Biblical Talks with Elder Michael Tolliver Podcast
When the term Reformed theology is used, it often refers to something less historical. Often it refers to a theology that acknowledges the doctrine of predestination and holds to a high view of the Bible as God’s inerrant Word. Sometimes it is also identified with the so-called five points of Calvinism: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints. These are all important teachings of the Reformed tradition, but they do not fully encapsulate or describe Reformed theology.
A better starting place is five statements that have been called the five solas of the Reformation. These five solas (sola is the Latin word for “only” or “alone”) are sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), sola fide (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone), solus Christus (Christ alone), and soli Deo gloria (God’s glory alone). Put together, these solas clearly express the central concerns of the Protestant Reformation, which was about worship and authority within the church as much as it was about individual salvation. The “alone” in each is vital, and they emphasize the sufficiency of God’s Word and the gracious nature of salvation, received by faith alone, in Christ alone. The last of the five solas, soli Deo gloria, is the natural outworking of the first four. It reminds us that Reformed theology understands all of life in terms of the glory of God. To be Reformed in our thinking is to be God-centered. Salvation is from the Lord from beginning to end, and even our existence is a gift from Him.
Biblical Talks with Elder Michael Tolliver Podcast
Deep Dive: The Immutability of God; Steady in a Shaking World
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Elder Michael Tolliver explores the theological concept of divine immutability, asserting that God’s essence, character, and decrees remain eternally constant despite a volatile world. By contrasting the rapid shifts in modern technology and human emotion with the steadfast nature of the Creator, the text positions God as an unmovable anchor for the believer. The author argues that while human beings are inherently wayward and changing, God’s promises and moral standards never expire or fluctuate. This stability serves a dual purpose: it provides unshakable comfort and security for those who trust Him, while acting as a solemn warning that His holy judgments against sin are equally fixed. Ultimately, the source illustrates that although religious ceremonies or human circumstances may evolve, the nature of Christ and the requirements for salvation remain the same yesterday, today, and forever.
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Have a blessed day, and thanks for listening! Visit my website to learn more at https://www.biblicaltalks.com
Welcome to a Biblical Talks Deep Dive Conversation. I'm Michael Tolliver.
SPEAKER_03I'm Rachel Tolliver. Deep Dive Conversations is part of Biblical Talks Podcasts. Biblical Talks Deep Dive isn't just a podcast, it's a platform where
Mission And Posture Of The Show
SPEAKER_03the Word of God is honored and held up high. A platform where scripture meets our walk, not just our talk, our mission to bring biblical truth to bear on our conversations because truth matters.
SPEAKER_01Now we believe biblical conversation is holy ground. When we open the word of God and open our mouths, we invite the Spirit to bridge the ancient and the now, connecting sacred texts to social context.
SPEAKER_03So, what's the purpose of Let's Conversate? To teach with clarity, to encourage with conviction, to challenge with courage, and to inspire with fire.
SPEAKER_01So that every listener might grow deeper in their walk with God and live bolder in obedience to his will. So as we conversate, may the Holy Ghost illuminate our minds, may he stir our hearts and strengthen our hands.
SPEAKER_03So we don't just hear the word, but we do the word.
SPEAKER_01So let's dive deep into real conversations.
SPEAKER_04Welcome back to another deep dive. I am um I am genuinely excited for this one today because we are tackling a subject that feels, well, honestly, it feels like the antidote to modern life.
SPEAKER_02Oh, I completely agree. It really does.
SPEAKER_04Usually on this show, we are constantly chasing the new. We're looking at the latest research, the newest tech trends, the you know, the shifting
The Speed Of Change And Anxiety
SPEAKER_04political landscapes. We are constantly running just to keep up.
SPEAKER_02Is the nature of the beats. I mean, we live in an information economy. If you aren't updating, you're expiring.
SPEAKER_04Exactly. But today, we are hitting the brakes. We are taking a look at a text that asks us to focus on the exact opposite of the new. We are looking at the concept of something that never ever changes. We are doing a deep dive into a sermon and a set of notes titled The Immutability of God by Elder Michael Tolliver.
SPEAKER_02It is a profound piece of writing. And I think you hit on something really important right there in the intro. We are so conditioned to value flexibility, you know, adaptability, evolution, that the idea of immutability, of being completely unchangeable, can almost sound stagnant to modern ears.
