By Jason S (Connecting to Impact)
Many profess to like the God of the New Testament while not liking or not understanding the God of the Old Testament.
The New Testament shows a loving, gracious, compassionate God and Father who gave His own Son as a sacrifice and ransom for many- The Old Testament shows an angry, vengeful, God of judgment who destroys His enemies and those who oppose Him (or so it's thought)
I'm in no way mentally or theologically equipped to argue this in its fullness, but I do hope to bring out a few points that will show that God is not schizophrenic and He didn't 'mellow out' in the 400 years between the writing of Malachi and the birth of Jesus. He doesn't and hasn't changed.
That's right–God is unchangeable.
This is good news. I can't make Him love me any more by doing good things and I can't make Him love me any less by doing bad things. I can't make Him mad so that He leaves me. He disciplines–meaning I face hardships–but it's not punishment for sin because all that is wiped away through the blood of Jesus.
But what about the stark contrast we seem to see from Old to New Testaments?
God's plan was always to redeem mankind so that they could have fellowship with Him just as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. He chose Abraham to make into a great nation and made a covenant with Him. Through His sons and all their offspring, a chosen people named Israel came about.
He demonstrated His love, redemption, restoration, forgiveness, compassion–all that New Testament stuff–to this nation as they were people of covenant. Nations that sinned and rebelled fell to their own judgment, sometimes even at the hands of the Israelites.
This doesn't mean God is different, but that the rest of the world wasn't brought into the covenant blessings yet. When Jesus offered His life, bore our punishment for sin, and rose from the grave–He made a way that all nations would have a way to the Father. That grace and love and destiny that had been locked away was now restored.
The righteousness required to satisfy God's holiness was met for anyone believing on Jesus as Savior and Lord. It began a new era and a new covenant (which is what New Testament means anyway).
To those who have trusted and sought Him through the ages, God has shown Himself. He has remained faithful and unchangeable in His character, essence, and attributes. For those without a perfect mediator, there is still steep and severe consequences to sin and we fall under wrath, but with a once and for all sacrifice, we are cleansed and forgiven.
Even now, we may see different facets of Him at different times, but He's a big God. It's sort of like how we see different sides of the moon at different points of the month. The moon isn't changing and neither is God. He just shows us what He wants to reveal when He wants to (because He's God).
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17)
I'm thankful that I'm not subject to divine whims that are not understandable or arbitrary like the gods of old mythology. He is immovable, unshakeable, and unchangeable. A great rock of Refuge. A mighty tower of Strength.
How do you describe the unchangeableness of God? What helps you wrap your mind around it?
Jason is a guy who loves Jesus, his wife, and his kids. He's also the pastor of Breakthrough Church in Juneau, AK. You can check out his blog at EndlessImpact.com where the goal is to connect with others in a conversation about life, service, and faith while connecting to God who is true Impact.