Volition, in the context of biblical theology, refers to the capacity of human beings to make choices and decisions, a faculty that is integral to the concept of free will. This ability to choose is a significant theme throughout the Scriptures, reflecting the moral responsibility bestowed upon humanity by God.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of volition is rooted in the creation narrative. In Genesis 1:26-27 , God creates mankind in His own image, endowing them with the ability to make choices: "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.' So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." This divine image includes the capacity for moral decision-making, distinguishing humans from the rest of creation.

The Fall and Human Choice

The exercise of volition is poignantly illustrated in the account of the Fall in Genesis 3. Adam and Eve's decision to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, despite God's command, demonstrates the profound impact of human choice. Genesis 3:6 states, "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." This act of disobedience underscores the reality of volition and its consequences.

Moral Responsibility and Accountability

Throughout the Bible, individuals are held accountable for their choices, emphasizing the moral responsibility that accompanies volition. Deuteronomy 30:19 presents a clear call to choose wisely: "I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, so that you and your descendants may live." This passage highlights the importance of making choices that align with God's will.

Volition and Salvation

The New Testament further explores the theme of volition in the context of salvation. In John 3:16 , the invitation to believe in Jesus Christ is extended to all: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." The act of believing is a volitional response to God's offer of grace.

Moreover, Revelation 3:20 illustrates the personal nature of this choice: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me." Here, the decision to open the door to Christ is an exercise of individual volition.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

While human volition is significant, the Bible also teaches that the Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in guiding and empowering believers to make godly choices. Philippians 2:13 states, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose." This verse acknowledges the divine assistance provided to believers in aligning their will with God's purposes.

Volition in Christian Living

The exercise of volition is essential in the daily life of a believer. Romans 12:2 encourages Christians to actively choose transformation: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." This transformation involves a continual choice to pursue holiness and reject worldly influences.

In summary, volition is a fundamental aspect of human existence as portrayed in the Bible. It encompasses the ability to make choices, the responsibility for those choices, and the divine assistance available to guide believers in making decisions that honor God.1. (n.) The act of willing or choosing; the act of forming a purpose; as, to choose on one's own volition.

2. (n.) The result of an act or exercise of choosing or willing; a state of choice.

3. (n.) The power of willing or determining; will.

WILL, VOLITION

vo-lish'-un ('abhah, ratson; thelo) boulomai, thelema: "Will" as noun and verb, transitive and intrans, carries in it the idea of "wish," "purpose," "volition." "Will" is also used as an auxiliary of the future tense of other words, but the independent verb is frequent, and it is often important to distinguish between it and the mere auxiliary, especially in the New Testament.

In the Old Testament the word chiefly rendered "to will" is 'abhah, "to breathe after," "to long for." With the exception of Job 39:9 Isaiah 1:19, it is accompanied by a negation, and is used of both man and God. Several other words are employed, but only sparsely. "Will" as noun is the translation chiefly of ratson, "good-will," "willfulness" (Genesis 49:6), with emphasis on the voluntariness of action (Leviticus 1:3; Leviticus 19:5; Leviticus 22:19, 29, etc.); also of nephesh, and a few other words. In the New Testament "will" is chiefly the translation of thelo and boulomai, the difference between the two being that thelo expresses an active choice or purpose, boulomai, "passive inclination or willingness, or the inward predisposition from which the active choice proceeds" (compare Mark 15:9, 12 with 15:15). "Will," noun, is thelema. With the exception of a few passages, it is used of the will of God (over all, Matthew 18:14; in all things to be done, Matthew 6:10; Matthew 26:42 parallel, etc.; ordering all things, Ephesians 1:11, etc.); human will, however, may oppose itself to the will of God (Luke 23:25 John 1:13 Romans 7:18; here the capacity to will is distinguished from the power to do, etc.). Boulema is properly counsel or purpose. While it is possible to oppose the will of God, His counsel or purpose cannot be frustrated (Acts 2:23; Acts 4:28 Romans 9:19 Ephesians 1:11 Hebrews 6:17); it may, however, be resisted for a time (Luke 7:30).

In Apocrypha, for "will" we have thelema (1 Esdras 9:9 (of God); Ecclesiasticus 43:16; 1 Maccabees 3:60; Ecclesiasticus 8:15, "his own will"); boule (The Wisdom of Solomon 9:13, the Revised Version (British and American) "counsel); boulema (2 Maccabees 15:5, "wicked will," the Revised Version (British and American) "cruel purpose"); "willful" (Ecclesiasticus 30:8) is proales, the Revised Version (British and American) "headstrong"; "willing" (The Wisdom of Solomon 14:19), boulomai, the Revised Version (British and American) "wishing"; thelo (Ecclesiasticus 6:35); "wilt" (The Wisdom of Solomon 12:18), thelo, the Revised Version (British and American) "hast the will" (compare 2 Maccabees 7:16).

The Revised Version (British and American) has many changes, several of them of note as bringing out the distinction between the auxiliary and the independent verb. Thus, Matthew 11:27, "willeth to"; John 7:17, "if any man willeth to do his will"; 1 Timothy 6:9, the American Standard Revised Version "they that are minded to be rich," the English Revised Version "desire," etc.