SPEAKER_04Right, like you're stuck in the mud.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. But Tolliver argues that it is actually the most vital concept for our basic sanity.
SPEAKER_04Sanity is the perfect word for it because the source material opens with this incredible hook about the sheer speed of change. I think everyone listening can relate to this visceral feeling of uh of motion sickness. Tolliver starts by talking about technology, specifically computers.
SPEAKER_02Right. He makes this observation that is both kind of funny and genuinely tragic. He talks about walking past garage sales and seeing computers just sitting there on folding tables. And these aren't just any computers. He mentions
Defining God’s Immutability
SPEAKER_02that some of these exact machines were the dream machines of his past.
SPEAKER_04I loved that detail so much. He says, Computers I once dreamed of owning, machines that I coveted that represented the absolute pinnacle of speed and power.
SPEAKER_03And no.
SPEAKER_04Now they are marked with a piece of masking tape that says five dollars. And he says he walks right past them without even a second glance. They are essentially paperweights.
SPEAKER_02It just perfectly illustrates the brutal speed of obsolescence. The source draws this sharp contrast between the very first IBM desktop he ever used and the machine he is currently using to write the sermon.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_02He notes that the new machine is fifty times faster and cost half as much as the old one.
SPEAKER_04And that's just the hardware. That's just the plastic and the silicon. Where the source really grabbed me was when he started talking about the flow of information itself. He tells the story about a farmer he met.
SPEAKER_02Oh, that is such a great anecdote.
SPEAKER_04Usually when I think of a farmer, I have this um this highly romanticized view. I think of a guy standing out in a field, looking at the sky, chewing on a stalk of wheat.
SPEAKER_02Living by the slow rhythm of the seasons, planting in the spring, harvesting in the fall. Slow time.
SPEAKER_04Exactly. Slow time. But Tolliver describes a farmer who keeps a computer terminal running on his kitchen table right next to the salt and pepper shakers 24 hours a day.
SPEAKER_02And he's not playing solitaire on it.
SPEAKER_04No, not at all. He's tracking the news, he's tracking the global markets. He literally tells Tolliver, I can't rely on the morning newspaper anymore.
SPEAKER_02That is a profound statement if you think about it. For a century, the morning paper was the absolute gold standard of being informed. If you read the paper, you knew what was happening in the world. But this farmer says by the time the paper hits the porch, the news is old.
SPEAKER_04The markets in Asia have already closed, the weather patterns have shifted, the entire geopolitical situation has moved on. If you are relying on a daily update, you are already hopelessly behind. You have to be updated by the minute.
SPEAKER_02It creates this constant background hum of anxiety. Tolliver uses this incredibly evocative phrase to describe the world we live in right now. He calls it a turbulent, trembling, ever-turning world.
SPEAKER_04Trembling. That word really stood out to me. It suggests this deep instability, like the ground beneath our feet isn't solid at all. It's just constantly vibrating.
SPEAKER_02And that is the setup. That is the necessary context for this entire deep dive. In a world that is trembling, in a world where your phone is constantly pinging you with updates about how everything has changed since five minutes ago, where do you actually stand?
SPEAKER_04And that brings us to the core thesis, the anchor.
SPEAKER_02Yes. The source pivots from the chaos of the world to this heavy theological term, the immutability of God.
SPEAKER_04Now, immutability, let's break that word down before we go any further because it's a bit of a $5 theological word. What does it actually mean for you and me?
SPEAKER_02At its most basic root, it means not subject to mutation. It means purely unchangeable.
SPEAKER_04So no X-Men mutations happening here.
SPEAKER_02No superpowers gained through radiation, exactly. But it's much deeper than just staying the same. The definition the source provides is that God's character, his promises, and his nature do not evolve. They do not expire. And crucially, they do not fluctuate.
SPEAKER_04Fluctuate is the key word there because I fluctuate constantly. My mood fluctuates depending on how much coffee I've had this morning. My health fluctuates. My bank account definitely fluctuates.
SPEAKER_02Right. Everything created fluctuates. That is the fundamental rule of the physical universe: entropy, growth, decay. But the core thesis here is that God is the creator, not the created. Therefore, he is entirely exempt from the rule of fluctuation.
SPEAKER_04So the mission of this deep dive, as laid out in the source material, is to unpack what it really means to have an anchor in that trembling world we talked about. We are going to look at why God cannot change, both logically and theologically.
