God is Not a Mutant
In context: we were talking about God’s immutability (unchangeableness) in a worship briefing last week and someone chimed that the word immutability always makes them think of God not being a mutant (here I resist a commentary on how pop culture has influenced the English language) - moving on…
I picked up Tozer’s Knowledge of the Holy this week. I love Tozer’s vantage point, but there is always something that is left ‘wanting’ for me when I read this book. I’ll call him “Aquinas lite”. He hits the big ideas on God’s nature and holiness. He proclaims the Father. However, I wish He brought Jesus into the center of the discussion more often. That’s where Aquinas has him beat.
For those that don’t know, St. Thomas Aquinas was a medieval Catholic theologian who created one of the first ’systematic theologies’. Translation: he tried to examine every attribute of God, and the church. Impossible of course, but reveals he had a king’s heart to search out the depths. Being catholic, and medieval makes Aquinas a bit too lofty for most 20th century believers. His Treatise on the Incarnation covers pages 2973-3451. Of course, Aquinas has his problems, but I’m very forgiving of the medieval believers. It was a tough century.
Let me put it this way: What happens to the immutability of God when we consider this verse, “Jesus grew in stature”? I’ll tell you what happens, Jesus now redefines immutability through His incarnation. Whatever we thought immutability was, gets turned around. It is no longer conceptual, but about the nature of a man, or at least a trait and characteristic of a man.
I love incarnational theology. Keeping the central truth, Jesus, as central. Not that we have to ‘name drop’ Jesus; or implying that if we are not talking about Him 24/7 we are missing it, but our theology must come from Him and go towards Him.
