The Immutability of God

Over the past eight weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to write a number of papers on several theological issues, thanks to a theology class I am taking through Liberty University. All the papers I have written for this class are critiques of other men’s work. One particular paper I was pleased to write asked for my opinion of Openness Theology (a theology which argues that God, even though knowing the future, remains flexible and willing to change his plans based on man’s reaction). What we believe about God depends upon our ability to exegete the Scriptures properly and our ability to apply good hermeneutics (Science of Biblical interpretation) while reading Scripture. The immutability of God is a major theological issue in our self-centered humanistic culture; a culture which wants a God that can be molded and changed to fit its agenda. And so, here is what I believe about Old Testament Hermeneutics and the immutability of God.


Sadly, it is true that many, if not most, do not know how to apply hermeneutics to Old Testament texts. Seminaries across the country teach students how to exegete New Testament texts, while practically ignoring the Old Testament. Indeed, many believe that the Old Testament (with the exception of Psalms and Proverbs) is practically useless to the Christian faith for the simple reason that we are now under the law of grace (Rom. 6:14). However, Christ did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matt. 5:17). Therefore, as Christians, we are bound to adhere to those Old Testament doctrines which remain applicable under the law of grace (e.g. sacrificing is no longer applicable). Without the Old Testament, we would not be aware of the nature of God, man, and the cosmos, nor could we see God’s faithfulness in preserving the messianic line through thousands of years of world history. Truly, without the Old Testament most of what we know about the nature of God would be unknown to us today, including his immutability.


I am a firm believer in the immutability of God. To deny His immutability is to deny so much of the nature and character of God. God is perfect (Matt. 5:48, Ps. 119:96), and how can a perfect God change His mind? God is also sovereign, and how can a sovereign God change His mind? To do so implies that at some point He was not perfect or sovereign (Acts 4:24, 1Tim. 6:15-16, Rev. 16:20), at some point He did not know which direction history was going, at some point He did not possess omniscience, omnipresence, or omnipotence. How can we trust God’s prophecies if they are subject to change? If God is not immutable, than how can he be immortal (1 Tim. 1:17)? How can an infinite God (Rev. 1:8, Gen. 1:1), who is not limited by time or space, not know the future?


Some claim that those who reject Openness Theology reject it solely on philosophical grounds. This, however, is simply not true. Personally, I reject openness for two major reasons.

1) It is Contrary to the Nature and Character of God (as stated above).

2) It is a Misinterpretation of the Texts.

Open Theologians base their arguments on such passages as 1 Samuel 15, Jeremiah 18, Genesis 6:6, and Exodus 32; they claim that in each of these cases God changed His mind. Though compelling and filled with helpful insight into the text, the conclusion of these arguments is wrong. For example, in Genesis 6:6, the Scriptures say, “God repented that he made man on the earth...” In this case an anthropomorphism is used to describe God; the root word niham or nakham meaning “sigh, feel sorry for (grieved).” In other words, God was “grieved” over the wickedness in His Creation. He was not implying that He made a mistake in creating man.
But there remain still two more reasons why I reject Openness Theology.

1) Our God is a Merciful God (Dt. 4:31).

When Moses interceded on behalf of Israel because of their idolatry (Exodus 32), it appears at first glance as though Moses changed God’s mind. However, when proper hermeneutics is applied, one realizes that it is recorded in Numbers 14 that the entire idolatrous generation of Israelites passed away in the wilderness. Therefore, when Moses prayed, he didn’t change God’s mind; God showed His mercy and withheld his impending judgment until later.

2) Our God Does not Change; man Changes.

Oftentimes, God acts based on man’s reaction to Him (Exodus 32). By way of illustration, if you repent of a sin you have committed, God will always honor that repentance by granting forgiveness. However, this does not mean God’s will is subject to man, for God is the supreme ruler over all creation; He is subject to no one (Col. 2:10, Eph. 1:19-23, Ps. 22:28). What this does mean, is that God does not change, rather, it is man who changes (as in repentance).
Another example of this is seen in Jonah chapter three. Upon arriving in Ninevah, after taking a roundabout trip ;-) Jonah relays God’s message to the people of Ninevah, asking them to repent of their sin lest they be destroyed. In response, the King of Nineveh says in verse nine, “Who knows? He may turn, and God may repent and turn away from the glow of His anger, that we do not perish.” The word repent here is again translated from Nakham which means to sigh, be sorry, pity, or console. God did not “change His mind” about the judgment of Nineveh, in fact, in 612 B.C., Nineveh was destroyed by the Medes and Babylonians. He showed them mercy because the Ninevites pleaded for God’s forgiveness.


The point I’m driving at is this: God does not change; man changes! In both the passages in Exodus and Jonah, man repented from his wicked ways and God accepted his repentance and showed mercy by temporarily withholding His judgment.


The people of our culture desire to worship a God they can control, a God who is subject to their desires; we want to worship a God who does not judge our wrong doings, a God who wants us to be happy and will thus satisfy all our desires even if it means changing His mind to accommodate our wishes. Oh how deceived we have been! God has set forth a plan for our lives which we can choose to accept or choose to reject. God ultimately knows what each of our decisions will be. Sometimes we make decisions that align with His will, other times we rebel and walk down our own self-indulgent paths. Therefore, the only way for us to follow the path God has set for us is to remain in good communion and fellowship with Him. We should be enjoying such wonderful communion and fellowship with our precious Shepherd that we know what he feels like, smells like, and sounds like! We should be in such an intimate relationship with God that when we hear His voice we run into His arms!


Just remember, God is in complete control. He always knows what the future holds; nothing catches Him by surprise. To claim that God changes His mind implies that God’s initial plan was bad and He decided to make another. That is unbiblical! God’s ways are perfect (Psalm 18:30). A perfect God can’t make a mistake leading to a change of mind. We, on the other hand, will never be perfect; our relationship with God will never be to the full potential it could be. But it should be our goal to draw as near to our Heavenly Father as we possibly can, so that when God calls, we will be ready to respond in obedience to His sovereign plan.


So, what do you think? Based on scripture, is it possible for God to change His mind?


Josh