SPEAKER_02And we are going to look at the really tough stuff too. Because let's be honest, if you read the Bible, there are moments where it sure looks like God changes his mind.
SPEAKER_04Oh, absolutely. The verses
Three Dimensions: Essence
SPEAKER_04where God repented, we are definitely going to dig into those because that has always been a major stumbling block for me personally.
SPEAKER_02We'll clear that up. And we'll look at the ultimate irony of this doctrine, how the fact that God never changes is terrifying news for some people and the absolute best news in the world for others.
SPEAKER_04So let's get right into segment one: the three dimensions of immutability. The source breaks this down into three specific categories. It's not just one big blanket statement. There's real nuance here. The first one is immutable in essence.
SPEAKER_02Right. This is the philosophical foundation. When we say essence, we are talking about God's being, his fundamental nature, just who he is at the core.
SPEAKER_04The source links this to the concept of the infinite.
SPEAKER_02Yes. And this is a matter of strict logic as much as it is theology. The source argues simply God is infinite, and the infinite cannot mutate.
SPEAKER_04Walk us through that logic. Why exactly can't the infinite change?
SPEAKER_02Aaron Powell Well, think about what change actually requires. Change implies moving from one state to another state. You move from point A to point B, you move from being young to being old, you move from being confused to finally understanding something.
SPEAKER_04Sure. We usually call that growth or aging.
SPEAKER_02But all of that implies boundaries. It implies that there is something you weren't yesterday that you are today.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_02But God is infinite. He has no beginning, he has no end. He fills all things completely. So he never grows into anything.
SPEAKER_04That phrase grows into is so interesting to me. We use that for humans all the time. He's growing into a fine young man, or she's growing into her role as a leader.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. That implies potential. It implies that you aren't fully developed yet, you are a work in progress. But the source makes it abundantly clear: God is not a work in progress. He is the IAM. He is fully actualized reality.
SPEAKER_04Tolliver uses a quote from Malachi 3.6 right here, which is sort of the banner verse for this entire topic. I am the Lord, I change not.
SPEAKER_02And his analysis of that specific verse is really sharp. He says God cannot change for the better, and he cannot change for the worse.
SPEAKER_04Let's pause on that first part. Cannot change for the better. Because in our culture, change is almost always synonymous with improvement. We want to change our diet, change our bad habits, change our mindset.
SPEAKER_02Aaron Powell Because we are deeply flawed. If you are imperfect, change is inherently good. Change means you are fixing something that is broken. But apply that exact logic to God. If God could change for the better, what does that actively say about the God of yesterday?
SPEAKER_04It would mean he was lacking something.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. It would imply that yesterday he was only 99% perfect, and today he finally figured out that last 1%. But if he was lacking something yesterday, he wasn't truly God.
SPEAKER_04That makes total sense when you frame it like that. If you are already at the absolute summit, the highest possible peak of perfection, you literally can't go up any higher.
SPEAKER_02And you certainly can't go down. If he changed for the worse, he would cease to be God. He would be decomposing essentially. So he is locked in absolute perfection.
SPEAKER_04The imagery the source uses here is just beautiful. I want to read this exact line because it's basically poetry. It says time leaves fingerprints on everything else.
SPEAKER_02It's a haunting image, isn't it?
SPEAKER_04It really is. You look at a house, and after 10 years the paint peels, the roof starts to leak. Time has touched it. You look in the mirror and you see lines around your eyes that weren't there five years ago. Time has touched you.
SPEAKER_02Everything we see in the physical world is being eroded by time.
SPEAKER_04But regarding God, the source says there is no wrinkle on the brow of eternity.
SPEAKER_02No wrinkle on the brow of eternity. That conveys such a powerful sense of ageless vitality. He isn't getting old, he isn't getting tired, he isn't suffering from decision fatigue like we do. He is exactly the same today as he was when he spoke the stars into existence.
SPEAKER_04So that is essence. He is structurally, fundamentally unchanging. The second dimension the source brings up is immutable in attributes.
SPEAKER_02This brings it down from the abstract concept of being to the specific, tangible qualities we actually interact with. The source introduces a Latin phrase here, semper item.
SPEAKER_04Which translates to what exactly?