The words employed and passages cited show clearly that man is always regarded as a responsible being, free to will in harmony with the divine will or contrary to it. This is further shown by the various words denoting refusal. "Ye will not come to me, that ye may have life" (John 5:40). So with respect to temptation. We may even choose and act deliberately in opposition to the will of God. Yet God's counsel, His will in its completeness, ever prevails, and man, in resisting it, deprives himself of the good it seeks to confer upon him.

In modern psychology the tendency is to make will primary and distinctive of personality.

W. L. Walker

2307. thelema -- will
... From the prolonged form of ethelo; a determination (properly, the thing), ie (actively)
choice (specially, purpose, decree; abstractly, volition) or (passively ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2307.htm - 7k

1012. boule -- counsel
... advise, counsel. From boulomai; volition, ie (objectively) advice, or (by implication)
purpose -- + advise, counsel, will. see GREEK boulomai. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1012.htm - 7k

2974. yaal -- to show willingness, be pleased, determine ...
... the same as ya'al through the idea of mental weakness); properly, to yield, especially
assent; hence (pos.) To undertake as an act of volition -- assay, begin ...
/hebrew/2974.htm - 6k

Whether Volition is of the End Only, or Also of the Means?
... OF THE WILL, IN REGARD TO WHAT IT WILLS (THREE ARTICLES) Whether volition
is of the end only, or also of the means? Objection 1: It ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether volition is of the.htm

Volition and Ability.
... A Treatise on the spirit and the letter, Chapter 53 [XXXI.]"Volition and
Ability. Some one will ask whether the faith itself, in ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 53 xxxi volition and ability.htm

Of Indulgence and Pure Volition. The Question Illustrated.
... Chapter III."Of Indulgence and Pure Volition. The Question Illustrated.
[521] For what things are manifest we all know; and in ...
/.../tertullian/on exhortation to chastity/chapter iii of indulgence and pure.htm

The Blame of Our Misdeeds not to be Cast Upon God the one Power ...
... Chapter II."The Blame of Our Misdeeds Not to Be Cast Upon God The One
Power Which Rests with Man is the Power of Volition. What ...
/.../tertullian/on exhortation to chastity/chapter ii the blame of our.htm

Whether Intention of the End is the Same Act as the Volition of ...
... OF INTENTION (FIVE ARTICLES) Whether intention of the end is the same act
as the volition of the means? Objection 1: It would seem ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether intention of the end.htm

Pelagius' System of Faculties.
... In his system, he posits and distinguishes three faculties, by which he says God's
commandments are fulfilled,"capacity, volition, and action: [1789] meaning ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 4 pelagius system of faculties.htm

Concerning the Volitions and Free-Will of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
... Simple willing then is spoken of as volition or the faculty of will [2087] , being
a rational propension [2088] and natural will; but in a particular way ...
/.../exposition of the orthodox faith/chapter xiv concerning the volitions and.htm

Pelagius' Own Account of the Faculties, Quoted.
... We put in the first place ability;' in the second, volition;' and in the third,
actuality.' [1790] The ability' we place in our nature, the volition' in our ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 5 iv pelagius own account.htm

Pelagius and Paul of Different Opinions.
... of the liberty of the will, in which he has taken care to distinguish with so great
subtlety these three things,"the "capacity," the "volition," and the ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 6 v pelagius and paul.htm

Whether Faith be in a Man's Own Power.
... Nowhere, however, in Holy Scripture do we find such an assertion as, There
is no volition but comes from God. And rightly is it ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 54 whether faith be in.htm

Volition
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The act of willing or choosing; the act of forming
a purpose; as, to choose on one's own volition. ... WILL, VOLITION. ...
/v/volition.htm - 11k

Will (64996 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) The choice which is made; a determination or preference which results
from the act or exercise of the power of choice; a volition. ...
/w/will.htm - 13k

Volume (4 Occurrences)

/v/volume.htm - 8k

With (66342 Occurrences)
... indicates the belief of the New Testament writers that the control of demons over
men is obtained outside of or below the region of conscious volition and that ...
/w/with.htm - 20k

Faculty (1 Occurrence)
... of mental activity; psychical or soul capacity; capacity for any of the leading
kinds of soul activity, as knowledge, feeling, volition; intellectual endowment ...
/f/faculty.htm - 8k

Devils (48 Occurrences)
... indicates the belief of the New Testament writers that the control of demons over
men is obtained outside of or below the region of conscious volition and that ...
/d/devils.htm - 31k

Demons (54 Occurrences)
... indicates the belief of the New Testament writers that the control of demons over
men is obtained outside of or below the region of conscious volition and that ...
/d/demons.htm - 34k

Miracle (15 Occurrences)
... An event in the external world brought about by the immediate agency or the simple
volition of God, operating without the use of means capable of being ...
/m/miracle.htm - 44k

Brute (4 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Not having sensation; senseless; inanimate; unconscious; without intelligence
or volition; as, the brute earth; the brute powers of nature. ...
/b/brute.htm - 9k

Communion (8 Occurrences)
... indicates the belief of the New Testament writers that the control of demons over
men is obtained outside of or below the region of conscious volition and that ...
/c/communion.htm - 30k

Does God have free will? | GotQuestions.org

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Volition: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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