| THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD A DIFFERENT VIEW Mike Clegg |
| God's Immutability and His Sovereignty |
T or F: That which dwells in an eternal state knows no change.
Traditional thought says that anything that is eternal is unending and also
unchangeable. It was also understood by the Greek philosophers that because
God could not change He did not respond to emotion or suffer pain and remorse;
that He is without passions though He grieves and loves He does so on purpose
not initiated by a cause. There are several passages in Scripture that indicate
compassion was demonstrated and Matthew 8:17 indicates the Christ took our
infirmities and bore our sicknesses all indicating He feels and responds to our
emotions.
According to traditional Christianity, change is possible only in that which is limited,
imperfect, or not fully developed. When someone changes their mind it is because
new information has come to light that was previously unknown. The traditional
concept also goes on to say that since God is omniscient there is nothing for Him
to know as He knows all things in and out of time.
Immutability means not subject to mutation. God is immutable in His essence as
there was never a time He was not nor a time when He will never be. All that He is
today in character is as He has ever been and shall be.
The immutability of God doctrinally has long been linked to His sovereignty in such
that man thinks of sovereignty only in conjunction with exercised control. Hebrews
6 does not say that God is immutable but the counsel of His will is immutable. As
before, the will (thelo) of God and the plan (boulema) of God are slightly different in
meaning. The will of God is more of an intention while the plan of God is a purpose
that is actively pushed to fulfillment. The word for counsel is “boule” which is a
form of the word plan and indicative of advice. So it is the sound advice of God to
fulfill His plan that does not change. God's unchangeable gracious character leads
Him to change in response to us by allowing Himself to be affected by us.
The revelation of God in the incarnation is the ultimate expression of God's
willingness and ability to change. In the incarnation (John 1:14), God became
human—a spirit that was not flesh who became flesh , offering Himself for the sins
of the world meeting the requirement He Himself decreed. The idea that God
changed and become human indicates His desire in meeting the needs of His
creation at any point in time. What does this concept do to the classical view that
God is unchangeable? In the incarnation, God changed to fulfill His unchangeable
plan—that is the awesomeness of a Sovereign God.
Throughout the Bible God is seen to change out of love for His creation. As He
took on flesh He also became sin (2 Cor 5:21) and He became cursed under the
law for us (Gal 3:3). Him becoming all these things for us indicate change from
what He was not. God continually adapts to and responds to man in man's ever-
changing situations – all fulfilling His plan of absolute redemption. God changing to
meet man is not as the classical view of sovereignty holds a defect but actually is a
view of the greatness of the Sovereign God who can and willingly does enter in the
affairs of men.
God changed His mind in response to the repentance of the Ninevites in Jonah 3 &
4. God reduced the harshness of His judgment on Israel after Moses interceded in
Exodus 32:12-14. Also, in response to Hezekiah's prayers, God altered His
prophecy regarding his death and gave him 15 more years (Isa. 38:1-5). This is not
a picture of the God that is portrayed by Aristotle, Augustine, and Aquinas. Is God
truly as gracious, merciful, and compassionate as He demonstrates His character
to us which is unchangeable? God does not choose to control things that simply
require power without wisdom and love. Instead, God employs His unchangeable
character and uses all of His resources to work toward His desired plan in the
midst of a world of created beings that He lovingly gave the gift of choice.
Traditional thought says that anything that is eternal is unending and also
unchangeable. It was also understood by the Greek philosophers that because
God could not change He did not respond to emotion or suffer pain and remorse;
that He is without passions though He grieves and loves He does so on purpose
not initiated by a cause. There are several passages in Scripture that indicate
compassion was demonstrated and Matthew 8:17 indicates the Christ took our
infirmities and bore our sicknesses all indicating He feels and responds to our
emotions.
According to traditional Christianity, change is possible only in that which is limited,
imperfect, or not fully developed. When someone changes their mind it is because
new information has come to light that was previously unknown. The traditional
concept also goes on to say that since God is omniscient there is nothing for Him
to know as He knows all things in and out of time.
Immutability means not subject to mutation. God is immutable in His essence as
there was never a time He was not nor a time when He will never be. All that He is
today in character is as He has ever been and shall be.
The immutability of God doctrinally has long been linked to His sovereignty in such
that man thinks of sovereignty only in conjunction with exercised control. Hebrews
6 does not say that God is immutable but the counsel of His will is immutable. As
before, the will (thelo) of God and the plan (boulema) of God are slightly different in
meaning. The will of God is more of an intention while the plan of God is a purpose
that is actively pushed to fulfillment. The word for counsel is “boule” which is a
form of the word plan and indicative of advice. So it is the sound advice of God to
fulfill His plan that does not change. God's unchangeable gracious character leads
Him to change in response to us by allowing Himself to be affected by us.
The revelation of God in the incarnation is the ultimate expression of God's
willingness and ability to change. In the incarnation (John 1:14), God became
human—a spirit that was not flesh who became flesh , offering Himself for the sins
of the world meeting the requirement He Himself decreed. The idea that God
changed and become human indicates His desire in meeting the needs of His
creation at any point in time. What does this concept do to the classical view that
God is unchangeable? In the incarnation, God changed to fulfill His unchangeable
plan—that is the awesomeness of a Sovereign God.
Throughout the Bible God is seen to change out of love for His creation. As He
took on flesh He also became sin (2 Cor 5:21) and He became cursed under the
law for us (Gal 3:3). Him becoming all these things for us indicate change from
what He was not. God continually adapts to and responds to man in man's ever-
changing situations – all fulfilling His plan of absolute redemption. God changing to
meet man is not as the classical view of sovereignty holds a defect but actually is a
view of the greatness of the Sovereign God who can and willingly does enter in the
affairs of men.
God changed His mind in response to the repentance of the Ninevites in Jonah 3 &
4. God reduced the harshness of His judgment on Israel after Moses interceded in
Exodus 32:12-14. Also, in response to Hezekiah's prayers, God altered His
prophecy regarding his death and gave him 15 more years (Isa. 38:1-5). This is not
a picture of the God that is portrayed by Aristotle, Augustine, and Aquinas. Is God
truly as gracious, merciful, and compassionate as He demonstrates His character
to us which is unchangeable? God does not choose to control things that simply
require power without wisdom and love. Instead, God employs His unchangeable
character and uses all of His resources to work toward His desired plan in the
midst of a world of created beings that He lovingly gave the gift of choice.
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