toldailytopic: Can God change His mind?

Nathon Detroit

Nathon Detroit

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The TheologyOnline.com TOPIC OF THE DAY for January 23rd, 2012 10:04 AM


toldailytopic: Can God change His mind?






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chickenman

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Can God change His mind?
At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them. Jer. 18:7-10​
It doesn't get much more conclusive than this. So you can go ahead and move onto the next ToD, Knight. :e4e:
 
Nathon Detroit

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chickenman said:
It doesn't get much more conclusive than this. So you can go ahead and move onto the next ToD, Knight. :e4e:
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It's amazing that some folks want to put that type of a limitation on God. The ability to change is fundamental to a relational God.

How else could God possibly demonstrate mercy or judgement if He didn't have the ability to change His mind?
 
chickenman

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Knight said:
It's amazing that some folks want to put that type of a limitation on God. The ability to change is fundamental to a relational God.

How else could God possibly demonstrate mercy or judgement if He didn't have the ability to change His mind?
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AMEN!

Following that passage [that I quoted] in Jeremiah 18, God actually demonstrated what He just said by telling the people of Judah that He was framing evil against them. He said that to give them a kick in the pants so they would repent...so that He could then NOT do what He said He would do.
Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good. Jer. 18:11​
 
PureX

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Knight said:
Can God change His mind?
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Ah, a variation on a classic. Let's see ... sure, but I expect it would be unnecessary.

Can God countermand his own commands? Can God act contrary to his own desires? Can God choose not to be omniscient, since he's omnipotent?

These are all questions that are based on the limitations of human experience. They don't have answers when applied to "God". It's like trying to measure a sunset with a ruler.
 
P

Paulos

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chickenman said:
Can God change His mind?
Jer. 18:7-10​
It doesn't get much more conclusive than this. So you can go ahead and move onto the next ToD, Knight. :e4e:
Click to expand...

This is not an example of God changing His mind. It is an example of God's people repenting of their sins and getting themselves back into a right covenant relationship with God. It is the people who changed their minds, as per Deuteronomy 11:26-28.
 
chickenman

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Paulos said:
This is not an example of God changing His mind. It is an example of God's people repenting of their sins and getting themselves back into a right covenant relationship with God. It is the people who changed their minds, as per Deuteronomy 11:26-28.
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God said (in Jer. 18): "...then I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them."

Paulos says: "No you don't, God."

Okay...
 
A

amanneredfool

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chickenman said:
AMEN!

Following that passage [that I quoted] in Jeremiah 18, God actually demonstrated what He just said by telling the people of Judah that He was framing evil against them. He said that to give them a kick in the pants so they would repent...so that He could then NOT do what He said He would do.
Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good. Jer. 18:11​
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Hey,

I don't see God changing His eternal decree or position on sin............ return to me/repent and you shall live.
 
B

bybee

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chickenman said:
God said (in Jer. 18): "...then I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them."

Paulos says: "No you don't, God."

Okay...
Click to expand...

It creates quite a paradox to say that God cannot do something.
More to the point is, in God's ineffable goodness all things are possible.
 
P

Paulos

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chickenman said:
God said (in Jer. 18): "...then I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them."

Paulos says: "No you don't, God."
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Obviously, if people repent, God responds accordingly:

The meaning is not that God changed His mind; still less that He regretted something that He had intended to do. It means, in biblical language, that He now embarked on a different course of action from that already suggested as a possibility, owing to some new factor which is usually mentioned in the context. In the Bible, it is clear that God’s promises and warnings are always conditional on man’s response: this is most clearly set out in Ezekiel 33:13-16.​

http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/559-does-god-change-his-mind
 
Nathon Detroit

Nathon Detroit

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HisServant said:
If he knows the end.. he knows everything in between.. and must be happy with what happens in between, so him ever changing his mind would kind of be unnecessary.. wouldn't it?
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An NFL referee knows the when the game will start and knows what conditions will signal the end of the game. It doesn't follow that therefore the referee also knows all the details in-between.

Likewise, God knows the end from the beginning but that doesn't mean He has settled all the events in-between.
 
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