Good News and Bad News: God Doesn't Change
This post was originally published in February 2017. –ed.
The only constant in the universe is change. At least that’s how it seems.
We are always growing, aging, learning, and reflecting. Continual breakthroughs in science and technology alter the way we see the world. What we believed last year is easily modified or forgotten as we’re continually bombarded by new information.
Moreover, the world’s morality is in a constant state of flux. Many would argue it’s on an ever-downward spiral. Things once considered reprehensible are now celebrated as virtuous. And even things that continue to be frowned upon aren’t treated with the seriousness they once were.
When the only external reference point is change, the temptation is strong to assume that God changes, too. Today the world—and even some corners of the church—assume it is God’s duty to keep up with the times. They desire a god who reflects modern views of morality, growing with them as events unfold and opinions change. Put simply, constantly changing times demand a god willing to change with them.
With that in mind, we recently asked John MacArthur how we can know that God doesn’t change when everything else does. Moreover, if God is unchanging, what are the implications of His immutability for believers and unbelievers?
Listen to this 2-minute clip:
The relentless variety of life can make it hard to comprehend an unchanging God. His self-disclosure—“I, the Lord, do not change”—cuts against the grain of every earthly experience we have. But thankfully, God has provided us with a reference point that is as fixed as His character—His Word.
God offers certainty in an uncertain world because He can only speak truth, and He can only promise what He will certainly deliver. And that unwavering nature has eternal ramifications for every single person on the planet.
