Good Questions – Does God Change?

“Immutability means God does not change in any way;

He is unchanging and, for that reason, perfect in every way.”

~Gospel coalition

The universe is continuously changing, mainly because it is always expanding. This indicates that galaxies are moving farther apart over time, and this expansion is even accelerating due to a mysterious force known as dark energy.

Molecules are in constant motion—vibrating, rotating, and translating. Their positions and orientations continuously change because of their thermal energy. This movement is called “Brownian motion”[1], and it is affected by temperature; higher temperatures lead to quicker molecular movement. 

Energy is in constant flux, as it can only change from one form to another. While the total energy in a system remains constant, its form can change continuously due to interactions within the system. This principle is known as the Law of Conservation of Energy.

Atoms are primarily made up of energy, as most of an atom’s mass comes from the energy in its nucleus, as articulated by Einstein’s equation E=mc². Although atoms may seem mostly empty space because the nucleus is tiny compared to the volume occupied by electrons, the energy within these particles constitutes most of their mass. Thus, the essence of an atom is fundamentally energy.

Theological Assumptions

Most theological perspectives view God not merely as “energy” or “matter” but as the creator of both. This implies that God transcends the physical realm and is unbound by the limitations of the universe, including energy and matter. Therefore, calling God “energy” is an oversimplification that fails to fully capture the theological understanding.

Religion asserts that God created everything, yet we observe that creation always evolves. Nothing remains static. Even if God is the exception, he wouldn’t be perfect if he said one thing and acted differently.

The idea that God is immutable, or unchanging, is a central tenet of Christianity. However, some argue that God is not immutable because he changes his mind or is surprised by things.

Some things to think about.

• God changes his mind. If God changes his mind, then he is not immutable. For example, in the Bible, God regrets making Saul king.
• God is surprised by things. If God is surprised by things, then he is not all-knowing. For example, in the Bible, God is surprised when the Israelites abandon him for a statue of a cow.
• God changes roles. At times, we view God as a narcissistic king who eliminates His enemies. We might even portray Him as a warlord imposing His will on nations and communities, overwhelming and subduing them while seizing their property and mistreating their women and children. Later, He takes on the roles of a lion and a lamb. Future predictions suggest that He will return as a conqueror, even though He didn’t present Himself that way in scripture.
• Acting contrary to the Universe. Even though humans are described as image-bearers[2] of God, meaning we are created in His image, the source of creation seems to violate the rules we follow as reflections of the original. Christians sometimes admonish each other to remember that we are image-bearers of God, yet they exonerate Him by characterizing Him as unchanging and distinct from His creation.
• Changes the Covenants with Man. If God is real and he is all-knowing, why would he need to change his covenant if he supposedly does not change? Why did we require a temporary solution that lasted thousands of years, only to switch to a new covenant that is valid until this second time, during which we will operate under still different rules?
• Why did God Stop Speaking? In the Old Testament, God speaks directly to His chosen people. The common theory about Jesus’s time on earth is that He was the Word who would speak to us. When even His immediate disciples couldn’t understand what He was saying, He promised another part of the Godhead would come later to help us comprehend. If He is unchanging, why not use the most effective solution first instead of playing games and pretending to be unchanging?
• Why doesn’t God evolve with the universe? Everything about the universe is expanding and changing, as I mentioned earlier. Animals evolve in response to shifting conditions to adapt to their environments for reproduction and survival. We observe much of the universe operating this way, especially humans with more advanced reasoning abilities. But if everything else in the universe changes, why do we assume that God does not?  
• Why is the revelation complete when it’s not perfect? Christians can sometimes be closed-minded towards any literature other than the canon that was accepted 1,600 years ago. Our world has evolved dramatically since the early Christians wandered in the desert, trying to imagine what God was like. We don’t exist in the same world as when the Bible was written; we have a deeper understanding of mental health, the complexities of our world, and the reasons behind our actions. The question isn’t whether God changes, but rather, why not?

The Case against God.

I began to deconstruct my faith; my purpose was not to attack the church or discredit God. I wanted to find the truth and live my life better than merely entering a building to recreate past practices and reinforce beliefs in which I was starting to lose faith. I didn’t just gather opinions from others; while I read many books, I also spent a lot of time in silence contemplating the nature of the universe and my assumptions about God and the afterlife.

All the unanswered questions began to emerge, starting with whether God should be superior to me. However, this is one of those questions that theologians have never adequately answered. The writers of the Bible contradicted themselves when they first quoted God as saying that He never changes, yet they also recorded instances when He did. This is simply inconsistent with the truth, does not align with how the universe operates that He supposedly created, and frankly, it doesn’t make logical sense.

Things that do not adapt in our world tend to die or go extinct. If we assume he is different and perfect, then we must also demonstrate that the many mistakes he seems to have made do not support that hypothesis. He created a being that causes us much frustration, or if he didn’t create it, he allowed it to hinder our efforts. Apparently, because of his foreknowledge, he knew we would fail the system and test he established. Then he waited thousands of years to propose the solution, and we are currently awaiting the completion of that process with the second coming.

God violated his own laws many times if the record of Scripture is reliable. He murdered many more people than Satan did, according to the narrative. At times, he became jealous and faced criticism in the New Testament. Even Jesus contradicted himself when discussing unconditional love while also showing favoritism. In most versions of Christianity, Jesus was considered equal to God. Yet, he and the New Testament writers condoned slavery and promoted the idea that God only accepts you if you obey him.

The lack of good-quality answers to these questions eventually led me to leave Christianity. When I asked why God would allow something like rape to happen, it was difficult for me to accept that God is loving and powerful. If He can stop abuse and chooses not to, then He is not truly loving. He is not all-powerful if He possesses the desire but lacks the ability to intervene.

To make matters worse, Christians have adopted a mantra of blaming themselves for everything they don’t understand or for things that go wrong in their lives. The flip side of that idea is that they give God credit for everything that goes right. While this may serve as a temporary fix, it doesn’t address the core issue or provide an answer to the question. Not only does he not intervene, but according to the narrative, he doesn’t seem to care much either. I should clarify that according to the narrative, he cares, but since he doesn’t act, I assume he can’t or doesn’t want to. Personally, I don’t need any more privileged people in my life, especially from a God who doesn’t follow the rules he supposedly established.

I’m done making excuses for God. I’ve also stopped blaming myself for God’s lack of communication and the flawed holy texts that we’ve assigned to Him based on our assumptions. As I’ve mentioned many times, there is value in religion, spirituality, and our imaginations about what God is like and whether there is an afterlife. However, I can’t let my need for certainty overshadow the unanswered questions.

When I persist in my questions, I sometimes discover puzzle pieces scattered throughout my world. However, I don’t derive insight from centuries-old assumptions that essentially overlook discrepancies and inconsistencies to continue the business of religion. Like other Mystics, I am on a quest to experience God, if He exists, and to keep asking questions even when the general tendency is to avoid them.

The answer to the question has never been to ignore it. When it doesn’t seem to have a response, the worst thing we can do is cultivate confidence in our guesses. Perhaps the most important lesson I’ve learned during my deconstruction is to confidently say, “I don’t know,” and continue to engage with what I know, what I feel, and the few things I can prove.

Keep asking good questions!

Karl Forehand

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The Desert Sanctuary Podcast

[1] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Brownian%20motion

[2] Genesis 1:27