Immutability (theology)

Part of a series on the
Attributes of God
in Christianity
Core attributes
Overarching attributes
Miscellaneous
Emotions expressed by God

The Immutability or Unchangeability of God is an attribute that "God is unchanging in his character, will, and covenant promises."[1]

The Westminster Shorter Catechism says that "[God] is a spirit, whose being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth are infinite, eternal, and unchangeable." Those things do not change. A number of Scriptures attest to this idea (such as Num. 23:19; 1 Sam. 15:29; Ps. 102:26; Mal. 3:6; 2 Tim. 2:13; Heb. 6:17–18; Jam. 1:17) [2]

God's immutability defines all God's other attributes: God is immutably wise, merciful, good, and gracious: Primarily, God is almighty/omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (present everywhere), and omniscient (knows everything); eternally and immutably so. Infiniteness and immutability in God are mutually supportive and imply each other. An infinite and changing God is inconceivable; indeed, it is a contradiction in definition.[3]

  1. ^ The Immutability of God, Theopedia: http://www.theopedia.com/Immutability_of_God
  2. ^ Muhling, K.,Reformed Answers: Immutability
  3. ^ The Immutability of God. http://www.tecmalta.org/tft133.htm/ Archived 2012-03-21 at the Wayback Machine