The Comfort and Challenge of an Immutable God

I. God’s Immutability Instructs Our Faith

A. Christ is immutable because God is immutable

B. God’s Immutability encourages worship

“Prayer is an acknowledgement of our dependence upon God, which dependence could have no firm foundation without unchangeableness.” Charnock, 408

C. God’s Immutability demonstrates human inconstancy

“Inconstancy: the state or act of not staying the same, especially in opinions, behavior, or love.” Cambridge Dictionary Perhaps we should go with the word fickle, a more timely demonstration of Charnock’s thoughts this morning.

1. Humans are fickle in Truth

2. Humans are fickle in will and affection

“We will be as John today to love Christ, and as Judas tomorrow to betray him, and by an unworthy levity pass into the camp of the enemies of God; resolved to be as holy as angels in the morning, when the evening beholds us as impure as devils.” Charnock, 409

3. Humans are fickle in action

a. Fickleness in action is natural for the unsaved

b. Fickleness in action is natural for the saved

“This sanctification is throughout the whole man, yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. ( 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Romans 7:18, 23; Galatians 5:17; 1 Peter 2:11 )” 2LCF 13.2

D. God’s immutability warns the unrepentant

II. God’s Immutability is Comforting to Our Faith

A. God’s Immutability guarantees the Covenant of Grace

“The heaven and earth shall sooner fall asunder, and the strongest and firmest parts of the creation crumble to dust, sooner than one iota of my covenant shall fail.” Charnock, 412-413

B. God’s Immutability guarantees Our Perseverance

“This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with him, the oath of God, the abiding of his Spirit, and the seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace; from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof. ( Romans 8:30 Romans 9:11, 16; Romans 5:9, 10; John 14:19; Hebrews 6:17, 18; 1 John 3:9; Jeremiah 32:40 )” 2LCF 17.2

C. God’s Immutability guarantees Our Beatific Vision

“The Spirit begins a spiritual life here, to fit for an immutable life in glory hereafter, where believers shall be placed upon a throne that cannot be shaken, and possess a crown that shall not be taken off their heads for ever.” Charnock, 414

III. God’s Immutability is Challenges Our Faith

A. It reminds us of the inconsistency of everything but God

1. Our focus should not be on them

2. Our trust or joy should not be in them

3. Our preference should be on God alone

B. It bolsters our faith in the midst of trials

C. It gives us a goal at which to aim

1. It is reasonable

2. It is our glory and interest

3. It brings heaven on earth

D. It draws us to an ever-deepening relationship with God

“The nearer we come to him, the more stability we shall have in ourselves.” Charnock, 419