[an error occurred while processing this directive] TheBible.net: The Consequences of Changing God
The Consequences of Changing God
by Jody L Apple
Introduction

     God is eternal. He has always been.

     His eternal nature applies not only to His existence, but also to His attributes. All that God is now, He has always been.

     God exists, then, and is eternal in all of His attributes.

     God is also infinite. That means that God is always as great as great can be. He does not increase (or decrease) in holiness and righteousness, or any other attribute. He always is as holy and righteous as He can be.

     God's eternal and infinite nature, when viewed together, demand that God is changeless. God, like Jesus, does not change. Hebrews 13:8 teaches us: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Malachi 3:6 says: "For I am the Lord, I do not change..." Hebrews 1:12 simply states: "...You are the same..."

     But if God is changeless, what do we mean by our title "The Consequences of Changing God?" How can a changeless God change?

     In order to understand how a changeless God can change it will be important for us to examine a passage from the first chapter of Romans.


Changing God's Nature

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things." (Romans 1:20-23)

     This section of Romans one tells us how it is that the nature of God can change.

     The very nature of God Himself does not change. This is the significance of Hebrews 13:8, Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 1:12 cited above.

     It is possible, though, to change what man thinks God is like. The nature of God is incorruptible, but it is possible for someone to believe that the nature of God is corruptible. Believing that something is true, however, does not make it true. As a result, mankind has often viewed God as something other than He really is.

     An example of how man makes mental changes concerning the nature of God is seen in the frequent Bible references to, and condemnation of, idol worship. When men mentally change the nature of God from an infinite being to a finite being they can become susceptible to worshipping idols, which neither move nor act in any way, let alone are responsible for all of physical creation. This is Isaiah's criticism in Isaiah 44:9-20. Here Isaiah notes the folly of cutting down a tree, using half of it to warm yourself and roast your meals, and the other half to make a "god" to worship. To "fall down before a block of wood," as Isaiah depicts this specific form of idolatry, is to have a "deceived heart," a heart and mind that has willfully changed the nature of God and made Him to be less than He really is.


Changing God's Truth

"Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." (Romans 1:24-25)

     This section informs us of another change that occurs in the mind. After the mind has altered the concept of God's nature, changing it from incorruptible (infinite) to corruptible (finite), some find an obligation to change God's truths into lies.

     If God is no longer infinite, it is easy to cease worshipping Him as Creator and begin serving "the creature" or "the creation" (what He has created) instead. Of course this is a lie, but the human mind can become convinced that lies are true.

     Generally speaking, whenever someone espouses a teaching contrary to God's word it is very likely that a corrupted view of God is involved. For example, the Bible discusses many requirements that God makes of man. Christ taught that our love for him should compel us to keep His commandments (John 14:15). Scripture also tells us that Christ is the "author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him" (Hebrews 5:10).

     I have noted that when a specific requirement is discussed, one which someone does not want to obey, this type of an appeal is often made: "The God I worship is a God of love and grace. He knows my heart and He would not expect me to do that. God is a God of mercy and forgiveness. He is not such a hard taskmaster."

     What is said here is quite important. An attempted defense is made in harmony with what Paul has outlined in Romans. When a change is made in the way we think about God, it is understandable to see a corresponding change in those truths we consider to be incompatible with our concept of God. If some Biblical truth seems to require more of us than we are willing to give, then self justification is merely a matter of restating the truth, or affirming that it does not apply to us, and concluding that our concept of what God is like confirms our idea of the truth.

     This sort of "reasoning" is all too common in our religious world today. We no longer accept the plain teachings of scripture because we have approached them with preconceived (and misconceived) ideas about what God is, and is not. Any teaching that does not fit what we believe God is like is discarded or modified in order to make it harmonious with what we want God to be like.

     This line of argumentation denies the objectivity of scripture as well as the infinite nature of God. It is a position totally askew of ultimate reality and truth. It is a worldview that makes each person an independent standard of truth. It justifies what the author of Judges noted long ago: "...everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25)


Changing Human Nature

"For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due." (Romans 1:26-27)

     The final change in this passage follows hard on the heels of the first two. Once we have changed the nature of God to fit what we want God to be like, it is easy to change His truths to conform with what we want to believe concerning God. Having taken these two steps, it is quite clear why some begin to live the way that they want to live, and justify it based upon their own views of God's nature and God's truths.

     If God can be changed to fit our own desires, it is very simple to change His truth and make it what we want it to be. Based on these two changes, it is just as simple to justify why we live as we do.

     The Bible, however, often discusses sinful practices that God does not want us to engage in. These sins are always condemned because they either negatively affect God, our fellow man or ourselves. God does not condemn sin arbitrarily. He has a purpose in telling us what life styles he wants us to follow and which ones he wants us to avoid. By following what God wants us to do we can please God in this life and be provided, by his grace, an eternal life where we will be free from sin and the concerns of earthly life (Revelation 21:4).

     Consider, for example, the sin of sexual immorality, specifically adultery. Some have actually tried to justify multiple divorces and remarriages as acceptable to God on the basis that God would never prohibit anyone in any way from obtaining sexual fulfillment. Sexual pleasures, it is argued, are an inalienable right to all men, regardless of their past lives. Thus, a change in life style is attributed to a change in God's teaching, which in turn is attributed to a change in our belief about the nature of God.

     All of this overlooks the teaching of the Christ in Matthew 19:1-12. In this passage Jesus teaches that remarriage can only occur with God's blessing when an innocent party has divorced an unfaithful partner (based upon the unfaithful partner's adultery) and then remarries. The passage also teaches that there may be instances when a person desiring to be pleasing to God must forego sexual "rights" and become "eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake" (vs.12).

     This passage declares that we are not free to live the way we want and still be pleasing to God not if the way we live violates God's truth and forces us to corrupt the very nature of God in the process.


Conclusion

     What we believe about the nature of God has great consequences. Understanding and believing the truth about the infinite God of the universe is of tremendous importance.

     Likewise, misunderstanding some vital truth about the nature of God is also of tremendous importance. It is often the case that some deviation in what we come to believe God is like will not only affect our understanding of God's truths, but how we live as well.

     Ultimately, God cannot be changed. But it is quite possible for us to change what we believe about God. As a result we can easily change God's truth into lies and begin living in ways God has not intended us to live. Let us determine to make sure our beliefs concerning God's nature are grounded in the truths of the Bible and the world of reality in which we live.

This item originally appeared in The Good NewsPaper (September 1991)


[an error occurred while processing this directive]