(the picture in the video is from Tim Challies)
C.
Immutability and Impassibility
1. Definition
a. The quality of being unchanging (Floyd H.
Barackman, Practical Christian Theology,
pg. 50)
b. The Immutability of God is a necessary concomitant
of His aseity. It is that perfection of God by which He is devoid of all
change, not only in His Being, but also in His perfections, and in His purposes
and promises. (Louis Berkhof, Systematic
Theology, pg. 58)
2. Scriptural Data
a. being and
perfections (essence or nature and character or attributes)
i. Psalm 102:25-27: Of old you laid the foundation of
the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but
you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like
a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no
end.
ii. Malachi 3:6: For I the Lord do not change;
therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
iii. James 1:17: Every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no
variation or shadow due to change.
b. purposes
and promises
i. Psalm 33:11: The counsel of the Lord stands
forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.
ii. Hebrews 6:17-18: So when God desired to show more
convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his
purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in
which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have
strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
3. Consideration and
Reflection
a. God
doesn’t change in His being, perfections, purposes, promises
i.
there is no intrinsic change; no becoming
-The doctrine of God’s immutability is of the highest
significance for religion. The contrast between being and becoming marks the
difference between the Creator and the creature. Every creature is continually
becoming. It is changeable, constantly striving, seeks rest and satisfaction,
and finds this rest in God, in him alone, for only he is pure being and no
becoming. Hence, in Scripture God is often called the Rock… (Herman Bavinck, The Doctrine of God, pg. 149 in Wayne
Grudem, Systematic Theology, pg. 164)
ii.
Being and becoming
-becoming:
the actualization of potentialities
-problem:
infinite regress
-answer:
unmoved mover or unchanged changer
-being:
existence or actuality
-God exists as pure being/actuality, no
becoming/potentiality
iii.
there is extrinsic change
-example: law and grace
-God
always deals with people and their faith (intrinsic)
-Faith
in the law and faith in Christ are different (extrinsic)
b. God
wouldn’t be God if He changed
i. If self-existence should change, it would become
dependent existence; eternity would become time; perfection imperfection; and
therefore God would become not-God. (Gordon H. Clark, Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, pg. 78-79 in Charles Caldwell
Ryrie, Basic Theology, pg. 43)
c.
Impassibility
i.
not subject to passions, doesn’t have emotions
ii.
God has emotions, but they are not bound to sin like ours
iii.
God’s emotions are tied to His goodness/holiness
-example:
anger in man vs. God
d. Change to
God in the Bible
i.
anthropopathisms: assigning human emotion to God
ii.
various methods of God’s redeeming activity
iii.
eternal willing and temporal acting
4. Practical Application
(J. I. Packer, Knowing God)
a. God’s
life does not change
i.
neither matures nor regresses
ii.
neither gets better or worse
b. God’s
character does not change
i. he deals with us consistent with His perfect,
unchanging moral character
c. God’s
truth doesn’t change
i.
it can be relied upon for guidance
ii.
it isn’t susceptible to reinterpretation
d. God’s
ways do not change
i.
punishes sin consistently
ii.
dispenses grace freely
e. God’s
purposes do not change
i.
His plans are eternal with full foreknowledge of the future
f. God’s Son
does not change
i. Hebrews 13:8: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday
and today and forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment