Comments on: An Unchanging God

By: cxlink

cxlink — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:51:00 +0000

Yeah I can see conditional statements or him saying what the person needed to hear to get them to act (but I should be careful with that second one because it could almost be taken as being misleading).

By: Timothy

Timothy — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:56:23 +0000

I hear you there. If God seems to change his mind about XYZ, how long before he’ll change his mind about me? (no rhyme intended)

Throw in David after Bathsheba too. David wept before his son died, but stopped afterwards. Asked about it, he said that before he died there was a chance God would change his mind and let the child live.

Part of the “solution” might be a question of subtexts. I think sometimes it’s a matter of God saying “X will happen” with the unstated condition that it will only happen if “Y” also happens. Perhaps, as with Jonah, he said he would destroy Nineveh so as to elicit the response he desired, namely, repentance.

By: cxlink

cxlink — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:42:48 +0000

I don’t feel like I am questioning His goodness here only the characteristic of being unchanging (at least not with this post). I’m not saying what He did to Job was mean or unGodly, I am just focusing on the fact that the mind of God can be changed and he can feel that his views on things need to change. Like he is questioning his initial decision or realizes this option is better then his first.

By: Timothy

Timothy — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:35:02 +0000

I’d suggest a couple of things. As to Job, I think if you read that first bit, and you begin to ask questions about the morality of God, then you’re on the right track. I’d say that’s the point of the book. I don’t mean it’s designed to get you to doubt God’s goodness, but it is there to ask about it. You’ve got to read the first chapter in light of the last few chapters. The answer isn’t comfortable, but God is not a comfortable deity.

As to the happier changes in God’s mind, are you suggesting that, since it’s good when people receive mercy that it’s bad when they don’t? I’d suggest that, contrary to many songs sung in churches these days, God is not good only when he saves us, but also is good when he damns us.