Did God Change?

tdogg

I had a discussion with some Greek Orthodox members recently. I was pointing out the disparity between the brutal behavior of "Gods people in the o.t. and the pacifistic way in which Jesus was to have behaved in the n.t.

They accounted for this by explaining that God changed during that time. He WAS vengeful and angry at mankind but then he felt compassion and sent his son, or came down as the Son himself, whichever.

So I was wondering if God can change? Does not the perception that God is omnicient and infallible imply that he would not need to change his mind? Or are those perceptions themselves created by men and not at all describing the attributes of God?

Any thoughts?

Elsewhere

Gods are created in the image of the ones who worship them.

Believe in yourself, not mythology.
<x ><

pralis

Remember that Israel was bound to the provisions of the Law Covenant inaugurated at Sinai. A covenant is essentially a contract -- if you do a-b-c then I'll provide x-y-z. One of the clauses of the Law Covenant was that if Israel disobeyed God, began worhsipping other gods, and became involved in the practices the Law strictly prohibited, then Jehovah would punish them accordingly. So in other words, God was simply keeping His end of the contract when He behaved in a brutal way toward His people (who were not keeping their part of the contract).

And remember that after each time He disciplined His people, He ALWAYS implored them to return to Him. His brutal behavior was the prescribed disipline, but it was always with the purpose of turning them back around. In this way He showed an astounding love for Israel, even after all that nation had done.

And no, God does not change. The only thing that changed was the covenant arrangement. Christians are now under the New Covenant, which basically teaches that fellowship with God is through obedience to Christ's teachings and faith in his ransom sacrifice, not through the observance of law codes. The result is everlasting life. In the Old Covenant Jehovah acted immediately when His people were disobedient. Under the New Covenant, there is one day which Jehovah reserves to exact justice and judgment for those who responded favorably or unfavorably to the New Covenant.

Pralis

teejay

Hello, tdogg

Obviously, God doesn't know everything and doesn't always make the right decisions all the time. He learns from his mistakes, just like we do.

He found out that slapping somebody upside the head may not be the best approach. In the old days, he wiped out entire races of people, allowed horrible abuses if "his people" were the perpetrators, and otherwise acted like he had no clue because... well... he *didn't* have a clue.

These days, rather than acting like a first-time parent without a single idea of what humans really need and flying off the handle every chance he gets, these days he acts more like a patient grandfather and just lets things go. Natural catastrophes; bloody wars; religious, social and economic oppression; widespread child abuse; intolerance of all kinds, disease—the list goes on and on—yep, all of it is cool with him.

He's just sitting back, chillin', waiting to see if we can figure it out. I get the sense that every now and then he looks up from his paper to have a look and then returns to his reading. Otherwise, he's not real interested in us.

Eight million years from now he may figure out that we need his help in some superficial way and may even decide that he needs to lift a finger. Maybe?

Color me cynic, but I'm not counting on it.

jiutman

God did not change,

Jesus tld us that the OT could be summed up by the commandments to love God and your neighbor (Mt 22:37). Jesus also says that God desired love and mercy rather than sacrifice (Mt 9:13, 12:7). I will give you some examples... (Ezekial 18:23) "Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked...and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?". In Gen 15:16 God gave the Amorites hundreds of years to repent but they didnt. Noah preached for 120 years to no avail before the flood (Gen 6:3). If you really study the OT you will find that God is very patient who gives people many opportunities to change their ways. But God is a just God, so he could not allow the wicked to continue. Jesus actually is the one who made some of the strongest statements about judgements that we can find in the Bible. In Matthew 23 he called the religious leaders of the day hypocrites and false leaders and told them that their punishment was eternal banishment from Gods presence. In Matthew 10:34 Jesus says "Think not that I have come to send you peace on earth: I came not to send peace but a sword". Wow that sounds more like OT to me. He also says that His word will cause a father to be against his son, a mother to be against her daughter, and a daughter-in-law to be against her mother-in-law. So God is the same throughout the Bible. J

ElijahTheThird

Why people THINK Jesus was a pacifist is so stupid!
The last time he really spoke with all of his deciples he warned them to sell their coats and buy swords if they didn't own one ! ! !

Get a clue? At least read the book!

Norval

wonderwoman77

Well, can you change? If you believe the bible you are created in his image, so if you can change, should not he be able to?

Satanus

WW

Fine, except the bible says god does NOT change!!

SS

Elsewhere

Sounds like the Hebrews got a bum deal - nearly every transgression results in death. It takes a very arrogant deity to demand such obedience and servatude.

I never would have signed on the dotted line of that contract. Those Hebrews were a bunch of suckers for signing up - look where it left them, subject to racism, hatred, and never ending terrorist attacks for brutally stealing the land of the philistines. They got shafted by the "god of love".

Reminds me of one of those "moral" stories where someone making a deal with the devil ends up in trouble.

Believe in yourself, not mythology.
<x ><

Dominiceve

No! God does not change, he has never changed and never will.
Malachi 3.6
"For i am Jehovah, i have not changed and you are sons of Jacob you have not come to your finish"
Dominic Eve

Did God Change?

Share this