# Can we change God's mind?



## Richard King (Sep 20, 2005)

It seems the effectual fervent prayer of certain people in the Bible changed God's mind. Is that possible for us?


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## PuritanCovenanter (Sep 20, 2005)

No, We can not change God's Mind.


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## Richard King (Sep 20, 2005)

by way of anthropomorphism, words like _repent_ and _relent_ and _changed_ were used by the biblical writers to express what God's actions _appeared_ like from the perspective of fallen man. [/quote]

Glad you mentioned that word repent because there ofcourse there are the verses where God repented that he ever made man. The question I asked arose in part from a hyper hyper hyper-Calvinist who once was my Bible teacher who told me it was an insult to God to pray that His will be done because nothing but that could ever be done. But I know Jesus certainly said not my will but thine.


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Sep 20, 2005)

I think this might be a translation issue more than a theological one. Hebrew -> English isn't the smoothest switch.


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## Arch2k (Sep 20, 2005)

I hate to just refer you to a book, but you really need to ready The Two Wills of God.

From God's perspective (what Turretin calls the "compound sense"), he CAN NOT CHANGE.

From OUR perspective (the divided sense) he is revealed to us as repenting, changing his mind etc...etc....etc. He does this not to present a contradiction, but to reveal some part of himself that we just won't understand without "dumbing it down."

Read the book for a more in-depth understanding.


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Sep 20, 2005)

I agree with that viewpoint completely. I think people make way too much of this apparent contradiction.


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## bond-servant (Sep 20, 2005)

> _Originally posted by joshua_
> God's mind has never been changed. All that occurs is a product of His decree...even the fervent prayers offered by Moses, Abraham, and Hezekiah...they were all a means appointed by God to accomplish His sovereign purpose.
> 
> 1 Sam 15:29 And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.
> ...



Succinct and Excellent answer


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Sep 20, 2005)

> _Originally posted by bond-servant_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by joshua_
> ...


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## andreas (Sep 21, 2005)

No,we can not change the mind of God. 

"He is in one mind, and who can turn Him? and what His soul desireth, even that He doeth" Job 23:13.  

"The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations" Ps. 33:11. 

Therefore do we read of "the immutability of His counsel" Heb. 6:17
.


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## Puritanhead (Sep 21, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Richard King_
> It seems the effectual fervent prayer of certain people in the Bible changed God's mind. Is that possible for us?



Whoever said God acts like some stubborn woman or little kid anyway? God may will that effectual fervent prayer of certain people changes his mind!
:bigsmile:


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