Results 1 - 5 of 5
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Is God subject to change? | Bible general Archive 2 | Morant61 | 102523 | ||
Greetings John! The more we discuss this topic, the more I question the traditional understanding of immutability. If this term means what you have been saying, then all of the references to God's change of mind, emotions, reactions, are all fraudulent. How many times does Scripture speak of God being 'moved with compassion'? But, He couldn't really be moved! How many times does Scripture speak of God being grieved or angry? But, He couldn't really be either of these. It seems to me that our theology must do a better job of dealing with clear statements of Scripture, and not simply sweeping them under the rug as only 'apparent' and not actual. In fact, if I were to take that approach in my debates with you, you would rightly come down on my head about it. For instance, if I were to say, "God is not really Sovereign. The text is just using that word to help us understand what God is like, but it doesn't really mean that He is actually Sovereign", what would you say to me? :-) Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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2 | Is God subject to change? | Bible general Archive 2 | John Reformed | 102554 | ||
Mal 3:6 "For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. Dear Tim, Think about it...If God actually changed His mind, it would mean that His original judgement was less than perfect! You have already agreed that He never learns new information, rather, He is omniscient. Therefore, (unless you want to re-think this doctrine as well) the times in which He say He changed His mind, were instances of God's graciousness in speaking to us in terms which we are capable of grasping. Like a mature parent to a child just beginning learn to understand complex thoughts. You know.. using baby talk. It is God condescending to our weakness. Giving us milk instead of strong meat. It's not a matter of sweeping difficulties under the rug, but of using our God given reasoning abilities and prayerfully attempting to reconcile difficult passages. Of course, we also have pre-suppositions and cultural biases which also influence our conclusions. We must bear them in mind and be scrupulous in preventing them from taking precedence in our interpretation the texts. I have to return to work. John |
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3 | Is God subject to change? | Bible general Archive 2 | Morant61 | 102556 | ||
Greetings John! I can understand and appreciate that God has to accomdate us to a certain degree. However, I don't believe that means that He would use a false statement to do so. There are ways of saying what you are saying, if God meant that. For instance, rather than saying, 'I heard their prayer and repented of what I had proposed', why couldn't God simply say: "I never intended to destroy them at all. It was always my plan that they repent." I would understand that! :-) The problem I have been having is that in our debates, none of the Scriptures that I cite ever really mean what they say. They have to be re-interpreted or re-defined. But, all of your Scriptures mean exactly what they say. Why is that? :-) Why couldn't we take the dozen verses that say that God didn't change His mind, and say that they take precedence over the two that say He doesn't? :-) Have fun at work my friend! I have to get to bed so that I can go to work tonight! By the way, how are your relatives doing who responded to the Gospel? I pray that they are growing. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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4 | Is God subject to change? | Bible general Archive 2 | John Reformed | 102561 | ||
Dear Tim, From a book by Arthur Pink God is immutable in His counsel. His will never varies. Perhaps some are ready to object that we ought to read the following: "And it repented the Lord that He had made man" (Gen. 6:6). Our first reply is, Then do the Scriptures contradict themselves? No, that cannot be. Numbers 23:19 is plain enough: "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent." So also in 1 Samuel 15:19, "The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for He is not a man, that He should repent." The explanation is very simple. When speaking of Himself. God frequently accommodates His language to our limited capacities. He describes Himself as clothed with bodily members, as eyes, ears, hands, etc. He speaks of Himself as "waking" (Ps. 78:65), as "rising early" (Jer. 7:13); yet He neither slumbers nor sleeps. When He institutes a change in His dealings with men, He describes His course of conduct as "repenting." Herein 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. If He varied as we do, if He willed one thing today and another tomorrow, if He were controlled by caprice, who could confide in Him? But, all praise to His glorious name, He is ever the same. His purpose is fixed, His will stable, His word is sure. Here then is a rock on which we may fix our feet, while the mighty torrent is sweeping away everything around us. The permanence of God’s character guarantees the fulfillment of His promises: "For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee" (Isa. 54:10). The above are excerpts from The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink I was gratfied to discover that my own thinking was not at variance from the author's. I hope this helps. John |
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5 | Is God subject to change? | Bible general Archive 2 | EdB | 102564 | ||
John You seemed locked on God never changes yet in fact we see for certain He did. Besides all the scripture I provided that proved God changed or stop His action. Look at creation. God created earth. That required change He had to start and it required change He also finished. In creation alone we see for some reason God changed and created earth. When the Bible says God never changes it doesn't mean God will never do something different it means God will also do something the same way. EdB |
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