_4_Does God Permit Men to Sin?

This question has often been put. Scripture answers in the affirmative. It describes God’s relation to sin also as a sufferance of sin, a permissio. Ps. 81:12: “So I gave them [the Jews] up unto their own heart’s lust; and they walked in their own counsels.” Acts 14:16: “Who in times past suffered all nations [the Gentiles] to walk in their own ways.” The phrase: “God permits men to sin” is therefore not subject to criticism. It is based on Scripture. But this does not fully describe God’s activity in connection with the sins of men. According to Scripture, God in His righteous judgment punishes sin with sin. We read Rom. 1:24-28: “Wherefore [because of their idolatry] God also gave them up to uncleanness … unto vile affections … to a reprobate mind.” And 2 Thess. 2:11-12 describes this activity of God in these words: “And for this cause [because they received not the love of the truth] God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Cp. Formula of Concord, Trigl., 1091, 83.