Can we change God's mind?

[Richard King]

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

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

No, We can not change God's Mind.

 

[Richard King]

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.

 

[WrittenFromUtopia]

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

 

[Arch2k]

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.

 

[WrittenFromUtopia]

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

 

[bond-servant]

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.

Now, using the Analogy of Scripture, we see that God is not ruled by passions as man is. Nor has he ever changed. That being said, all of God's attributes cannot be completely and thoroughly understood by man; therefore, 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.

Succinct and Excellent answer

 

[WrittenFromUtopia]

Originally posted by bond-servant

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.

Now, using the Analogy of Scripture, we see that God is not ruled by passions as man is. Nor has he ever changed. That being said, all of God's attributes cannot be completely and thoroughly understood by man; therefore, 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.

Succinct and Excellent answer

 

[andreas]

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
.

 

[Puritanhead]

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: