is it Possible For God to "repent/Change His Mind?"

[Tom Butler]

I understand what you are saying, but this perspective of thought is also finite. This kind of logic is similar to Christ being God and also human and stating based on our understanding He must be one or the other. God can be immutable...yet relent, repent, respond and change His mind...Scripture says so.

I read something a long time ago which may help your point. It is that all emotions exist in God at the same time. So we move from God's approval to his anger when we displease him. He hasn't changed, we have. So the people of Genesis 6 moved from God's approval to his disapproval, and thus his determination to destroy the earth with a flood.

God is always pleased by obedience and displeased with disobedience. He is always pleased with righteous living, and displeased with unrighteousness.

In the same way, the sun melts butter but hardens clay. The sun doesn't change.

So when we use such words as change, relent, repent, etc., it helps our understanding of God's immutability and his reactions to sin and obedience.

 

[Osage Bluestem]

But even Calvinism has paradoxes and mysteries, so by your logic these things should destroy your faith. Just because your system provides an explanation for some of the mysteries doesn't dismiss the rest.

There are no "mysteries" that plauge my faith. The bible has done a good job of giving us solid revelation and can be and is defended against all attacks.

First, if Calvinism is true there is really no need to "defeat the notions of atheistic thinkers," since the effectual call (or the irresistible regenerative work of the Spirit) is the only means that has the power to do that....you just need to preach the gospel pure and simple. Debating the nuances of your dogma has no power.

That's silly. That's like saying that there is no reason to evangelize. We evangelize and defend the faith because it deserves to be evangelized and defended. Also God is logical and the gospel is logical and God has chosen to regenerate people when they are exposed to the gospel.

Second, your view isn't necessarily 'biblical.' It is actually a systematic theology, not purely biblical. To be purely biblical is to read the story of how God planned to destroy Israel but Moses prayed and God relented and to believe it as presented. To systematize it to fit your dogma you must add qualifications to that purely biblical story to make God appear differently that the biblical story alone presents Him. So you can take the pure biblical approach and allow people to believe what they read, or you can take the systematized approach and add qualifications to the biblical story to change the perspective of how God relates to Moses.

Reformed theology is purely biblical. We get all doctrines from exegeting the bible using the historical grammatical hermeneutic observing the law of non contradiction. So, it's all bible all the time everywhere.

 

[Skandelon]

That's silly. That's like saying that there is no reason to evangelize.

No, there is a difference. Calvinists say they evangelize because they are told to do so by God and for his glory and for the purpose of fulfulling the commission for the elect. But scripture never commands you to defeat the notions of atheistic thinkers...it just tells you to preach the gospel and let the Lord do the rest.

 

[Calv1]

Could God somehow had "limited" Himself to knowing All possible outcomes at all times, but allow for man to choose the decision and than God responds according to the best Plan he had for each decision made?

Not talking about when He direct intervenes, like when he had preordained the coming of Jesus, death and resurrection, but referring to those times he would 'allow" things to occur?

God can limit His knowledge, but then He wouldn't be God! God looks at all of history as we would a book, seeing every action at one time. He is out of time, yet in time. Today is Monday for God, but He is also out of time.

This notion that God is not immutable must be squashed at once. God can never change, there is "No shadow of turning" with God. God "Does not repent".

There are anthromophisms that are used througout scripture, and they seem to appear God "Repenting", but rest assured that every action, including this letter is decreed by God, either through direct operation or through direct withdrawel.

 

[InTheLight]

Reformed theology is purely biblical. We get all doctrines from exegeting the bible using the historical grammatical hermeneutic observing the law of non contradiction.

Thanks for making it so simple and crystal clear.