The Incommunicable Attributes of God- Immutability and Unity

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Theological Thoughts to Encourage the Heart & Stir the Mind

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Volume I July 2011 Issue 30

Immutability and Unity

     “God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good (Numbers 23:19)?” In fact, God was never a man in the way some cults or false religions would espouse. He never laid down a law or set up a principle only to change his view or thoughts on the subject at a later time. “Since God is truth, he does not lie; in fact he cannot lie. He is unchanging. God is utterly different from man. Something that comes far too easily for many men is impossible for almighty God¹.^”

    As we look at God’s incommunicable attribute of immutability, we will come to the conclusion that God does not change. This is comforting to know as a believer in Christ Jesus, who is God Himself. When it comes to our salvation, having been chosen and saved, we know God will never change his mind on the matter. When you sin, confess and repent of it and continue on your walk with the Lord. He has not changed his mind or his purpose concerning your salvation. When it comes to how we are to conduct ourselves in the world, we can be confident that the path we are taking of holiness and righteous living will not one day be set aside with a new standard of immorality given by God. God will not some day allow the hatred or the murder of other people into our lives as a practical way of living. God is immutable. He will never go against his word and he will never change what he has established in his doctrines.

    From a scriptural point of view, God has shown us his heart on the matter. Israel, as a nation, backslid, rebelled, and disowned their God on more than one occasion. Yet God and his plan for Israel, even today, have not changed! The Lord speaks through the Prophet Malachi. In rebuking his people and their lack of concern for the ways of God, Malachi states, “I do not change, therefore… you are not consumed” (Malachi3:6).

    Another familiar verse regarding the immutability of God is found in the book of Hebrews. As I noted earlier, what a comfort to know that when I blow it by sinning against my God, he does not write me off or abandon me. He says in the Scriptures, “I will never leave thee or forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). God graciously forgives me when I confess and repent. I am once again able to approach the throne of grace and to remember I have been chosen by God to do this (Psalm 65:4).

     Another verse that really drives home the immutability of God is the verse in Deuteronomy that Hebrews uses. It is found in Deuteronomy 31:6; “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy GOD, he it is that doth go with thee: He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee”. These verses should sum up the fact God will never change. It is for our trust and benefit and it is for his glory!!

   

            The last incommunicable attribute of God is unity. Here we see that God is equal in all aspects of his nature, and attributes. One way to explain it is as this: As a human, if I had an enemy or someone I really disliked, I would find it hard to be kind to that person. Since I did not care for that person, I would tend to be standoffish or rude towards them. It would be hard to show the equal amount of love, mercy, and compassion to that person while, at the same time, dealing with them about a certain issue. One communicable attribute that I possess, patience for example, might not be displayed in the proper way or amount that it should be.

     God, on the other hand, because he is full of graciousness and the other attributes ascribed to him, is able to pour out his wrath on an individual and yet still show love, mercy, and righteousness in equal amounts at the same time towards that individual.

    Another way of explaining this is as follows: I am a father, a son, and a husband, but I am not all of those to one person. I hold a different title and position toward each person who would call me any of these names. But this is not so with God. God is in total unity with himself. He is one in essence. He is God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Equal in all aspects of his attributes, his essence, at all times. He is all of these titles at the same time. He works in the capacity of each position equally toward the other person of the Godhead. He is equal in displaying his incommunicable attributes. (To think on these things too long may cause a headache! Seriously though, this is good to study and meditate on.)

    A lot of false religions do not believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ because they cannot reconcile it with their logic. Therefore they do not believe it. But that is why we walk by faith, not by sight. This is what sets God’s incommunicable attributes apart from his communicable attributes. Actually, this is what sets us apart from a holy, holy God.

                                  -Ed Delgado

   

^{King James Study Bible.1988 Thomas Nelson publishing.}