2024-06-09 Doctrine - Attribute - Unchanging/Immutabale

Doctrine - Attribute - Unchanging/Immutable

Introduction: Some things never change, or should we say, seemingly they never change. This can be good, this can be bad.

Hershey’s Chocolate, the same since 1899 (Remind them of TV adds in 1999, Change is bad)

However the size and price has changed

Link: God though is the one who never changes, this doctrine is called Immutability.

Review: Last month we begin the portion of our doctrine study on the doctrine of God, we looked at how God is “ONE” we looked at the doctrine of the “TRINITY.” We had to understand that so that as we move forward studying the doctrine of God, we would see how it applies and works together in each aspect of who God is.

As I mentioned a moment ago, today we are going to begun looking at the attributes, the characteristics of who God is, what He is like. So today were going to look at how every part of who God is, He is immutable, or He is unchanging, He never changes.

So lets jump in:

Definition: Immutability (Simply put God is Unchanging) God’s being and attributes, along with the ethical commitments He has given, cannot change. This means, among other things, that God is committed to being God and that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God’s unchanging nature is good news for Christians, for it guarantees that God does not change His mind or go back on His promises. Christians can find assurance and peace of mind in knowing that the God who brought them out of darkness into His marvelous light is the God who will carry them through into eternity.

We have an unchanging gospel, which is not today green grass and tomorrow dry hay; but always the abiding truth of the immutable Jehovah.

Charles Spurgeon

Scriptural references:

Malachi 3:6 (NKJV)

6 “For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.

As God is telling the Jewish folks here, that they wouldn't exist if He were to change His mind. It’s in our best interest that God never changes.

Numbers 23:19 (NKJV)

19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

When Balak wanted Balaam to curse Israel, He said, I tried, but God is a man that doesn’t lie. He won’t let me curse Israel and so only what I could do was bless them.

1 Samuel 15:29 (NKJV)

29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.”

Saul just deliberately disobeyed Gods order, he lied, blame-shifted, etc. In all he did in this story was to make Israel look good and excellent in their power. Samuel said, God is saying, the decision he made to take your kingdom from you is set in stone. You Saul didn't have a change of heart therefore the consequences remain and that is the loss of your kingdom.

Application 1: Some Christian say, God is different now, He feels distant. Perhaps its, you are different, you changed, you are distant from where you were when you were close to Him.

Isaiah 46:9–11 (NKJV)

9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,

10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’

11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.

Again, we see that God says, I have made right and good plans to do my will which is pure and right. There is none like me, I am God the one who is and does right.

And we can see that He proves this ore and ore.

Ezekiel 24:14 (NKJV)

14 I, the Lord, have spoken it; It shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not hold back, Nor will I spare, Nor will I relent; According to your ways And according to your deeds They will judge you,” Says the Lord God.’ ”

Here we see that God has Ezekiel tell those in Judah, you should have wept for your sin, but because you din’t you will weep for the loss of your country. God sent as he did other times and still does today, judgement from other countries to those that made covenants with Him.

Israel made a covenant with God.

Only one other country in history did this, America. As a country were not upholding our end, what will God do with us?

1. God's Immutability

Immutability means that God is unchangeable and thus unchanging. This does not mean that He is immobile or inactive, but it does mean that He is never inconsistent or growing or developing.

Charles C. Ryrie

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

The “shadow of turning” refers to our perspective on the sun: it is eclipsed it moves and it casts its shadow. The sun rises and sets, appears and disappears every day; it comes out of one tropic and enters into another at certain seasons of the year. But with God, who, spiritually speaking, is light Himself, there is no darkness at all; there is no change with Him, nor anything like it. God is unchangeable in His nature, perfections, purposes, promises, and gifts. He, being holy, cannot turn to that which is evil; nor can He, who is the fountain of light, be the cause of darkness. Since every good and perfect gift comes from Him, evil cannot proceed from Him, nor can He tempt any to it (James 1:17). The Bible is clear that God does not change His mind, His will, or His nature. - GotQuestions.org

Every perfect gift is from God, who does not change ("no variableness nor shadow of turning")

God is unchangeable in nature, perfections, purposes, promises, and gifts

Holiness of God: He cannot turn to evil or cause darkness

Implication: God does not change His mind, will, or nature

2. Logical Reasons for God's Immutability

Chronological Order and Eternity

Change requires time; God exists outside time

There are several logical reasons why God must be immutable, that is, why it is impossible for God to change. First, if anything changes, it must do so in some chronological order. There must be a point in time before the change and a point in time after the change. Therefore, for change to take place it must happen within the constraints of time; however, God is eternal and exists outside of the constraints of time - GotQuestions.org

Psalm 33:11 “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.”

Psalm 41:13 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.”

Psalm 90:2–4 “Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. 3 You turn man to destruction, And say, “Return, O children of men.” 4 For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night.”

John 17:5 “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

2 Timothy 1:9 “Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,”

The omniscience of God combines with his veracity to guarantee the truth of everything he tells us. Simply stated:

"Because God is omniscient (knows everything) and has veracity (always tells the truth), we can trust that everything He tells us is true."

Millard J. Erickson

b. The Immutability of God is Necessary for His Perfection

Change implies better or worse; God is perfect and lacks nothing

A perfect being cannot change for the better or worse

c. The Immutability of God is related to His Omniscience

A change of mind is often due to new information or circumstances.

God's omniscience means He cannot learn new things.

Biblical references to God changing His mind are about changes in human circumstances, not God

Exodus 32:14 “So the Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.”

This was not that he changed His mind, but it was because the people changed their minds to repent and when this happened, God no longer had to punish them, because they aligned themselves with Him.

Application 1: As I mentioned earlier, some Christian say, God is different now, He feels distant. Perhaps its, you are different, you changed, you are distant from where you were when you were close to Him. If you realign your mind and thinking with Him, He will once again feel close and your Joy will return to where it was, where God wants it to be. But if you don’t Christian then know like Israel, as His child, you will receive discipline in order to help you return to Him.

Conclusion: Scriptural Affirmation of God's Immutability

Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind"

God speaks and acts consistently, promises and fulfills without change

As we move through the next set of doctrines we will focus on the doctrine of God’s Attributes, who He is, what He is like, His character. But with this, we must first understand what we talked of today, that of who He is and how He thinks, that, HE will never change.

Resource:

https://www.gotquestions.org/immutability-God.html