SPEAKER_02Always the same. It's a historical confession that covers every single one of God's qualities. The source lists them out, and I think it's worth dwelling on each one for a second because this is where we really start to feel the practical comfort of this doctrine.
SPEAKER_04Let's run through them. First on the list is power.
SPEAKER_02Undiminished. This is huge because in basic physics, power dissipates. Energy spreads out and becomes less useful over time. It's called entropy. But God has zero entropy. He isn't running on a battery that is slowly draining down. The power he has today is the exact same wattage he had a billion years ago.
SPEAKER_04Next is wisdom.
SPEAKER_02Undiluted. He hasn't forgotten anything. He isn't suffering from any kind of cognitive decline. And this is crucial. He hasn't learned anything new that made him realize his old plans were wrong.
SPEAKER_04That's a really big one. Think about how often we change our plans because we just learn new information. Oh, I didn't know the traffic was going to be bad on the highway. I'll take
Attributes That Never Shift
SPEAKER_04a different route.
SPEAKER_02God never ever says, oops, I didn't know that. His wisdom is completely constant.
SPEAKER_04Holiness.
SPEAKER_02Unstained. He hasn't compromised at all. You know how human institutions tend to get corrupt over time? Or how people tend to become more cynical and slowly lower their moral standards as they get older?
SPEAKER_04Oh, definitely. Idealism fades fast.
SPEAKER_02But God has been the absolute ruler of the universe for eternity. And he hasn't become slightly corrupt. He hasn't lowered his standard of right and wrong just to fit the times.
SPEAKER_03Truth.
SPEAKER_02Unshakable. The fundamental facts about reality, as defined by God, haven't shifted an inch.
SPEAKER_04And the last one on the list, and maybe the most important for us emotionally, is love.
SPEAKER_02Everlasting.
SPEAKER_04The source quotes Jeremiah 31.3 here. I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Why is the immutability of love so important for the author to stress?
SPEAKER_02Because human love is wildly volatile, and we tend to project our experience of human love directly onto God. We think, well, I messed up today, so God must love me a little bit less. Or I haven't prayed in a week, so God is probably giving me the silent treatment.
SPEAKER_04We treat God like a moody partner.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. We just assume his love rises and falls with the daily market of our personal performance. But the source vigorously argues that God's love doesn't fluctuate. It is a permanent constant state.
SPEAKER_04There is a key scripture mentioned here, James 1.6C. It calls God the father of lights with no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
SPEAKER_02That phrase shadow of turning is actually astronomical language. It's directly referring to the mechanics of the solar system.
SPEAKER_04Break that down for us.
SPEAKER_02Think about the sun and the earth. Shadows only happen because things turn. The earth rotates on its axis, so the sun casts different shadows at different times of the day. A solar eclipse happens because the moon physically moves in front of the sun. There's constant variation in the light we receive down here. But with God, no rotation, no orbit, no eclipse. He is constant noon. The light never flickers, it never dims.
SPEAKER_04Which leads us right into the third dimension. We have essence, we have attributes, and the third is immutable in counsel.
SPEAKER_02This refers to his purposes, his grand plans. The source puts it very simply: God doesn't have a plan B.
SPEAKER_04That is a bold statement. I basically live my entire life on plan B, plan C, and usually plan D by the end of the week.
SPEAKER_02We all do. But the source breaks down why humans have to change their minds. It's usually for one of two reasons: a lack of foresight or a lack of power.
SPEAKER_04Meaning what exactly?
SPEAKER_02Lack of foresight means I simply didn't see the obstacle coming. I planned a nice picnic, but I didn't know it was going to rain. So I have to change the plan.
SPEAKER_04And lack of power.
SPEAKER_02That's when you say I saw the obstacle, but I wasn't strong enough to move it. I wanted to build a house, but I ran out of money halfway through.
SPEAKER_04And God lacks neither of those things.
SPEAKER_02Correct. He is omniscient. He sees the absolute end from the absolute beginning. He never encounters a surprise, ever. And
God’s Counsel Stands Forever
SPEAKER_02he is omnipotent. He has all power. He never encounters a rock. He can't easily lift. So he never needs to revise the script.
SPEAKER_04The source quotes Psalm 33.11 for this point. The counsel of the Lord standeth forever.
SPEAKER_02He creates this incredible sense of destiny. History isn't just careening out of control. It is following a specific council that was set in stone before the foundation of the world.
