Thoughts from The Bible

Thoughts from the Bible

Tuesday, 20 June 2023 12:01

The immutability of God
As we continue looking at God, we come to another attribute of God that is of necessity. When God is described as immutable, that means He is devoid of all change. He is unchangeable in His being or essence, in His character, in His purposes and in His promises; it is an obvious conclusion. If God is perfect, and certainly He is, then there is no possibility for change. If God is still learning, growing and changing in any way, then He is not fit to be God. He is just like man who is ever-learning, growing and changing, as well as declining, unfortunately. But we do not have to rely on simple logic to arrive at these conclusions about God when we have been made more certain of these things in the word of God.

The simplest and direct expression of this eternal truth is found in Malachi 3:6 which says, “For I, the LORD, do not change.” The Apostle James expressed the same idea when he says in
James 1:17, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” This verse provides us with
wonderful imagery to gain perspective of the immutability of God. The phrase “shifting shadow” is only used here in the scriptures. It reminds us of how the sun, as it rises and runs its course
throughout the day and then sets, casts moving shadows across the ground. Those shadows are in continuous motion throughout the day, ever-changing in shape and in size, but God is not
like this; He is forever unchanging. The writer of Hebrews describes it this way, “They will perish, but You will remain; and they all will become old like a garment, and like a mantle You will roll
them up; like a garment they will also be changed, but You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end,” (Hebrews 1:11-12).

What a comfort and timely word this is for the culture we live in today. With every week that passes, we find ourselves living in a world that is changing faster than we can keep up. And yet,
we have a God who is never-changing. This should bring us such comfort. Another obvious and comforting conclusion is that since all scripture is “breathed-out” or inspired by God, all of God’s
word is immutable truth. In fact, the Psalmist puts it this way, “The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting,” (Psalm 119:160). We can rejoice
that we worship a God who safely guides His people to the shores of eternity by speaking truth to us in His word — truth that is meant to teach us, instruct us and guide us as we ride in the
midst of the stormy seas of an ever-changing culture.

-Joey Carroll