Can we rely on the nature and character of God? Does he or can he ever change his mind? What should Christians believe in terms of God’s “immutability” (unchanging over time, or inability to change)?

Many Christians, whether theologians or not, do believe, due to their own experience, questions, circumstances that in fact God does “change his mind”. Do they have a correct understanding of God?

Yesterday, in my blog post “Essential Priorities for 2009″ I mentioned that one priority we Christians should have is to gain a correct (true) understanding of the God we follow. If we desire to follow him, to be led by him, seek him, serve him, then surely we must fully know (as best we can) the character of whom we serve?

Well-known scholar J. I. Packer in his book “Knowing God”, says the following;

“He who is the glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind,” declared Samuel, “for he is not a man who should change his mind” (1 Samuel 15:29). . . .

Repenting means revising one’s judgment and changing one’s plan of action. God never does this; he never needs to, for his plans are made on the basis of a complete knowledge and control which extend to all things past, present, and future, so that there can be no sudden emergencies or unexpected developments to take him by surprise. “One of two things causes a man to change his mind and reverse his plans: want of foresight to anticipate everything, or lack of foresight to execute them. But as God is both omniscient and omnipotent there is never any need to reverse his decrees” (A. W. Pink). “The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations” (Ps 33:11).

What God does in time, he planned from eternity. And all that he planned in eternity he carries out in time. And all that he has in his Word committed himself to do will infallibly be done. . . . No part of his eternal plan changes.

It is true that there is a group of texts (Gen 6:6–7; 1 Sam 5:11; 2 Sam 24:16; Jon 3:10; Joel 2:13–14) which speak of God as repenting. The reference in each case is to a reversal of God’s previous treatment of particular people, consequent to their reaction to that treatment. But there is no suggestion that this reaction was not foreseen, or that it took God by surprise and was not provided for in his eternal plan. No change in his eternal purpose is implied when he begins to deal with a person in a new way.”

J. I. Packer – Knowing God

Knowing God: 20th Anniversary Edition  By J.I. Packer / Inter-varsity Press J. I. Packer’s Knowing God has become a classic of the Christian faith. Why? While it gives us information about God with clarity and grace, it does much more—it aids us in actually knowing him, in building our relationship with him, and helps draw us closer to him in love and worship. This 20th anniversary edition of Packer’s classic has new Americanized text, reader-friendly type, and a new preface. Study guide not included.

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