FREE ESSAY ON IMMUTABILITY OF GOD

IMMUTABILITY OF GOD

What Difference Does It Make That God Is Immutable?
Doug Friesen
TH211: Systematic Theology
Shane Keating
What difference does it make to us that God is immutable? Immutability is a key attribute
of God and without that He wouldn't even be God. It would be hard to have a personal
relation ship with Him. As well as our relationship suffering our knowledge of God would
be severed also, and who is to say if our salvation would be as secure today? But first
to understand completely what is in question we must define immutability and come to a
conclusion as per its reference to God.
Immutability defined in Webster's Dictionary is quoted as, "unchangeable; unalterable" .
The same word defined in Unger's Bible Dictionary states, " The divine attribute of
unchangeableness" . Again defined in Nave's Topical Bible, " the perfection of God by
which He is devoid of all change in essence, attributes, consciousness, will, and
promises" . In all three instances, secular and religious, the word is clarified as
unchangeable, but only one gave it as an attribute of God. Now as a back up point to
clarify, immutability declares that God is unchanging, but it is not to be confused with
immobility. God acts, and His actions vary with reference to different ends. His
affection changes according to how that person's attitude changes toward Him. So gathered
from that we can state God is constantly the same in His essence, in the mode of His
existence, in His perfections, and in the principles of His administration. Now that we
have come to a conclusion on what the immutability of God is we can ask ourselves what it
would be like if He weren't immutable?
If God were not immutable He wouldn't even be God. Just like all the other attributes of
God place Him high above all else so does immutability. To state the fact that God is
unchanging helps to create a foundation on which we can base other claims to our belief,
such as the truth of God and imperfection. God with out this unchanging attribute is now
given in to human likeness and that includes sin. He could change His ways to appeal to
Him what ever He desired without any cares about man because when you remove immutability
you remove the possibility of Him possessing benevolence or righteousness. If you remove
the truth and benevolence of God you are left with imperfection. It is a big cycle with
attributes, once one is removed they all may collapse without definite proof or backing.
So lets look and see what a God without immutability would seem like. 
Well the attribute of immutability is essential the deity of God. "To think of God
otherwise than as unchangeable is to think of Him otherwise than perfect" . With that
said we must then ask how does that effect my relationship with God? Well if God were not
immutable our relationship would definitely suffer. We wouldn't know first of all how to
talk to Him because His attitude would be like ours and half the time I don't even know
how to talk to others because of their attitudes. Imagine a God with stress. I mean how
could we as puny humans be able to deal with a God who has drastic mood swings. We would
all be busy hiding from God unknowing if this is the day He enjoys our company or not.
Basically our relationship would be brought down from the level it is now with a loving
Creator who saved His creation, to a High Commander and His miniscule microscopic beings,
who better not make Him mad. But now to answer the question from the quote above, what if
God isn't perfect, how do we know our God isn't changing? If you look in Psalms 102:26-27
He tells us, "They will perish but You will endure; Yes, all of them will grow old like a
garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed. But You are the
same, And Your years have no end." This passage shows us that our God is unchanging, but
also that He has control over all things changing and that He changes them. Also James
1:17 states, "Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from the Father of
lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning". That is pretty
self-explanatory I think, all good and perfect things come from our Father who has no
variation. These two scripture verses help explain how God's immutability would effect
our relationship with Him, but how would it effect our knowledge of God?
Our knowledge of God would definitely be at risk if He were not immutable because His
divine constancy involves many aspects. Our finite minds can only grasp so little in the
realm of God and his attributes but we do know God cannot increase in anything because He
is perfection, nor can he be decreased because that would remove His deity. Our basis of
our knowledge of God is found in His word, but if God were changeable then His word would
be useless and out of date. Because with a changing God we would need up to date
information on His will and what He wants from us, not what He required from our
ancestors thousands of years ago. Also the Ten Commandments may as well be labeled as
"nice rules to have", but otherwise non-profitable and meant only for the early Hebrew
church. All of our knowledge of God that we have today would be found as futile in terms
of knowing our God who has changed. Another point of dispute could be the knowledge of
God's will on our lives. If God has changed since His inspiration of authors then maybe
the Great Commission was only for those in the day of Jesus. Well thank you that God is
immutable, because Numbers 23:19 states, " God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a
son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken,
and will He not make it good?" This scripture plain out states that our God is a God of
perfection and He will not lie. Therefore all He has promised in His word we can assume
is now knowledge we can posses to learn more about Him. Now there is only one other major
thing left about the immutability of God in reflection to us, our salvation through God.
Now in keeping in context with which I stated previously about God's immutability
confirming the Bible, I can propose the question, what about our salvation if God can
change? The answer is quite simply, who knows. I mean God could always turn back and use
the salvation as a tool to black male us into performing tasks that He asks. Like your
parents reward you for a job well done. Here you go son, here is your salvation now play
nice or I'll take it away. We would have no conclusive statement that would guarantee
eternal life in paradise. We wouldn't know if Jesus died for us, for the people at that
time, for all man, or for no reason at all. If God could change His will, then He could
just take salvation away at any given point. Now to counter this argument I will use
Psalms 33:11 which states, "The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His
heart to all generations". So there we see that scripture noted again that God is
unchanging. Not only that, but the plans of His heart art for all generations. Therefore
Jesus' crucifixion is not just for the people in the past or in the present, but for all
generations.
Now these instances have shown why God must be immutable and how His intentions as well
as His plans are always constant. But also if we look in the Bible there are many
examples given of God's unchanging and parenting will on our lives. For example, God's
fulfillment in His covenant with Abraham, whose offspring would be the chosen people of
God and reach all nations (Gen. 12:2,3). Also God's using Moses to achieve freedom for
His people (Exodus). His faithful covenant to David that his house would be known as the
house of the Lord and the lineage in which a Messiah would be born ( Sam. 7:4-17). And of
course His gift of salvation to us all in Christ Jesus ( Luke 24: 1-9).
With all of these things promoting God as an immutable God I am so glad He is. Because
when you think of how life could be if He were as flimsy our sinful as us it is almost
impossible to comprehend. And if God could change His mind we wouldn't have a steady
relationship with our God because of His erratic human-like behavior. We wouldn't be able
to determine His will on our lives and what He wants us to accomplish. But most
importantly we wouldn't know if salvation were really for us or not. 
Bibliography
Works Cited
Erickson, Millard J. Introducing Christian Doctrine. Baker Book House, 1998.
(Grand Rapids, Michigan USA)
Hayford, Jack W. Hayford's Bible Handbook. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995. 
(Nashville, Tennessee USA.)
Nave, Orville J. The Nave's Topical Bible. Zondervan Publishing House, 1969,
( Grand Rapids, Michigan USA.)
Unger, Merrill F. The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Moody Press, 1988. 
(Chicago, Illinois USA.)
The Holy Bible: Prophecy Edition (NKJV). Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985.
(Akron, Ohio USA.)
Webster's Dictionary. Modern Promotions Publishers, 1982. 
(New York, New York USA.)