The Immutable God

WE serve a God we can trust and implicitly depend on. When we know who He is in reality, and faith becomes as natural as breathing to us, then we shall be able to take our place beside Abraham, who staggered not at God’s promise through unbelief, but was fully persuaded that what He has promised He was also able to perform. Knowing this unalterable character of God, that He cannot lie, will impart the courage of Moses to us, and we shall be able to endure seeing Him, Who is invisible. To know in our hearts that God cannot lie will make us invincible, as we stand on His promises. The Scripture reveals that (1) God is immutable (Hebrews 6:18); (2) He is infallible (Joshua 21:45); (3) He is incorruptible (Romans 1:23; Revelation 4:8); (4) He is infinite (Isaiah 40:28); (5) He is incomprehensible (Psalm 139:1-6); (6) He is invisible (1 Timothy 1:17); and, (7) He is immortal (1 Timothy 6:15,16). As believers, our full-time responsibility is to glorify God and adorn His doctrine.

“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” Believers need to know the implication and weight of the word ‘cannot’ here. It is a stronger word than ‘will not’. This word expresses the utter impossibility for God to lie. The attribute of God’s immutability is applied to His promise of eternal life. Because He cannot lie, His promise to save sinners that come to Him in repentance can be depended upon. His promises to saints can be depended upon because He gives life. His promises to the world and the Church are dependable, just as His promises to His children will be fulfilled. The promises were made before the world began, and they will continue to be fulfilled until the end of the world. We are called to trust God that cannot lie, Who will satisfy our needs and fulfill our heart desires. The Lord will defend, protect and preserve us for His abundant blessings, if we trust Him.

The Scripture is full of God’s promises. From the beginning to the very end, there are promises of forgiveness, salvation and adoption into God’s family for sinners outside the fold. Thus, the sinner can come with confidence that God, Who has given him invitation, will forgive and transform his life. Once he repents and believes in Christ, he becomes a member of God’s family, having eternal life abiding in him. Having been saved, he is kept and cared for by the Lord on the basis of His immutability and promises. God’s promises to His children are great and numerous, precious and varied. He who has promised to save has also promised to keep us; He who has promised to give us eternal life has also promised to give us abundant life; He who has given us the promise of holiness, has also given us the promise of healing. There are promises for the spirit, soul and body; promises in times of peace, persecution, temptation and tranquility; promises of purity and power; promises for present and future challenges; promises for members and ministers; promises for our progress in life and the promise of the power of the Holy Ghost to make us effective in preaching the word and serving the Lord. God, Who cannot lie, makes all these promises.

“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” God’s promises are precious and peculiar. He has promised to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Knowing that we cannot save ourselves, possess eternal life, make ourselves holy, become spiritual dynamites and manifest supernatural power by human efforts, heal ourselves of incurable terminal diseases, deliver ourselves from the great enemy of God and man, qualify ourselves to be made fit for heaven in our own strength, bring conviction and conversion upon sinners by our natural ability, purify believers and prepare them for heaven by our communication skills, God has promised to do all these for us. He has promised what He purposes to do; and what He has promised, He has also the power to perform.

As a believer, you need not fear or be worried about any negative situation. With your knowledge of the perfection, promise and power of God, identify the need (in your life, family, ministry, etc.), find God’s promise appropriate for that need, focus on His power, forget your own inability and weakness, pray in faith, accept the fulfilment and praise Him with a grateful heart. The Lord has power to fulfil all His promises. And since we serve a God Who cannot lie or fail, we should depend on Him.
Further Reading (King James Version): Titus 1:2,1,7; 2:11,10,5; 3:8; Jeremiah 33:22; Hosea 1:10; Matthew 7:18; Luke 16:26; John 15:4; James 1:13; 2 Timothy 2:13; James 1:17; Deuteronomy 32:4; 2 Samuel 22:31; Titus 1:2; 1 John 2:25; 2 Peter 1:3,4; Luke 1:72-75; 24:49; Acts 1:4,5,8; Titus 1:2; 1 Samuel 15:29; Romans 4:19-21; Numbers 23:19,20.