A God Who Never Changes
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Preliminary:
Preliminary:
I know its Wednesday night - but I felt impressed to share this little truth with you tonight - Thanks for testimonies and singing tonight.
We will be looking at several scriptures tonight first will be found in Psalm 102
Introduction
Introduction
About 500 years before the birth of Christ in ancient Ephesus - there lived a pre-Socratic philosopher known by some as the ‘weeping philosopher’ due to “bouts of melancholy” often so severe he was unable to finish his philosophical writings. In fact his writings were more like one-liners than articles or paragraphs. Some because of his obscure riddle like statements referred to him as “the Riddler”
His name was Heraclitus and he made three major contributions to the philosophical world
He believed that fire is the basic material of the world
Principle of Unity of Opposites or that opposites coincide
The one that concerns us tonight - Principle of Universal flux - that is that everything is constantly changing. There is nothing fixed or permanent in the world.
Heraclitus gave us a famous aphorism, “No one steps in the same river twice”
While there is some controversy of interpretation - Plato interpreted this to mean as William Barclay put it:”
“You step into a river; you step out; you step in again; but you do not step into the same river, for the water has flowed on and it is a different river.” The Gospel of John, Volume 1 (The Greek Background)
You could interpret it like this: “the world is like the river it doesn't persist but is constantly flowing there is only change and nothing ever remains the same from one moment to the next one”
On the other hand, Parmenides another pre-Socratic philosopher claimed that, “Nothing ever really changes, and appearance in the physical world is always illusion.”
It does seem that as some other philosophical thinker quipped - “the only thing constant in life is change”
Change is sometimes hard for us to do or go through:
we attempt to cope by calling it nice things like “new normal”
Someone else has quipped that the only two constants in life is death and taxes -
It was probably this kind of thinking that prompted someone to pray...
God, give us the grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
—Reinhold Niebuhr
I want to remind you tonight - that in the midst of all the change there is a constant that is more constant than change, or death, or taxes
That constant - is GOD
Theologians call this changelessness of God “Immutability”
Immutability is a primary attribute of God and simply means that he is changeless.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism with Scripture Proofs
God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
A. M. Hills wrote so beautifully: “So God is absolutely immutable in His essence and attributes. He can neither increase nor decrease. He is subject to no process of development, or of self-evolution. His knowledge and power can never be greater or less. He never can be wiser or holier, or more righteous or more merciful than He ever has been and must be.” (P167)
The Bible gives at least three instances of contrast between the constant change in us and that of the constant unchange in God. Lets look at these together.
1. Contrast of human fragility and God’s immutability
1. Contrast of human fragility and God’s immutability
Psalm 102:27 But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end.
Psalm 102 is identified as a prayer of an afflicted man.
Psalm 102:1-2 the Psalmist begins by asking God to listen and end the feeling of separation and alienation.
Psalm 102:3-10 the Psalmist describes his suffering - it consumes him, body and soul. He burns with fever and can’t eat. He feels utterly alone.
You see the big contrast of fragility and immutability in Psalm 102:11-12 listen to this:
11 My days are like a shadow that declineth; And I am withered like grass.
12 But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever; And thy remembrance unto all generations.
The Psalmist points out his own transient life - its like a vaopor or puff of smoke and its gone - they pass in the blink of an eye
“But thou, O LORD, - you live forever unchangeable
One commentator put it, “Human frailty encounters divine permanence”
This passage declares how transient man is. Life is so full of change from birth and development to our demise.
Many of us notice the changes in our aches and pains, or vision, or thought process as we age -
Someone has said… “You’ve reached middle age when all you exercise is caution” - anonymous - The Speaker’s Quote Book: Over 4,500 Illustrations and Quotations for All Occasions Copyright © 1997 by Roy B. Zuck
The Psalmist continues down to Psalm 102:27 “27 But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end.”
So we have seen the contrast of human fragility and God’s immutability now lets look at the next one -
2. Contrast of the Fickleness of Israel and the Faithfulness of God
2. Contrast of the Fickleness of Israel and the Faithfulness of God
Malachi 3:6 For I am the Lord, I change not; Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
We see first of all in clear black and white - God’s Word - stated clearly, precisely and concisely that “I am the Lord, I change not...”
Sometimes I think if we just had that clause instead of the Bible that would be enough. In these seven words we have a revelation of God’s character that is phenomenal and worthy of exploration.
It is due to these seven words that Christianity teaches that God is immutable - unchangeable.
(This shows the somewhat relational aspect of this attribute - they deserved to be consumed and yet because God is changeless in his decree’s and essence - he is faithful to himself and kept his promise)
In God’s changelessness - they were condemned but could changes -
I do want us to Notice God gives instructions on what they could do to change things - look at Mal 3:7
Mal 3:7 “...Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. ...”
