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SALVIFIC WILL

The desire of God that all humankind be saved. God's general or universal will is the salvation of humanity on condition that a person dies in the state of grace. It is called God's antecedent and conditioned salvific will. His special or particular will considers the moral state of each person at the time of death. Here God unconditionally desires the salvation of all those who depart this life in the state of grace. It is called God's consequent and absolute salvific will. This coincides with predestination. Insofar as the consequent, unconditional will of God refers to the expulsion of a person from heavenly happiness, it is called reprobation.

All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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