The Immutability Of God # 1

 The Immutability Of God # 1

Immutability is one of the divine perfections which is not sufficiently pondered. It is one of the excellencies of the Creator which distinguishes Him from all His creatures. God is perpetually the same: subject to no change in His being, attributes, or determinations. Therefore God is compared to a "Rock" (Deut. 32:4) which remains immovable, when the entire ocean surrounding it is continually in a fluctuating state; even so, though all creatures are subject to change, God is immutable. Because God has no beginning and no ending, He can know no change. He is everlastingly "the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17).

First, God is immutable in His essence. His nature and being are infinite, and so He is subject to no mutations. There never was a time when He was not; there never will come a time when He shall cease to be. God has neither evolved, grown, no improved. All that He is today, He has ever been, and ever will be. "I am the Lord, I do not change." (Malachi 3:6) is His own unqualified affirmation. He cannot change for the better, for He is already perfect; and being perfect, He cannot change for the worse. Altogether unaffected by anything outside Himself, improvement or deterioration is impossible. He is perpetually the same. He only can say, "I AM THAT I AM!" (Exodus 3:14). He is altogether uninfluenced by the flight of time. There is no wrinkle upon the brow of eternity. Therefore His power can never diminish nor His glory ever fade!

Secondly, God is immutable in His attributes. Whatever the attributes of God were before the universe was called into existence, they ae precisely the same now, and will remain so forever. Necessarily so, for they are the very perfections, the essential qualities of His being. Semper diem (always the same) is written across everyone of them.

His power is unabated, His wisdom is undiminished, and His holiness is unsullied.

The attributes of God can no more change than Deity can cease to be.

His veracity is immutable, for His Word is "forever settled in Heaven" (Psalm 119:89).

His love is eternal: "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3) and "Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end" (John 13:1).

His mercy never ceases not, for it is everlasting" (Psalm 100:5).

Thirdly, God is immutable in His counsel. His will never varies. Perhaps some are ready to object that we ought to read the following: "And it repented the Lord that He had made man" (Genesis 6:6). Our first reply is, Then do the Scriptures contradict themselves? NO, that cannot be! Numbers 23:19 is plain enough: "God is not a man, that He should lie, neither the son of man, that He should repent."

So also in 1 Samuel 15:29, "The Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man, that He should repent."

The explanation is very simple. When speaking of Himself, God frequently accommodates His language to our limited capacities. He describes Himself as clothed with bodily members, as eyes, ears, hands, etc. He speaks of Himself as "waking", as "rising up early"; yet He neither slumbers nor sleeps. When He institutes a change in His dealings with men, He describes His course of conduct as "repenting."

Yes, God is immutable in His counsel. "The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29). It must be so, for "He is of one mind, and who can turn Him? What His soul desires, even that He does" (Job 23:13).

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 2)

Oil In The Vessel # 3

 Oil In The Vessel # 3

Some of our readers may be total strangers to all such distressing experiences, and wonder why any real Christian should call into question the exact character of his or her illumination, troubling themselves not at all whether their enlightenment is natural or supernatural. Poor souls, it is greatly to be feared that a crude awakening is awaiting them from their satan-induced sleep. But what shall we say to those who are awake and deeply concerned about their eternal interests? How are such to determine the matter? We answer, test the point.

Was thee not a time when you "saw no beauty in Christ that you should desire Him?" Is it so with you now? Or has He become in your eyes, the "altogether lovely" One? You may be afraid to call Him yours, yet if your heart truly yearns for Him, then you must have been spiritually enlightened, the "oil" is in your vessel!

Second, oil softens. Oil was much used by the ancients for medicinal purposes, and we moderns might well take a leaf out of their books. It will melt caked wax in the ear; it will make tender a calloused bunion. It is very useful for tumors - repeated applications softening, then causing to burst, and then healing. Thus it is in the operation of the Holy Spirit. He finds the elect hard and obdurate by nature, and swollen with pride and self-conceit; but Divine grace softens them, melting their flinty hearts, bursting the tumors of self-righteousness, and imparting a contrite spirit. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you - and I will give you an heart of flesh" (Exe. 36:26).

When Divine grace has been imparted - the heart is supernaturally softened. But right here the sincere soul experiences still greater difficulty, and is ready to exclaim emphatically, "Then I must still be in an unregenerate state, for my heart is as hard as the neither millstone!" Wait a moment, dear friend, and test the matter. What are the marks of a "hard heart" as given in Scripture? Are they not a total absence of a feeling sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, an utter unconcern whether God be pleased or displeased with my conduct, no mourning in secret when Christ has been dishonored by me? Is that true of you, who are so ready to conclude that you are still in a state of nature? If it is not, if sin is your burden and your soul grieves over your lack of conformity to Christ, then your heart must have been spiritually softened - the "oil" is in your vessel!

