The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-10-06
RELIGIOUS
DEPARTMENT
THE IMMUTABlLITY OF GOD

OR GOD THE UNtHANGEABLE.
A sermon preached in the Baptist
Church, by the Rev. Oliver G. Hors-
man, Sunday, September 81, 1908.
The frankest statement of this at
tribute is to be found in Nal. 3:6-"I,
Jehovah. change not. The same
idea appears in Ps. 102, where the ma
ture of God is contraSted with the ma
ture of heaven and earth, 'They shall
be changed buU Thou art the same"
Similarly James writes Of him, with
whom can be no variation, neither
shadow that is cast by turning"
Reason, which exacts belief in God
of infinite perfection, if there be any
/ God at all, also exacts belief in his I'M
changeableness. Any variation in ex-
cellence either for better or worse
would imply preceding or succeeding
imperfection. If, for example, his
knowledge could be increased, it
would argue present ignorance. If
it should be decreased, it would argue
future ignorance. In either case we
could imagine God more wise. and
so more worthy of our unqualified wor-
ship.
We must also believe in the i'm
mutability of his counsel" Heb. 6
II. Only three suggestions could
make possible a change of purpose in
! God fickleness and instability of will,
lack of foresight and consequent mis-
calculation, or want of ability to carry
out his desires and projected plans.
To admit any Of these deficiencies
would contradict Christs' assertion
that "your Father which is in heaven
is perfect" Therefore we say with
the writer of Proverbs, There are
many devices in mans heart, but
the counsel Of deborah, that shall
stand" Those Scripture passages
which seem o-imply repentance or
change of mind in God are mAnifestly
only accommodations to our human
mode of thought The difficulty of
reconciling Gods unchangeableness
with his ceaseless activity and that
INFINITE variety of sentiment involved
in care for dependent creatures, may
be met by recognizing that the infin-
j, tie always implies the incomprehensi
BILE. We reatfirm, then, our original
proposition-s With him can be no
variableness, neither shadow that is
cast by turning"
Here is solid ground for our faith.
We may well rejoice that God so diff
fers from ourselves and all earthly
things in this particular. With what
heartiness ought we to prefer an i'm
mutable God before mutable creatures.
I" Is it not a horrible thing" says
Charnock, "to see what. we are and
what we possess daily crumbling to
| DUST and in a continual flux from us,
and not seek out something that is
permanent and always abides the same
for our portion =? +"
| Here, too, is a glorious ideal re-
vealed for our emulation. We waver
between Gcd and Baal, and are ever
hankering after Sodom. We change
purposes oftener than fashions, and
our resolutions are like letters in wa
ter whereof no marks remains" But
the Scripture exhorts us to g become
imitators of God as beloved children"
and to be stedfast, unmovable. all
ways Astounding in the work of the
Lord" To possess our minds with
thoughts of the immutability of God $
nature and purpose will be like keep
ing fire under water AS God says Of
himself, 81, Jehovah, change not, !" 50
may we be able to say of ourselves,
with the Psalmist, " MY heart, o God,
lis fixed"