SPEAKER_04Okay, so we have established a very strong, logical case for immutability, but this is where we hit the repentance paradox. This is segment two.
SPEAKER_02So a really tough question.
SPEAKER_04The source brings it up directly. It says essentially, okay, if God never changes, what about those specific Bible verses that say he repented?
SPEAKER_02Genesis 6.6 is the classic example people bring up. It repented the Lord that he had made man, or Exodus 32.14, the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do.
SPEAKER_04It sounds like a direct, glaring contradiction. I change not versus the Lord repented. How can both of those statements be true at the same time?
SPEAKER_02The source tackles this with a core theological principle. Scripture interprets scripture. You can't just take one verse out of context and use it to cancel out the foundational, clearly stated nature of God.
SPEAKER_04They reference numbers 23.19 to counter it.
SPEAKER_02Right. God is not a man that he should repent. So the Bible itself puts a giant disclaimer on those other verses. It actively warns us not to read repentance in God the same way we read it in humans.
SPEAKER_04So what is the actual solution here? The source uses two
The Repentance Paradox
SPEAKER_04concepts: anthropomorphism and accommodation.
SPEAKER_02Anthropomorphism is a big word, but it just means using human characteristics to describe something that isn't human. The source mentions God having hands or eyes.
SPEAKER_04Right, because God is a spirit.
SPEAKER_02But if he said, My omniscient perception is focused on your spatial coordinates, it feels robotic. It completely lacks relationship. So he says, My eyes are upon you. He accommodates his language to our limited physical understanding.
SPEAKER_04He's speaking our language so we can grasp it.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. It's very much like a parent speaking to a toddler.
SPEAKER_04So when the text says he repented, it's describing a change in his dealings with people, not a change in his internal nature.
SPEAKER_02Correct. From our limited perspective on the ground, it looks like a change.
SPEAKER_04The source uses the story of Jonah to illustrate this, and I think this is by far the best part of the explanation.
SPEAKER_02It's the perfect case study for this exact problem.
SPEAKER_04So let's recap the Jonah situation. God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh and announce a massive judgment.
SPEAKER_02Forty days in Nineveh shall be overthrown. That is the message. It sounds like a completely fixed decree.
SPEAKER_04Jonah goes and preaches it, and the people actually listen. They repent, they fast, they mourn in sackcloth.
SPEAKER_02And then the text says, God repented of the evil and he did it not. He spared the city.
SPEAKER_04So on the surface, God changed his mind. He said, I will destroy, and then he didn't destroy.
SPEAKER_02But look at Jonah's reaction to this. This is the absolute key. Jonah gets furious. He goes out to the desert and just sulks.
SPEAKER_04Why was he so mad?
SPEAKER_02Listen to his prayer in chapter 4. He literally says, I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger.
SPEAKER_04Wait. Jonah was angry because he knew God would do this.
SPEAKER_02Yes. Jonah wasn't angry because God changed. Jonah was angry because God was consistent. Jonah knew the formula found in Jeremiah 18. If God announces judgment and the people repent, God relents.
SPEAKER_04So the variable in the story wasn't God.
SPEAKER_02No. The variable was the people of Nineveh. The source uses a really helpful analogy here. The weather didn't change, the people move. Exactly. Think of it like a thermostat set to 70 degrees in a room. That setting is immutable. It's locked in.
SPEAKER_03Okay, I'm with you.
SPEAKER_02But because the setting is locked, the machine acts very differently depending on the room temperature. If the room is cold, the machine blasts heat. If the room is hot, it blasts the AC.
SPEAKER_04The action changes heat versus AC, but the goal, the 70 degrees, is the fixed standard.
SPEAKER_02That's it. If God had destroyed Nineveh after they repented, that would have been a genuine change in his character. That would have been inconsistent with his stated mercy.
SPEAKER_04So by changing his mind about the physical destruction,
Jonah And Apparent Change
SPEAKER_04he was actually staying perfectly true to his unchanging character.
SPEAKER_02Precisely.
SPEAKER_04That clarifies it immensely. Now let's move to segment three. We've established that God is a thermostat that doesn't break. Now the source draws a sharp contrast with us, the human contrast.
SPEAKER_02And it is not a flattering comparison at all.