Third, oil heals. Hence we find the great Physician, under the figure of the good Samaritan, having compassion on the assaulted traveler, binding up his wounds and "pouring oil and wine" (Luke 10:34); and He is still caring thus for His people through the gracious ministry of the Holy Spirit. How often the blessed Comforter applies "the balm of Gilead" to the sin afflicted people of God. What horrible bruises and putrefying sores - do sin and satan inflict upon the souls of the saints - yet how frequently and tenderly does the Spirit mollify and relieve them. First, He works repentance in the heart, which is a purging grace, carrying away the foul and poisonous love of sin. Then He strengthens hope, which is a comforting grace so that the joy of the Lord once more becomes his strength. Divine grace removes the load of guilt from the conscience, applies the cordial of the promises, and gives the weary pilgrim a lift by the way - "Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him" (Luke 10:34).

Here, then, is another property and effect of Divine grace - it heals the soul. We can well imagine some fearful reader exclaiming, Alas, that cuts off my hope, for there is no soundness in me! Listen, dear friend, no Christian is completely and perfectly healed from the disease of sin in this life - but he is delivered from the most fearful and fatal effects of it; and it is at this point you are to examine yourself. What are the worst things which the Fall has produced in man? Test yourself by these things. Do you still hate God? If so, would you repine because you love Him so feebly? Are you still in love with sin? If so, why do you grieve over its workings! Is self now your idol? If so, why do you, at times, loath yourself! Sin has not been eradicated - but its wounds are being healed - the "oil" is in your vessel.

Oil makes the joints flexible and nimble; so grace enables the Christian to serve in newness of spirit (Romans 7:6).

Oil sweetens our persons, so that we are unto God a "sweet savor of Christ, whereas the wicked are a "smoke in His nostrils" (Isaiah 65:5).

Oil gladdens. Oil quiets troubled waters, so grace often subdues the turbulent workings of sin.

It is not the absense of sin, nor the decreasing of its power within, which evidences regeneration - but the presence of a contrary and holy principle, which is known by its spiritual longings and efforts!

~A. W. Pink~

(The End)

Oil In The Vessel # 2

 Oil In The Vessel # 2

This parable of the "virgins" is indeed a searching and solemn one. It has deeply exercised many a sincere soul. It has caused not a few genuine saints to wonder it, after all, the root of the matter were in them. It has given real point to that exhortation "Examine yourselves whether you are in the faith; prove your own selves" (2 Corinthians 13:5). On the other hand, vast numbers of professing Christians are quite unmoved by its pointed message, complacently assuming that they are numbered among the "wise" virgins, and taking no trouble to seek proof that the oil is in their vessels. Strangest of all, perhaps, some of the Lord's own people scarcely know how to set about the task of ascertaining their state, and are so suspicious of themselves, that they readily conclude that their vessels are devoid of the vital oil.

The key passage for the significance of this Scriptural figure is, "Your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows" (Psalm 45:7), where the reference is to the Mediator, for God "gives not the Spirit by measure unto Him" (John 3:34); in consequence thereof, He is "fairer than the children of men - grace is poured into Your lips" (Psalm 45:2). The holy "oil" was first poured upon the antitypical Aaron, and then it runs down to all the "skirts of His garments" (Psalm 133:2), that is, to the lowest and feeblest Christians. Just as the little finger or toe is animated by the same life and vitality as actuates the head and heart of a person - so very Christian is vitalized by the same Spirit as was given to Christ, the Head. As the Spirit sanctified the human nature of Christ by fitting and enriching it will all grace, so His grace is communicated to all His members.

The "oil" then, in the vessels of the wise virgins - refers to the life of the Spirit in the soul of a Christian. It is the presence of Divine grace in the heart - in contrast from knowledge in the head, or correctness of outward deportment; which distinguishes the actual possessor from the empty professor. How important then is it that we spare no efforts to ascertain whether or not that Divine grace resides in us! Yet at this very point Christians encounter a real difficulty - as they honestly and diligently look within, they perceive such a sea of corruption, ever casting up mire and dirt, they are greatly distressed, and ready to conclude that Divine grace surely cannot be present in such evil hearts as theirs. But this is a serious mistake; as genuine oil is distinguishable from counterfeits by its properties, so grace in the soul may be known by its characteristics and effects.

But the exercised soul should begin his search for indwelling grace with it definitely settled in his mind, that, in every heart where grace resides there is also an ocean of sin; and just as oil and water will not mix - but continue to preserve their distinct properties even when placed together in the same vessel, so the flesh and spirit will not combine in the Christian - but remain in opposition to each other unto the end. Admitting, then, a sea of depravity within, my object is to find out if there is any "oil" at all which the surgings of sin are unable to destroy.l When I see smoke, I must infer fire (however flickering), and if I can discern in my heart any Spiritual grace (however feeble) I must infer the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Be not unduly discouraged, then, dear Christian friend, because you discover so much filthy water in your "vessels" (the writer does the same) - but rather confine your attention unto searching for the "oil" within you, and remember that the presence of the same is to be determined by its properties and effects. Let us name a few of these:

First, oil illumines, therefore are the blinded Laodiceans bidden to go to Christ for eye-slave (anointing oil) that they may see (Revelation 3:18). Now where Divine grace has been bestowed, that soul is enlightened. True, says a serious reader - but the point which exercises me so much is - "Is my enlightenment a spiritual and supernatural one, or merely a natural and intellectual one, acquired by the mind being instructed through sitting under sound teaching?" Those mentioned in Hebrews 6:4 were "once enlightened," yet no saving work of grace had been wrought in them!

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 3)