03/11/2020
People argue that our faith is evolving, and God is changing to accommodate mankind’s changing nature, but is that true? When we look at God, and view our history with Him, have we ever seen Him change, or evolve? Some use the coming of Jesus to argue their point, but if we look at the Bible we see that Messianic Prophecy begins from almost the moment of Adam’s fall, and invalidates this as an argument for change. We change, but God remains the same... truth is always truth, good always good, light is always light, and so forth.
“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
Psalms 90:1-2 ESV
We are advancing technologically, and increasing in our understanding of the world, and universe; we are even changing culturally as we leave behind old societal customs, music, and so many other amazing things that have always demonstrated just how unique we are. We are becoming increasingly homogenized, and not always in a good way. It can all be so confusing as we do such things as routinely kill our unborn children, and yet gauge a society’s health on the number of problems its women have in bearing healthy children, or, to make my point here, we pronounce our faith in God, and yet steadily move away from Him as we recast our views of who He is in an attempt to make Him easier for us to successfully follow, or to make Him more like we have become... into our image. In this way we are damning ourselves, and moving away from God, and Jesus. Listen to God’s Word regarding His unchanging nature...
“"For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.”
Malachi 3:6 ESV
And of the nature of Jesus...
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8 ESV
We are told bluntly that God, and Jesus are unchanging, and this is also true of God’s Word, and the laws that govern His creation; even the construction of that creation itself...
“Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast.”
Psalms 119:89-90 ESV
In the Garden of Eden we saw Satan lie to Eve so that she would eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and we see his lie as convincing her to be disobedient, but it was more than just simple disobedience; he had to change how she viewed God in order to make his case. We understand this temptation and fall as Eve wanting to be like God, but it was more than that, it was also making God to be like her... in order for this lie to be accepted she had to believe that God had lied to her... that He was not perfect, that He was like she and Adam were... fallible; morally fallible!
“but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”
Genesis 3:3-6 ESV
When we accept the premise that God’s Word is ever changing, or that He conforms to who we are, we are making Him into our own image just as Eve did, and are taking a bite of that same fruit. When we dismember babies in the womb and call it good because after all we have passed a law declaring it to be good, we are following man’s own whims, and by us declaring something in our laws it does not make it acceptable to God.
“take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same.' You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods. "Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.”
Deuteronomy 12:30-32 ESV
God’s Word teaches us many things, but it’s underlying goal is to lead us to become more as He is; to exhibit His traits, and His personality. God is good, loving, truthful, faithful, jealous, merciful, forgiving, full of grace, and so many other wonderful characteristics that we read about in His Word; all of these go into His commandments for us, and are meant to teach us how to live our lives, and draw us into relationship with Him.
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:1-2 ESV
As men and women we may have fallen, and by that I mean fallen into the age old snare of believing that we can, and should, make God into our own image, but God in all His mercy has made provision for us. Through His Son Jesus Christ He has provided us a means of escaping this, and of obtaining reconciliation... a way of washing away those sins that have separated us from Him. Are we ready to turn back to God, and recognize His unchanging nature? Are we convicted by our sin, and prepared to accept the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as our personal salvation?
“"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
John 3:16-17 ESV
And on a larger scale, are we ready to accept God’s mercy as nations, and peoples; even as mankind?
“if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.”
2 Chronicles 7:14-15 ESV
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for your unchanging nature by which I can gauge my life, and become more like you. I thank you for your Son Jesus Christ whose life, death, and resurrection, has made it possible for me to be loosed from sin and death, and by your grace and forgiveness to be returned to you. Help us Holy Father to turn away from our self-serving nature that tempts us to see you as ourselves, and not ourselves as you. Give us the strength of character, and courage of faith, to resist those who would convince us that man knows better than you, or that we are more morally capable than you. I pray for your patience with us Father, and that you will instill every believer with a burning desire to share who you truly are with those who are lost in the world. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our unchanging God, who was, and is, and is forevermore. Praised be your name for your unrelenting mercy as you watch the unfaithfulness of so many. Great is your patience as you continuously forgive, suffer rejection, and then forgive again. Help stay us Father in you, and to cast off the laws we have made for ourselves that are not in accordance with yours, and who you are. Hear our prayers of contrition Lord, and forgive us as we worship you in love and faith, bathe us in your light now, and forevermore. Let your Holy Word, and your grace through Christ heal us... let us no longer hear the voice of Jesus as He says of us...
“You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men." And he said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!”
Mark 7:8-9 ESV
Rich Forbes