(PNN) PPSIMMONS News and Ministry Network: WHAT DOES "GOD IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER" MEAN?

by Rev. Joda Collins.

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The comment "God is the same yesterday, today and forever" is not a Bible quote, although often stated. It is, however, a Bible truth. It is a statement drawn from two verses. First, Hebrews 13:8 states, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." KJV. Since Jesus is God, it is logical and accurate to say, "God is the same yesterday, today and forever."

Second, "God is the same yesterday, today and forever" is an accurate commentary on Malachi 3:6 which reads, "For I, the Lord, do not change...."

Let us start with what "God is the same yesterday, today and forever" does NOT mean. First, that Bible truth has nothing directly to do with me, you or us. To state that God does not change means that God deals with me, you or us in the same way no matter what, is an errant statement. When a person is a child his father will hold his child's hand to cross the street. However, as the child matures the father stops holding the child's hand to cross the street and tells the child to stop and look both ways before crossing the road. When the child does that as a habit, the father neither holds his child's hand to cross the road nor does the child need a reminder to stop and look both ways before crossing the road. The father has not changed. The father still loves his child. However, the way the father relates to his son has changed and the direction to his son changes from "hold my hand" to "stop and look both ways first" to silence on the subject about safe road crossing.

Just because God said something to me, you or us in the past does not mean the same words apply today. Just because God did certain things to, for, with or through me, you or us in the past does not mean he says the same things or does the same things to, for, with or through me, you or us in the present (or future). The nature of God never changes, but his methods do.

God called for the death of practicing homosexuals in Leviticus. Not so today. Methods for dealing with homosexuality in culture is not the nature of God. God hates homosexuality. That is his nature. His methods change. God directed the early church with tongues, signs and wonders but that does not mean God directs the current church with tongues, signs and wonders. God wants the church directed by him. That is his nature. His methods change. God's method for justice was once an "eye for any eye." God's method for justice is no longer an eye for an eye. God's nature is justice. His methods change. In times past, God spoke through Prophets and Apostles. There are no Prophets or Apostles today.

The exact moment we add humanity in any way to the statement that God never changes, -- whatever follows is automatically suspect unless there is proof in the Bible that whatever follows is true. The fact that God never changes is not proof that God never changes anything.

What does God never changes mean? It means we can trust God to keep his Word as it rightly applies to us. It means we can trust God's nature to never change.

When we know God's Word (the Bible) and his nature we know what God never changes means and how to apply that truth to our lives. We come to know God's nature by spending time with him and giving an honest, long-term effort to honoring his Word in our lives (obeying him). The only gateway to spending time with God is the Lord Jesus Christ. "...no man comes to the Father, except by (through) me." John 14:6, KJV. Parenthesis mine.

In some ways all of this is very complicated. The intricacies of all of the components of God, the Bible, humanity, the angelic world, spirituality, unseen forces that direct our lives, the role and person of the Holy Spirit, the Cross of Christ and on and on are the things that multi-millions of sermons are built on. I do not know much, but this much I do know -- every venture and every progress with God starts with his voice saying, "hold my hand" as we walk in the direction and at the speed he determines. That is the beginning of knowing his nature. When we pick up the Bible and study it with a heart to obey, that is the process of getting to know his Word. Like flying in an airplane, the components of an airplane and how it moves from ground to air and back to ground have some complicated realities; however, all we have to do to fly is get on board and trust the pilot. All of the complicated things are taken care of by others. For the passenger, it is simple.

Likewise, the intricacies of spirituality are taken care of by God who never changes. It is simple for us. We just get on board and trust the pilot. That is what "God never changes" means.

During a flight, you will be told when you can stand, when you must sit, when you can and when you cannot use the restroom, when you can and cannot or if you can or cannot use your cell phone, when you can unbuckle your seat belt and more. Things will change during the flight, but the nature of the pilot and the plane stays the same. One of the devil's tricks is to tell you that just because God did such and such in the past means God will ALWAYS do the same thing in the present and the future and that if you are not doing it such and such a way, you are wrong. Not so. Do not fall for that lie.

God's nature never changes. He will always hate homosexuality. He always desires that he lead the church. He will always desire justice. His methods are subject to change. When someone quotes a verse and states, "God is the same yesterday, today and forever, so what he did in the past he will do in the present" that is NOT a true statement because it implies "always." God does not always deliver people from the mouth of the lion like he delivered Daniel. God does not always deliver people from fire like he did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. God sometimes does what he has always done but God never always does what he has sometimes done! "What God did for others he will always do for you," is not a true statement. "What God never did for anyone else, he might do for you," is a true statement!