Introduction
On January 7th of 1855, the Prince of Preachers—C.H. Spurgeon delivered a sermon at New Park Street Chapel (Southwark) titled: “The Immutability of God”. At this time, Spurgeon was a mere 20 years old. His youth and limited experience did not hinder him from delivering this God-centered homily. The text in which Spurgeon preached from was Malachi 3:6 which reads like this in the King James Version: “I am the Lord, I change not; therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” The doctrine emphasized in this sermon is God’s immutability, which is simply His freedom from change and His being the same at all times—past, present, and future.
He Changes Not in His Essence
But God is perpetually the same. He is not composed of any substance or material, but is spirit—pure, essential, and etherial spirit—and therefore he is immutable. He remains everlastingly the same.
If God were able to change the essence of His being, He would not be God. God is perfect in His essence. He cannot change His perfect being—for if He were able to change to a better (or worse) essence, He would have the ability to improve (or worsen). If God were able to change, there would be a time in which God would cease to be perfect. We know this is false. God has never changed in His perfection, or in His being.
He Changes Not in His Attributes
Take any one attribute of God, and I will write semper idem on it (always the same.) Take any one thing you can say of God now, and it may be said not only in the dark past, but in the bright future it shall always remain the same.
A few attributes that Spurgeon mentions under this subpoint include: God’s power, omnipotence, wisdom, justice, truth, goodness, and love. Just as God cannot grow (or worsen) in His being, His attributes do not change. Humans consistently undergo change. Humans change whenever they learn something—they change whenever they physically grow—they change as their love for someone/something improves/worsens. God’s wisdom/knowledge remains unchanged. “He knows as much now as ever; neither more nor less.” His justice remains the same. “Just and holy was He in the past; Just and holy is He now.” Not a single attribute of God changes, or ever will.
He Changes Not in His Plans
God is a mastermind; he arranged everything in his gigantic intellect long before he did it; and once having settled it, mark you, he never alters it. “This shall be done,” saith he, and the iron hand of destiny marks it down, and it is brought to pass. “This is my purpose,” and it stands, nor can earth or hell alter it.
God has never failed in the plan/purpose that he predetermined before the foundation of the world. God has never begun to build something, then fail in His “project”—nor did He have to change His “project”. “God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably, all things whatsoever come to pass.” (2LBCF 3:1).
He Changes Not in His Promises
Believer! there was a delightful promise which you had yesterday; and this morning when you turned to the Bible the promise was not sweet. Do you know why? Do you think the promise had changed? Ah, no! You changed; that is where the matter lies.
If God’s promises could change, they would no longer be promises. A changing promise would be comparable to wishful thinking that the believer subjectively trusts in. Unchanging promises of salvation would lead to no assurance of salvation. Unchanging promises concerning God’s provision would lead to constant fear/doubt/worries.
Since we do, from time to time, fear/doubt/worry/lack assurance, we recognize that it is humans that change—not God or His promises.
Remember, every promise is a rock, an unchanging thing.
He Changes Not in His Threatenings
You must believe or be damned, saith the Bible; and mark, that threat of God is as unchangeable as God himself.
If God’s promises of salvation are certain and unchanging, so then are His threatenings of damnation/punishment. God does not warn the punishment of hell for unbelievers, then allow them to bypass that punishment with a changed plan. Spurgeon gives the following description of the unchanging threat that God will execute towards unbelievers:
When a thousand years of hell’s torments shall have passed away, you shall look on high, and see written in burning letters of fire, “He that believeth not shall be damned.” “But, Lord, I am damned.” Nevertheless, it says “shall be” still. And when a million ages have rolled away, and you are exhausted by your pains and agonies, you shall turn up your eye and still read “SHALL BE DAMNED,” unchanged, unaltered. And when you shall have thought that eternity must have spun out its last thread—that every particle of that which we call eternity, must have run out, you shall still see it written up there, “SHALL BE DAMNED” O terrific thought.
He Changes Not the Objects of His Love
The objects of everlasting love never change. Those whom God hath called, he will justify; whom he has justified, he will sanctify; and whom he sanctifies, he will glorify.
You more than likely recognize this similar phrase, modeled after the Apostle Paul’s writing in Romans 8:28-30. Those whom God has loved with a love of delight in eternity past, He continues to love right now—and He will continue to love in eternity future. God demonstrates—or exercises—this love of delight in His people by calling them, justifying them, sanctifying them, and glorifying them.
Conclusion
From the beginning of Spurgeon’s young pastorate, his doctrine of God—or theology proper— would shape his pulpit ministry. Serving an unchanging God spurred him to faithfully preach God’s unchanging word. For Spurgeon, it seemed impossible to serve—or to even conceive the idea of a changing God.
I imagine it is impossible to conceive of a changing God; it is so to me. Others may be capable of such an idea, but I could not entertain it. I could no more think of a changing God, than I could of a round square, or any other absurdity.
May we affirm the Immutability of God as we cling to these words: “I am the Lord, I change not; therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”—Malachi. 3:6.
Bibliography
C. H. Spurgeon, “The Immutability of God,” in The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, vol. 1 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1855).
Austin has been one of the pastors of Covenant Baptist Church (Clarksville, TN) since February of 2024. He holds a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Spurgeon College, a M.A. in Pastoral Studies and a M.Div from Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary.
By God’s free and sovereign grace, Austin was saved early in his adulthood. He is married to Rachel, and together they have three children: Geneva, Benjamin, and Bristol.
