Pastor column: Three things about God that never change

In a world of constant change God said, "I the Lord do not change” (Malachi 3:6). Now there are three things about God that never changes.

One, God’s love for man will never change. God loved man enough to send His one and only Son into this world to live and die for us. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Thank God, He doesn’t change the way He loves you. He loves you just as much today as He has ever loved you, and no matter what you do, you won’t change that. You can’t make God love you anymore and you can’t make God love you any less. He can love us this way because He does not change. His mercy endures forever!

Two, God will not change the way He hates sin. Your sin is offensive to God, it repulses Him, it’s loathsome to Him.The world calls sin by many names but sin is sin. You might change the label on poison but it remains the same. Poison is poison and sin is sin, no matter what you call it.

Excuses not aimed at God, but ourselves

We make excuses for our sin as though we’ve got to convince God that what we’re doing is alright, and most of the time I think what we’re doing is trying to convince ourselves but God has never changed the way He hates sin and He’s not going to. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).

Three, God’s not going to change His plan of salvation. There’s only one way, only one plan of salvation − simply believing and receiving Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:16-17).

God’s plan of salvation has never been complicated. In fact, He’s made it so easy − admitting to Him and to ourselves that we need help. We turn to Him, in repentance and with confession we trust Jesus to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves − receiving the gift of salvation and eternal life. It’s just that simple.

God’s unchangeableness is significant because the Lord endures forever (Psalm 9:7). His name shall endure forever (Psalm 72:17). His truth endures forever (Psalm 100:5). His glory endures forever (Psalm 104:31). His mercy endures forever (Psalm 106:1). His righteousness endures forever (Psalm 111:3). His praise endures forever (Psalm 111:10). His righteous judgments endure forever (Psalm 119:160). His dominion endures forever (Psalm 145:13).

Thanks be to God that these three things about God, the most important things will never change.

Rev. J. Patrick Street is the lead pastor of Redeemer Church in Marion. He can be reached at coachpatstreet@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: God will never change His plan for salvation - receiving Jesus Christ