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       God's Directive Will refers to what God actively ordains and brings to pass according to His perfect plan and purposes. It includes God's specific commands, moral laws, and plans for individuals and the world. For example:​

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The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) represent God's directive will for moral behavior.

And God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

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God's plans for salvation through Jesus Christ (John 3:16) and his ultimate purpose for humanity.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

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God's Permissive Will refers to what God allows to happen, even if it is not His perfect desire or plan. It acknowledges that God permits human beings to exercise free will, even when their choices lead to sin or suffering. For example:

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The story of Job shows God's permissive will, as God allowed Job to be tested by suffering (Job 1:12).

​The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

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God allowed the Israelites to have a king, even though it was not His original desire for them (1 Samuel 8:7-9).

7 And the Lord told him, “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them, but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”

Understanding these concepts helps to reconcile the belief in God's sovereignty with the reality of human free will and the presence of evil and suffering in the world. It highlights that while God can bring good out of any situation (Romans 8:28), not everything that happens is a direct reflection of His perfect will.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.