Roots of the Faith – The Attributes of God (Incommunicable): Independence and Immutability

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Over the next few months we will be digging deep into God’s Word to learn more about key biblical truths that are foundational to our Christian faith. My goal is not just to give information, but rather information that will change the way we live our life. I am calling these truths the Roots of the Faith.

Resources for this Study

50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith – Gregg R. Allision

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine – Wayne Grudem

Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth – John MacArthur & Richard Mayhue

INTRO

  • “The incommunicable attributes are God’s characteristics or perfections, as revealed by Scripture, that God does not communicate, or share, with human beings.” (Gregg R. Allison, page 73)
  • “The foundation of all true knowledge of God must be a clear mental apprehension of His perfections as revealed in Holy Scripture. An unknown God can neither be trusted, served, nor worshipped.”  A.W. Pink
  • When we get our view of God right… then we can get our life right.
    • Right Belief – Right Living

Independence

THOUGHTS

  • God is independent and self-sufficient.
  • Creation is dependent upon Him.
    • Wrong – God needs you
    • Right – God needs nothing

God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything, yet we and the rest of creation can glorify him and bring him joy.

Wayne Grudem, page 190.

God is independent of all things. He is perfectly self-sufficient, not depending on anything outside himself for anything, and is therefore the eternal, foundational being, the source of life and sustenance for all other beings.

John MacArthur, page 168.

A Deeper Look – (John MacArthur, page 169)

  1. As Yahweh, God is self-existent, having life in and of himself
    • Ex. 3:14; John 5:26
  2. God existed before all things, and through him alone all things exist.
    • Ps. 90:2; 1 Cor. 8:6; Rev. 4:11
  3. God is Lord of all.
    • Deut. 10:17; Josh. 3:13
  4. He depends on nothing; all things depend on him.
    • Rom. 11:36
  5. He is the source of everything.
    • Deut. 32:39; Isa. 45:5–7; 54:16; John 5:26; 1 Cor. 8:6
  6. He does as He wills.
    • Ps. 115:3; Isa. 46:10–11; 64:8; Jer. 18:6; Dan. 4:35; Rom. 9:19–21; Eph. 1:5; Rev. 4:11
  7. His counsel is the basis of everything.
    • Ps. 33:10–11; Prov. 19:21; Isa. 46:10; Matt. 11:25–26; Acts 2:23; 4:27–28; Eph. 1:5, 9, 11
  8. He does everything for His own sake.
    • Josh. 7:9; 1 Sam. 12:22; Pss. 25:11; 31:3; 79:9; 106:8; 109:21; 143:11; Prov. 16:4; Isa. 48:9; Jer. 14:7, 21; Ezek. 20:9, 14, 22, 44; Dan. 9:19
  9. He needs nothing, being all-sufficient.
    • Job 22:2–3; Acts 17:25
  10. He is the first and the last.
    • Isa. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Rev. 1:8; 21:6; 22:13
  11. He is independent in His mind (Rom. 11:33–35), his will (Dan. 4:35; Rom. 9:19; Eph. 1:5; Rev. 4:11), his counsel (Ps. 33:11; Isa. 46:10), his love (Hos. 14:4), and his power (Ps. 115:3)

Immutability

God’s immutability is his perfect unchangeability in his essence, character, purpose, and promises.[1]

God is unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises, yet God does act and feel emotions, and he acts and feels differently in response to different situations. This attribute of God is also called God’s immutability.[2]

He does not change

  • Malachi 3:6
  • James 1:17

He is the first and last

  • Isaiah 43:14
  • Isaiah 44:6-8

He brings all things to completion

  • Philippians 1:3-6
  • Psalm 33:11

Does the Bible Contradict this?

  • Genesis 6:6–7; Exodus 32:14; 2 Samuel 24:16; Jeremiah 18:8; Jonah 3:10
  • Does God change His mind?
  • 1 Samuel 15:29 – NO

A good way to understand God’s apparent changes in Scripture is to consider that God reveals himself in his relations to people. They perceive only one aspect of God at a time. God never changes, but creatures do change, and they perceive God’s perfections and actions according to their current state. Thus, God’s actions do not imply a change of essence or purpose.[3]

[1] John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue, eds., Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017), 169.

[2] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 192–193.

[3] John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue, eds., Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017), 170.

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