SPEAKER_04No, it really isn't. The source piles up the biblical metaphors. Jude 13 calls us wandering stars. Isaiah 57 calls humanity the troubled sea. Genesis 49 calls us unstable as water.
SPEAKER_02It paints this vivid picture of humanity as constantly shifting, restless, and basically reliable only in our unreliability.
SPEAKER_04It warns against the danger of relying on people. There is a reference to the crowd in Jerusalem during Passion Week.
SPEAKER_02The triumphal entry. On Sunday, the massive crowd shouts, Hosanna, they treat Jesus like a conquering king. And by Friday, crucify him. The exact same voices, the same throats, a total violent reversal in less than a week.
SPEAKER_04It really highlights how dangerous it is to anchor your identity or your safety to public opinion.
SPEAKER_02Or to any human being, honestly. Even the best people are entirely subject to change.
SPEAKER_04This sets up the tale of two kings in the source material. It contrasts King Saul with the nation of Israel. This is what Tolliver calls the irony of immutability.
SPEAKER_02Let's look at Saul first in 1 Samuel 15. God gives him a very clear command to destroy the Amalekites completely.
SPEAKER_04Saul wins the battle, but he spares the king a gag, and he keeps the best of the livestock. He only partially obeys.
SPEAKER_02He edits the command to suit himself, and when he is caught by the prophet Samuel, the source points out that Saul hoped God would be flexible.
SPEAKER_04He hoped God would look at the victory and the sacrifice and just say, Hey, close enough. Good job.
SPEAKER_02He wanted a mutable God. He wanted a God who could be swayed or bribed with some nice sheep. But Samuel tells him bluntly, the glory of Israel will not lie or change his mind.
SPEAKER_04God did not bend. Saul lost the entire kingdom because he bet on God changing his standard.
SPEAKER_02Now contrast that exact situation with Israel in the book of Malachi. This is hundreds of years later. The nation is completely corrupt. They are robbing God. They're deeply guilty.
SPEAKER_04So they deserve severe judgment, just like the Amalachites did.
SPEAKER_02They deserve to be entirely consumed. But Malachi 3.6 says, I am the Lord, I change not, therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
SPEAKER_04This is the profound irony. In Saul's case, I do not change meant certain judgment.
Humanity’s Unreliability Exposed
SPEAKER_04In Israel's case, I do not change meant incredible mercy.
SPEAKER_02Because of the covenant, God had promised Abraham sending. Centuries prior that he would preserve the line. Even though they were currently guilty, God's strict faithfulness to his own past word kept them alive.
SPEAKER_04So immutability really cuts both ways.
SPEAKER_02It absolutely does. The source says immutability is terror for the wicked because judgment is certain, but hope for the believer because mercy is secure.
SPEAKER_04Which brings us to the theological climax of the text in segment four, the cross. Because we have a massive problem here. God is unchangingly holy, so he must punish sin. And he is unchangingly loving, so he wants to save sinners.
SPEAKER_02It feels like an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. How can he possibly do both without compromising one?
SPEAKER_04The source identifies the cross as the ultimate resolution mechanism.
SPEAKER_02The cross is where the attributes perfectly meet. Unchanging holiness demanded judgment. The bill had to be paid. God couldn't just wink at sin and pretend it didn't happen.
SPEAKER_04So unchanging justice fell on the sun.
SPEAKER_02Yes. The fire and the reckoning fell completely on Jesus, and unchanging love provided that substitute in the first place.
SPEAKER_04So both attributes were entirely satisfied.
SPEAKER_02Fully.
SPEAKER_04The source says our hope isn't that God goes soft on sin, but that he has already judged sin in Christ once and for all.
SPEAKER_02That is the real anchor.
Judgment And Mercy: Saul Vs Israel
SPEAKER_02If God just decided to magically ignore sin today, he might decide to punish it tomorrow. That's unstable. But because he actually judged it in Christ, the transaction is finished. It's a closed case forever.
SPEAKER_04And this anchors us to Jesus directly. Hebrews 13.8. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
SPEAKER_02It's the ultimate guarantee that the solution stands.
SPEAKER_04We have covered a lot of deep theology today, but as we head into segment five, I want to get really practical. The source outlines implications for you, the listener. Why does this actually matter on a random Tuesday morning?
SPEAKER_02First implication encouragement to prayer.
