Immutability through Mediation: A Supportive Biblical Theme for the Classical Doctrine of Divine Immutability (original) (raw)

2019, Presented at the 2019 Annual ETS Conference, San Diego, CA on November 21.

In the debate between open and classical theists, the doctrine of immutability is a primary point of contention. Open theists claim that God is not immutable. To support their position, they look to passages of mediation, specific texts where God calls in a mediator to mediate between himself and a guilty party, resulting in God changing his mind and relenting from judgment (specifically Exod 32:1-14; Amos 7:1-6; Jonah 3:9-10; 4:2). The purpose of this essay is to respond to the claims foisted from the openness community, in defense of the classical view of immutability. This essay will not address the governing philosophical and hermeneutical presuppositions that drive open theists to disagree with classical theism. Rather, my intention is to demonstrate that someone who acknowledges Scripture's plenary, verbal inspiration can reasonably interpret the open theist's favorite passages in a manner that coheres with traditional ideas about God's unwavering purposes. The layout of my essay is as follows: First, I will briefly survey the pivotal account of Moses interceding for Israel in Exodus 32:1-14, thus establishing the pattern of mediation between God and his people in the Old Testament. Then I will respond to three questions that arise from this text regarding the sincerity of God's intentions. Within the answering of those questions, the claims put forth from openness proponents against the classical view of immutability will be given, followed by a summarized position on the classical view of immutability, succinctly put, is that the Godhead is perfect and unchanging in its essence and attributes. And then, I will present a systematic and cumulative argument employing the very texts open theists use to substantiate their position, in order to support the classical view of divine immutability. The center piece of my argument is that I will show how Exodus 34:6-7 serves as a guiding axiom and interpretive grid when examining and interpreting passages of mediation in the Old Testament. And lastly, I will demonstrate how the mediative role in the person and work of Jesus Christ resolves the apparent paradox in Exodus 34:6-7 (How can God be merciful and just?), thus revealing the full manifestation of the expression of God's nature and character revealed in Exodus 34:6-7.