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Defining Divine Essentialism

Essentialism, derived from the Latin esse, meaning “to be,” represents the belief that moral principles are rooted in God’s unchangeable divine essence, not merely in His changeable will. This view opposes the doctrine of divine voluntarism, which asserts that something is good solely because God wills it. In contrast, divine essentialism holds that God wills something because it is inherently good according to His eternal and perfect nature.

Divine essentialism, as embraced by theistic traditions, posits that God’s moral will is a reflection of His own unchanging, good nature. This understanding separates itself from Platonic essentialism, where Plato envisioned moral goodness as a transcendent form (the Agathos) to which even gods were subject. However, Christian theism argues that God’s essence itself defines what is good, making Him the source of all moral truth.

Philosophical Arguments for Divine Essentialism

1. The Argument from God’s Pure Actuality

A foundational argument for divine essentialism lies in God’s immutability, which stems from His nature as pure actuality. Exodus 3:14 provides an essential insight into God’s self-revelation when He declares, “I am who I am.” This declaration conveys that God is pure being—without potentiality or capacity for change. All beings that change possess potentiality, but since God is pure Actuality, He has no potential to actualize through change. Thus, His nature and will must be unchangeable.

This theological position rests on the understanding that any change implies an imperfection, a movement from one state to another. In human beings, change suggests incompleteness, whether gaining or losing something. However, God, as perfect in His essence, cannot gain or lose anything. Thus, to suggest that God’s will could alter would imply that His nature is incomplete or imperfect, which is contradictory to Scripture’s affirmation of His eternal perfection.

2. The Argument from God’s Perfection

God’s unchangeable nature is also philosophically grounded in His absolute perfection. According to Psalm 18:30, “As for God, His way is perfect.” A perfect being cannot improve or deteriorate, for that would imply incompleteness or flaw. If God could change, He would either gain or lose perfection, which is impossible for an absolutely perfect being. This perfection extends to God’s moral will, which means that whatever God commands or wills is eternally good, reflecting His unchangeably perfect nature.

Change, by its very definition, involves gaining or losing some quality, but God is complete in every way. James 1:17 reminds believers that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” God’s moral goodness remains consistent, unaltered by external circumstances or any internal potentiality.

3. The Argument from God’s Simplicity

A final philosophical argument arises from the doctrine of God’s simplicity. In theological terms, simplicity refers to the idea that God is not composed of parts or elements. Instead, He is one, unified, and indivisible in essence. Therefore, there cannot be any division within God that would allow one part to change while another remains the same. If God were composed of parts, some could change, leading to the possibility of moral fluctuation. However, divine simplicity ensures that God’s will, goodness, and essence are inseparably one.

The idea that God could change would also imply that God could cease being Himself. However, such a notion is absurd since the change would result in the annihilation of God’s essential being. Malachi 3:6 confirms this truth: “I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” God’s immutability ensures that His essence and His moral will are eternally reliable and perfect.

Biblical Arguments Supporting Divine Essentialism

1. Old Testament Evidence of Immutability

The Old Testament provides a wealth of evidence affirming God’s unchangeable nature. Psalm 102:25-27 declares that even though creation itself is subject to change and decay, God remains unaltered: “In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment… But you remain the same, and your years will never end.”

This passage establishes a key distinction between creation, which is mutable, and God, who is immutable. Creation undergoes constant change, but God is the constant, eternal reality behind it all. This also affirms that God’s moral will is consistent, as it reflects His eternal nature.

First Samuel 15:29 echoes this sentiment, stating, “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.” The contrast between human fickleness and divine constancy underscores that God’s nature and will are always in perfect harmony.

2. New Testament Evidence of Immutability

The New Testament continues this affirmation of God’s unchangeable nature. Hebrews 13:8 reminds believers that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Since Christ is the exact representation of the Father (Hebrews 1:3), this declaration applies to God’s immutability as well.

James 1:17 further supports this truth: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” The image of shifting shadows highlights the unpredictable and ever-changing nature of the world, but in contrast, God’s nature remains steady and dependable. Therefore, His moral will, grounded in His essence, is unchangeably good.

Practical Arguments for God’s Moral Immutability

1. The Argument from the Need for Moral Stability

A practical reason for embracing divine essentialism is the need for moral stability. If moral principles were rooted merely in God’s changeable will, human beings would have no secure foundation for ethics. God could change His mind about what is right or wrong, leaving humanity adrift in moral uncertainty.

The constancy of God’s moral will is emphasized throughout Scripture, ensuring that believers can trust His commands as eternally valid. In Deuteronomy 7:9, we see the practical outcome of God’s immutability: “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” Because God does not change, His covenants and commandments remain reliable and consistent across time.

Without the assurance of God’s moral immutability, believers would face the terrifying prospect that what was once commanded could be rescinded, leaving them in constant doubt about the eternal consequences of their actions.

2. The Argument from Moral Repugnance

A second practical argument arises from the repugnance of a morally changeable God. If God’s will alone determined morality without reference to His unchangeable nature, it would be conceivable that He could will evil to be good. This concept contradicts the very character of God as revealed in Scripture, where He is depicted as holy, just, and loving (Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 89:14).

It is unthinkable to imagine God commanding something evil, such as murder, rape, or cruelty, as morally good. Such a change in moral standards would be repugnant to human beings, who are made in God’s image and thus reflect His moral character. Genesis 1:27 emphasizes that humanity was created in the image of God, and this includes moral likeness. Therefore, the innate sense of morality in human beings testifies to the constancy of God’s moral law.

3. The Argument from God’s Trustworthiness

Trust in God’s promises and character depends on His immutability. Hebrews 6:18 provides assurance that “it is impossible for God to lie,” reinforcing the idea that God’s promises are certain. Believers can have confidence that God’s nature, including His moral will, remains constant.

If God were subject to change, His promises could not be trusted. For example, if God promised eternal life to believers but then changed His mind, their hope would be rendered void. Romans 11:29 emphasizes the unchangeability of God’s purposes: “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” This verse underlines the security that believers have in God’s unchanging nature and will.

Addressing Objections to Divine Essentialism

1. Objection from God’s Supremacy

One objection to essentialism comes from the claim that God’s supremacy requires voluntarism. Critics argue that if God wills something because it is right, then He is subject to a moral standard outside of Himself, which would undermine His sovereignty. They insist that something is right solely because God wills it.

However, this objection presents a false dilemma, suggesting that either God wills something because it is right or something is right because God wills it. Divine essentialism resolves this by positing that moral principles flow from God’s will as rooted in His unchangeable nature. In this view, God is not subject to an external standard but rather to His own intrinsic nature, which is the ultimate source of all goodness.

2. Objection from the Nature of Morality

Voluntarists claim that moral principles must originate in God’s will, as commands are inherently prescriptive. They argue that if moral laws do not flow directly from God’s will, then they lose their prescriptive force.

Essentialists respond by affirming that moral commands do indeed come from God’s will, but they are always in accordance with His unchangeable nature. God’s will and essence are not in conflict but in harmony. Therefore, moral principles are both prescriptive and grounded in God’s eternal and perfect nature.

Conclusion

Divine essentialism offers a coherent and theologically sound understanding of God’s unchanging nature and moral will. It successfully addresses both philosophical and biblical arguments, ensuring that God’s will is eternally good and trustworthy. Moral stability, repugnance toward evil, and God’s unwavering trustworthiness are all safeguarded within this framework, providing believers with the assurance that the God they serve is eternally unchangeable, both in His essence and in His moral will.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).