Did God change at the Incarnation?
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To All,
God never changes.... man on the other hand does change. Man is "sown in corruption" and "is raised in incorruption". (1 Cor. 15:42)... and the "mortal must put on immortality" for "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God".
1Cor.15
[42] So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
[50] Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
[53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
[54] So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
The "Word" was with God and was God (John 1:1), That "Word" was MADE "flesh", which is only an outer garment... (John 1:14)... "and took upon Him the FORM of a servant, and was MADE in the likeness of men." (Phil. 2:7). Christ was known "after the flesh" (2 Cor. 5:16), "Who is the image of the invisible God..." (Col. 1:15) and being the Lord, Christ said, "I am the resurrection, and the life:" (John 11:25). The "Word" Itself does not change as God does not change... for He is perfect. Ex. 3:14 teaches that God is timeless. "I AM THAT I AM" (ehyeh asher ehyeh), I will be what I will be.
Job says >>
Job.9
[32,33] {{{For He (God) is not a man, as I am}}}, that I should answer Him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any Daysman betwit us, that might lay His hand upon us both.
The "Daysman" is the mediator. In Job's case He was found in Elihu; in ours, in Christ. To be NOT a man as Job, means "born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:13).
David says >>
Psalms 102
[26,27] They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure: Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed: But Thou art the same, And Thy years shall have no end.
In God . . . deterioration is impossible. Christ, Who is the Word of God, the Son of God inside of time and "was with God" and "was God" outside of time before anything "were made by Him", it is written: Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Heb. 13:8). He is unchanging in His character and essence, even as He became Incarnate.
The book of Hebrews touches on the immutability of God's counsel. First let us go to Psalms 33:11: "But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations." Now to the book of Hebrews: Hebrews 6:17 teaches that God's purpose is certain and unchanging: "Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear . . . He confirmed it with an oath." That passage continues to assert that God guarantees his certainty on two unchangeable bases (Heb. 6:18): His oath itself, a declaration unmoved by anything outside it in all creation, and the fact that it is impossible for God to lie. Thus we have an "anchor for the *soul," a constant in life: God's immutability. *Soul (psuche), used of the life of man, which can be lost, destroyed, saved, laid down, (Matt. 10:28; 16:26; Mark 8:36,37; Luke 12:20: 21:19; 1 Thess. 2:8; 5:23; Heb 4:12; 6:19; 10:39; 13:17; James 1:21; 1 Pet. 1:9; 2:11, 25; 4:19). James. 1:17 is a classic passage that depicts the immutability of God. That paragraph begins with an admonition not to be deceived. Then James reminded his readers that every gift is good and perfect, coming down from the Father above. Our Father does not change like shifting shadows. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17). Christ says:
John.8
[23] And he (Christ) said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
We learned one thing of many, early on in Genesis... and that was: the stability of God and the instability of man. Man is compared to "wandering stars," (Jude 1:13) "the troubled sea", restless (Is. 57:20), "unstable as water," (Gen. 49:4), and double-minded – leading to instability. David knew this and said, "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save." (Ps. 146:3). How often does man "begin with the Spirit, but end in the flesh, " (Gal. 3:3).
Rom.8
[9] But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.
The Divine immutability, like the cloud which interposed between the Israelites and the Egyptian army, has a dark as well as a light side. He executes His threatenings, as well as performs all of His promises. God's immutability is awful news to unbelievers. God will NOT alter His will . . . or violate His own Word to gratify their lusts. . . . Being the SAME God, He is the SAME enemy to the wicked as the SAME friend to the righteous.
The immutable God comes forth from outside of time and can operator inside of time by That which can be heard and seen (Exodus 23:20-22), in order that we have understanding and KNOW Him. (John 14:7,17).
For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly SEEN, being understood by the things that are MADE, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:" (Rom. 1:20). "And the Word was MADE flesh" (John 1:14), "Who [Christ] is the image of the invisible God..." (Col. 1:15).
God's, immutability is to our advantage; the nearer we come to Him, the more stability we shall have in ourselves; the further from Him, the more liable to change. The line that is nearest to the place where it is first fixed, is least subject to motion; the further it is stretched from it, the weaker it is, and more liable to be shaken. As Paul said, "the foundation of God stands sure, the Lord knows who are His." (2 Tim. 2:19).
Eph.4
[14] That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
God's Truth is immutable, for His Word is "forever *settled in heaven" (Ps. 119:89). *settled = standeth fast, as the earth; i.e. endureth for ever Psalms 102:12,26; Isa. 40:8; Luke 16:17; 1 Peter 1:25)... Christ, the Living Word, "abideth for ever" (John 12:34).
Now for the BIG question. Did God change then at the Incarnation? According to Scripture, God did not change. The Father remained the same, the Spirit was unaltered, and the Son maintained His same essence. The glory of His divinity was not extinguished nor diminished. Christ could not have been a sufficient Mediator, had He ceased to be God. (1 Tim. 2:5).
God's immutability is unchanged; it is everlasting. "Everlasting" is a key word in the Bible. Even to unbelievers, God is everlasting. This "everlasting King" (Jer. 10:10) will send "everlasting confusion" that shall never be lifted upon unbelief (Jer. 20:11). Further, God sends an "everlasting reproach" on unbelievers (Jer. 23:40). Yet, He loves His own with an "everlasting love". (Jer. 31:3).
"Thou art GOD" (Psalms 90:2). God is "from everlasting to everlasting" (Psalms 41:13; 90:2), a sure affirmation of God's immutability. The Lord's "mercy is everlasting" (Psalms 100:5; 103:17) His goodness is for an "everlasting remembrance" (Psalms 112:6). David says, "Let Thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, Even Thy salvation, ACCORDING to Thy Word." (Psalms 119:41). The Messiah is the "everlasting Father", the "Prince of Peace", "The mighty God" (Isa. 9:6). The {{{believer}}} will not perish but have "everlasting life" (Jn. 3:16).
King Darius "wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth... I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for He is the LIVING God, and STEDFAST for ever, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end." (Dan. 6:25,26). Christians are encouraged to be steadfast (1 Cor. 15:58). The early Christians adhered steadfastly to the apostles doctrine (Acts 2:42). Colossians 2:5 speaks of our FAITH IN CHRIST as being STEADFAST. God desires His children to be steadfast, immoveable, ...small doses of His immutability should be found in Christians. "They that trust in the LORD Shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. (Psalms 125:1). Trust the immortal God. "Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, through we have known Christ after the flesh, ye now henceforth know we Him no more" (2 Cor. 5:16)... after the flesh. "And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:" (2 Cor. 3:4).
Eph.1
[12] That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
[13] In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
God Bless,
Eve
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