Earthly Eyes or
Heavenly Vision?

What a blessing that our God is immutable—He does not change, and He cannot
change. We live in a world where almost everything seems to change. People change.
Circumstances change. Culture changes. Our plans change. Even our own thoughts,
feelings, and priorities can change from one day to the next. But God does not
change. His character does not change. His plans do not change. His truth does not
change. That is remarkably different from the world around us. When we truly
understand God's immutability, it gives us something the changing world cannot give
us: confidence in who God is and trust in His promises.

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God's Character Does Not Change

God's perfection is inseparable from His immutability. Because God is and has always been perfect, He cannot become better and cannot become worse in any way. God doesn't have changing moods that alter His character. He doesn't become distracted or have a bad day. He isn’t influenced by circumstances or external pressures. Therefore, God is always completely and consistently who He is. The following A.W. Pink quote captures this topic well:

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“He cannot change for the better, for He is already perfect; and being perfect, He cannot change for the worse. Altogether unaffected by anything outside Himself, improvement or deterioration is impossible.” – A.W. Pink, The Attributes of God

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Think about the implications of that truth. When we fail, God doesn't become less loving. When circumstances change, God doesn't become less faithful. When we don't understand what He is doing, His character hasn't changed. Our circumstances may change, but God doesn't.

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“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” - Malachi 3:6

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God's Plans Do Not Change

God's plans and purposes come from an omniscient—completely all-knowing—God. When we change our minds, there is usually a reason. We may learn something we didn't previously know. Circumstances may change. We may realize that our original plan wasn't as good as we thought. But God never receives new information. He already knows what we will discover tomorrow. He already knows how circumstances will unfold. He already knows the beginning, the middle, and the end. That means God never has to say, “I didn't see that coming”. His plans aren't reactions to circumstances. His plans account for circumstances. We may not understand the plan, but we can trust the Planner.

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​God's Truth Does Not Change
God's promises will be fulfilled. His Word does not shift to accommodate changing cultures, opinions, or circumstances. Human ideas change. Human laws change. What society considers acceptable can change dramatically over time. But God's truth does not need to be updated.

 

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” – Numbers 23:19

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​But that isn't the picture Scripture gives us at all. In Romans 3:23-25 we read that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It doesn’t say some have really fallen short and some have only fallen a little short. All means ALL.

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With earthly eyes, we can become overwhelmed by everything that is changing around us. We can feel uncertain because our plans change, our circumstances change, and the world changes. But with heavenly vision, we remember: God's character doesn't change, God’s plans don't change and God's truth doesn't change.

Personal Reflection

• Consider one of God’s unfailing promises that brings you comfort and/or joy.

• Does the truth that God’s character cannot change impact your day today?