THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD God is Unchangeable (Immutable) Faith is a constant dependence upon God, as he is made known in his attributes. The divine attributes are the pillars and grounds of our faith. Faith believes them and claims them. Study the attributes of God. Labor to know them distinctly and effectually. The more we know, the more we trust. Be much in the thoughts of God: frequently, delightfully, and consistently. - David Clarkson, Puritan pastor (1622-1686) The delight which the mariner feels, when, after having been tossed about for many a day, he steps again upon the solid shore, is the satisfaction of a Christian when, amidst all the changes of this troublous life, he rests the foot of his faith upon this truth I am the Lord, I change not. - Charles H. Spurgeon, Baptist pastor (1834-1892) The Bible contains these descriptive statements about God: 1. God is spirit John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 2. God is light 3. God is love 1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 4. God is a consuming fire Hebrews 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire. The Bible contains many more attributes that describe God. He is one, triune, self-existent, self-sufficient, eternal, invisible, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, holy, righteous, jealous, good, gracious, merciful, faithful, true, loving, supreme, sovereign, and glorious. Best of all, God is unchangeable. Whatever is true of God will always and forever be true. Importance of God s Immutability 1. God s immutability is related to His perfection Since God is perfect He cannot change in any way. He cannot change for the better, for that would mean He had not been perfect beforehand. He cannot change for the worse, for that would mean He was no longer perfect. God needs no improvement and cannot experience any demise. He is altogether infinitely and unchangeably perfect in His character, His words, and His will.
2. God s immutability sets Him apart from all creation All of God s creation is changeable. In fact, God causes it to change. He alone exists without change. Psalms 102:25-27 25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. 26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: 27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. God s people, Israel, often rebelled against God and proved to be unfaithful to Him, but God remained faithful, merciful, and unchanging in His love for them. 3. God s immutability is the basis of our trust in Him The fact that God is unchangeable is the solid foundation of our faith. If God could change, that would lead to some terrible possibilities. What if God were not all-powerful? He could not always help us. What if God were not all-wise? He would not know what is best for us. What if God were to become cruel and yet remain all-powerful? Nothing could be more terrifying. These are a few examples of how a change in God s character could affect us. Wayne Grudem states: If God is not unchanging, then the whole basis of our faith begins to fall apart, and our understanding of the universe begins to unravel. This is because our faith and hope and knowledge all ultimately depend on a person who is infinitely worthy of trust because he is absolutely and eternally unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises. Biblical Truth about God s Immutability 1. God is unchanging in His character Exodus 3:13-14 13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. Deuteronomy 32:3-4 3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. God is both eternal and unchanging. Contrary to popular thought, God is not weak, sick, tired, forgetful, fickle, or moody. God is also described as the Rock, signifying that He is a permanent and stable foundation and shelter. The image of a rock does not suggest however that God is unfeeling or impersonal. Sin always grieves and angers God. Repentance and obedience always brings Him joy.
2. God is unchanging in His purposes and plans This aspect of God s immutability is related to His sovereignty or control of all things. God cannot be stopped, hindered, controlled, manipulated, or bribed. His eternal plans (decrees) must be accomplished. God s purposes and plans are always consistent with His attributes. God s purpose and plan for the redemption of His people is unchanging. Isaiah 14:24 The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand. Isaiah 46:9-10 9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. Daniel 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? Romans 8:28-30 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 3. God is unchanging in His precepts and promises God is always trustworthy and true to His Word. He says what He means and He means what He says. His commands, laws, principles, promises, and warnings are all perfectly reliable. God s words are unchanging because His character is unchanging. Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Titus 1:1-2 1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Our Response to the Unchanging God 1. God cannot change, but we can and must change A. W. Tozer writes: God will not compromise and He need not be coaxed. He cannot be persuaded to alter His Word nor talked into answering selfish prayer. In all our efforts to find God, to please Him, to commune with Him, we should remember that all change must be on
our part. 2. God s unchanging character should humble us and cause us to repent There is hope for us if we are willing to let the unchanging God change us. Just as God is unchanging in His warnings to punish sin, He is unchanging in His promises to pardon it. Isaiah 55:6-7 6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Questions for Personal Reflection 1. If God is unchanging, how do we understand Scriptures that speak of God changing His mind or withdrawing threatened judgment, as in the story of Jonah? 2. Is God less willing to answer prayer today than He was in Bible times? 3. When you think of God s sudden punishment of evil in the Old Testament, how do you reconcile that with God s apparent patience toward evil in our times? 4. If you could change anything about God, what would you want to change and why? Resources for Further Study Boice, James Montgomery. Foundations of the Christian Faith. Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology. Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology. MacArthur, John and Richard Mayhue, eds. Biblical Doctrine. MacArthur, John, ed. The MacArthur Study Bible. Sproul, R. C., Essential Truths of the Christian Faith. Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible. Tozer, A. W. The Knowledge of the Holy. Washer, Paul. Knowing the Living God.
THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD God is Unchangeable (Immutable) Faith is a constant dependence upon God, as he is made known in his attributes. The divine attributes are the pillars and grounds of our faith. Faith believes them and claims them. Study the attributes of God. Labor to know them distinctly and effectually. The more we know, the more we trust. Be much in the thoughts of God: frequently, delightfully, and consistently. - David Clarkson, Puritan pastor (1622-1686) The delight which the mariner feels, when, after having been tossed about for many a day, he steps again upon the solid shore, is the satisfaction of a Christian when, amidst all the changes of this troublous life, he rests the foot of his faith upon this truth I am the Lord, I change not. - Charles H. Spurgeon, Baptist pastor (1834-1892) The Bible contains these descriptive statements about God: 1. God is John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 2. God is 1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 3. God is 1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 4. God is Hebrews 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire. The Bible contains many more attributes that describe God. He is one, triune, self-existent, selfsufficient, eternal, invisible, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, holy, righteous, jealous, good, gracious, merciful, faithful, true, loving, supreme, sovereign, and glorious. Best of all, God is unchangeable. Whatever is true of God will always and forever be true. Importance of God s Immutability 1. God s immutability Since God is perfect He cannot change in any way. He is altogether infinitely and unchangeably perfect in His character, His words, and His will. 2. God s immutability All of God s creation is changeable. In fact, God causes it to change. He alone exists without change. Psalms 102:25-27 25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. 26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: 27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. God s people, Israel, often rebelled against God and proved to be unfaithful to Him, but God remained faithful, merciful, and unchanging in His love for them. 3. God s immutability The fact that God is unchangeable is the solid foundation of our faith. Wayne Grudem states: If God is not unchanging, then the whole basis of our faith begins to fall apart, and our understanding of the universe begins to unravel. This is because our faith and hope and knowledge all ultimately depend on a person who is infinitely worthy of trust because he is absolutely and eternally unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises. Biblical Truth about God s Immutability 1. God is unchanging Exodus 3:13-14 13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. Deuteronomy 32:3-4 3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. God is also described as the Rock, signifying that He is a permanent and stable foundation and shelter. The image of a rock does not suggest however that God is unfeeling or impersonal. Sin always grieves and angers God. Repentance and obedience always brings Him joy. 2. God is unchanging This aspect of God s immutability is related to His sovereignty or control of all things. His eternal plans (decrees) must be accomplished. God s purposes and plans are always consistent with His attributes. God s purpose and plan for the redemption of His people is unchanging. Isaiah 14:24 The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand. Isaiah 46:9-10 9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. Daniel 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? Romans 8:28-30 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
3. God is unchanging God is always trustworthy and true to His Word. His commands, laws, principles, promises, and warnings are all perfectly reliable. God s words are unchanging because His character is unchanging. Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Titus 1:1-2 1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Our Response to the Unchanging God 1. God cannot change, but A. W. Tozer writes: God will not compromise and He need not be coaxed. He cannot be persuaded to alter His Word nor talked into answering selfish prayer. In all our efforts to find God, to please Him, to commune with Him, we should remember that all change must be on our part. 2. God s unchanging character should There is hope for us if we are willing to let the unchanging God change us. Isaiah 55:6-7 6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Questions for Personal Reflection 1. If God is unchanging, how do we understand Scriptures that speak of God changing His mind or withdrawing threatened judgment, as in the story of Jonah? 2. Is God less willing to answer prayer today than He was in Bible times? 3. When you think of God s sudden punishment of evil in the Old Testament, how do you reconcile that with God s apparent patience toward evil in our times? 4. If you could change anything about God, what would you want to change and why? Resources for Further Study Boice, James Montgomery. Foundations of the Christian Faith. Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology. Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology. MacArthur, John and Richard Mayhue, eds. Biblical Doctrine. MacArthur, John, ed. The MacArthur Study Bible. Sproul, R. C., Essential Truths of the Christian Faith. Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible. Tozer, A. W. The Knowledge of the Holy. Washer, Paul. Knowing the Living God.