SPEAKER_04Now, the skeptic usually says, if God doesn't ever change his mind, why pray? You can't change his mind anyway.
SPEAKER_02But the source completely flips that logic. Imagine if God was moody. Imagine petitioning a ruler who is happy on Monday but furious on Tuesday. You'd never know where you stand.
SPEAKER_04Prayer would be absolutely terrifying.
SPEAKER_02But because he is strictly consistent, we can pray with immense confidence. And the source adds that God ordains the means as well as the ends.
SPEAKER_04Meaning my prayer is actually part of the original plan.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. He decides to give the blessings specifically through the vehicle of your prayer.
SPEAKER_04Second implication, assurance and stability.
SPEAKER_02In a world of shifting circumstances, the believer stands on a solid rock. Promises can't fail. Salvation can't be undone. The kingdom can't be shaken. It is the ultimate anti-anxiety truth in a trembling world.
SPEAKER_04Third implication, holy stubbornness.
SPEAKER_02I love this phrase so much. It means that because our father is entirely unchanging, we as his children should be steadfast. We shouldn't just conform to the world every time the culture decides to change its mind on basic morality. That's the real test of character. God keeps his word even when it costs him his own son. We should keep our word even when it's deeply inconvenient for us.
SPEAKER_04Finally, the warning.
SPEAKER_02Do not mistake patience for approval. Just because God hasn't judged a specific sin yet doesn't mean he has changed his mind about it. He is incredibly patient, but he is not blind.
SPEAKER_04The source mentions the pillar of cloud in Exodus. Light
The Cross Resolves The Tension
SPEAKER_04to Israel on one side, darkness to Egypt on the other.
SPEAKER_02Immutability works the exact same way. It creates a separating effect based on where you stand.
SPEAKER_04Let's close this out with the outro. The source uses one final analogy that I think perfectly sums all of this up: the sun.
SPEAKER_02The sun shines 24-7, 365 days a year. It never calls in sick. It never dims its output.
SPEAKER_04But it still gets dark here on Earth.
SPEAKER_02Because the earth turns. The sun didn't move an inch. The earth turned away from the light.
SPEAKER_04And the direct application for you is this if you feel darkness in your life, spiritual distance, coldness, it is not because the father of lights suddenly turned away from you.
SPEAKER_02It is because you turned.
SPEAKER_04The ultimate question isn't, is God still shining?
SPEAKER_02The question is which way are you currently facing?
SPEAKER_04That is the final provocation to leave you with. We all need to constantly check our orientation.
SPEAKER_02Find the anchor. Find the one thing in the universe that doesn't move.
SPEAKER_04I am the Lord, I change not. That's the ultimate takeaway.
SPEAKER_02It's truly the only safe place to rest.
SPEAKER_04Thank you for taking this deep dive with us today. It's been a heavy one, but a deeply necessary one.
SPEAKER_02Keep facing the light.
SPEAKER_04See you next time.
SPEAKER_00How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness and What He Wants to Do With You by John MacArthur. They were not perfect, not polished, not pedigreed, not pristine. They were fishermen with rough hands, tax collectors with shady reputations,
Practical Anchors For Daily Life
SPEAKER_00political radicals with fire in their bones. Jesus didn't scan the synagogues for saints. He walked the shores and streets and called the unqualified, the overlooked, the ordinary. In twelve ordinary men, John MacArthur pulls back the stained glass to show you what grace really looks like when it's touched in perfection. These men stumbled, doubted, misunderstood, and sometimes outright failed. Yet Jesus didn't abandon them. He discipled them. He didn't demand perfection, he cultivated power through their weakness. Why did he pick them? Because the
Book Offer: Twelve Ordinary Men
SPEAKER_00glory is greater when God's strength shines through broken vessels. How did he train them? Not with seminary syllabi, but with raw, hands-on, heart-changing truth. 18 months of walking, talking, rebuking, and restoring. Can those lessons reach us today? Yes and amen, because the same Jesus who molded 12 misfits into world changers is still calling flawed folk like us to walk in his power. This book is not just a biography, it's a blueprint for discipleship. It's your invitation to drop the mask, embrace your story, and follow the Savior who specializes in transforming the unlikely into the unstoppable. For any amount of donation to Biblical Talks, we will send you the book. Please go to Biblicaltalks.com, click the Donate Here tab. Thank you for listening to Biblical Talks.
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