not represent its limits. God could do more than that, if He
were so minded. In that sense we can speak of the potentia absoluta, or absolute power, of
God. This position must be maintained over against those who, like Schleiermacher and Strauss,
hold that God’s power is limited to that which He actually accomplishes. But in our assertion of
the absolute power of God it is necessary to guard against misconceptions. The Bible teaches us
on the one hand that the power of God extends beyond that which is actually realized, Gen.
18:14; Jer. 32:27; Zech. 8:6; Matt. 3:9; 26:53. We cannot say, therefore, that what God does not
bring to realization, is not possible for Him. But on the other hand it also indicates that there
are many things which God cannot do. He can neither lie, sin, change, nor deny Himself, Num.
23:19; I Sam. 15:29; II Tim. 2:13; Heb. 6:18; Jas. 1:13,17. There is no absolute power in Him that
is divorced from His perfections, and in virtue of which He can do all kinds of things which are
inherently contradictory. The idea of God’s omnipotence is expressed in the name ’El-Shaddai;
and the Bible speaks of it in no uncertain terms, Job 9:12; Ps. 115:3; Jer. 32:17; Matt. 19:26;
Luke 1:37; Rom. 1:20; Eph. 1:19. God manifests His power in creation, Rom. 4:17; Isa. 44:24; in
the works of providence, Heb. 1:3, and in the redemption of sinners, I Cor. 1:24; Rom. 1:16.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY.
In what different senses can we speak of the foreknowledge
of God? How do the Arminians conceive of this foreknowledge? What objections are there to