They were not consumed but they were cursed
Mal 3:9 “9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, Even this whole nation.”
and they were told how that could be changed - because God is immutable - changeless - he won’t go against His character -
(The curse bought a devourer Mal 3:11 “11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, And he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; Neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.”
but they could prove or see that God means what he says Mal 3:10 “10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be meat in mine house, And prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, If I will not open you the windows of heaven, And pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
I’m sure you can all see the modern application of this truth - it isn’t just the fickleness of Israel but all humanity.
Here is solid comfort. Human nature cannot be relied upon; but God can! However unstable I may be, however fickle my friends may prove, God changes not.
Arthur Walkington Pink
we see not only the contrast of the Fickleness of Israel and the Faithfulness of God but we also see the...
3. Changeless Ultimate Source of Goodness contrasted with the Unfortunate Choices of Humanness
3. Changeless Ultimate Source of Goodness contrasted with the Unfortunate Choices of Humanness
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.
This section begins with James explaining that God is not the source of temptation or evil, but rather man’s desire.
The unfortunate choices of humanity bring about the evil that he is talking about here.
But James admonishes against error in thinking any different - any and all good gifts and perfect gifts come from God
who has no variableness - no change - not passing from one state or phase to another - he doesn’t get better he doesn’t get worse - HE IS
there isn’t even a shadow of turning - not even a shade or tint of turning or reversing course.
Changeless ultimate source of goodness contrasted with unfortunate choices of humanness
4. The Changing with the Changeless
4. The Changing with the Changeless
Hebrews 1:12 “12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.”
The Changing with the Changeless (Thou are the Same)
One day this world will as I believe Peter prophecies, “Melt with fervent heat” its going to pass away -
Be folded up like bed sheet or piece of paper
but God remains unchanged
We are faced with a big question in all of this talk about God being unchanging - that is that God does seem to change his mind - or repents -
Exodus 32:14 “14 And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.”
1 Sam 15:11 “11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night.”
Jeremiah 26:3 “3 If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.”
Jonah 3:10 “10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”
How do we reconcile these apparent changes in God’s mind with the scriptures that say “I am God I do not change”
First of all you have to realize that God is not as Aristotle attempted to paint him - apathetic or emotionless or some static deity who sits unmoved and unfeeling in the heavens
as Truesdale put it, “unaffected by worship and rejection...”
I have even fallen in this trap before - I used to shudder when people would say things like, “How do you think Jesus feels when you do…you fill in the blank”
While they are perfect, and not twisted by the fall - God still has - He has to have - some type of emotions - and some type of emotional response - and this in no way changes Him being God.
God’s immutability signifies His absolute constancy,
God’s character and nature is unchangeable - He will always be what He always has been -
He does not and will not fail to be Himself
We are told the the scriptures that God is Love
but God’s dealings, responses, and feelings toward man change in accordance with man’s obedience or disobedience
Luther Lee that great Methodist theologian put it this way, “It is a settled principle of divine administration to punish sinners and to save the pious.” (P91)
Lee goes on to describe that God’s nature or essence in all his attributes, purposes, promises, and threatenings are immutable or unchangeable.
It is the divine administration that has freedom of change.
Say a sinner repents - God’s immutable principle is love and mercy - and so he forgives and regenerates and thus changes from anger to being pleased with that individual
Say a saved person backs up and goes back into sin - God’s immutable principle is to be angry with the wicked every day and so this individual is now under the wrath and condemnation of God - But God hasn’t changed his nature, or essence at all.
I love Jeremiah 18:7-9
7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
This is a national level - but we find God doing this on a personal level as well.
“God can and does change in his actions and emotions towards men so as not to be fickle, mutable, and variable in his nature or purpose”
Ronald F. Youngblood
David tells Solomon, “If thou seek him [God] He will be found of thee: but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off forever...”
God’s character is permanent; but his feelings and his actions must adjust themselves to the changing characters of men (A.M. Hills p167)
I am so thankful for this reality - otherwise when I came to Him sick of sin - he would have just cast me away -
But has anyone ever find when they come to Him that He would cast them out? No NEVER
Another aspect of God’s immutability is brought out by A. W. Tozer -
Anything God has ever done, He can do now. Anything God has ever done anywhere, He can do here. Anything God has ever done for anyone, he can do for you [and me] - A. W. Tozer
Our problem is appropriating this truth.
One songwriter put it so beautifully:
V1 There's a friend that changeth never, always constant always true:
And his tenderness unfailing is as fragrant as the dew
is as fragrant as the dew
V3 as the days gone by have proven, so the future days will be,
though the scenes around are changing, he remaineth constantly
he remaineth constantly
Chorus
"Hes the same today as yesterday, my great unchanging friend.
He's the same today as yesterday, just the same unto the end,
By his mighty power he holds me, in his arms of love enfolds me,
He's the same today as yesterday, my great unchanging friend."