Page 458 … the God-constant: a constant God
“God’s standards of holiness did not change with the coming of Jesus, because God does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8).”
Well, aside from the fact that this claim isn’t entirely accurate (see 2 Chronicles 7:12-16 vs Acts 7:48 – and 1 Kings 8:12 vs 1 Timothy 6:16 – and Exodus 33:11 vs John 1:18 – and Deuteronomy 13:3 vs Acts 1:24 – and Genesis 6:6 vs James 1:17 etc as clear examples of “God” clearly changing), it is an interesting statement nonetheless … And it is interesting mostly because if it is true, then it means that either the Old Testament was not talking about YHWH (the actual Godhead in the Bible) when it mentioned all the horribly dysfunctional and patently non-Loving things done by “God” in the book of Genesis, or it means that Jesus was not talking about God when he mentioned his heavenly Father whose Love is “perfect” in Matthew 5:48 (and John 5:22 – and Luke 6:36 etc).
Frankly, I’ll champion the former option every day of the week, and fortunately for all Christians, the Bible itself happens to agree! Consider:
*In Genesis 9 we see YHWH giving Noah one set of instructions – and then “the Elohim” then giving him a different set thereafter …
*In Genesis 17 we see Abraham almost make a covenant with YHWH – only to then make one with “the Elohim” instead …
*And in Genesis 18 we see YHWH promise not to destroy Sodom & Gomorrah – only to then watch two of the fallen “Elohim” do so anyway …
*And in Genesis 22 we see “the Elohim” tempt Abraham into almost killing his own son – only to have YHWH intervene and put an end to that cruel nonsense (etc etc etc).
In essence, my dear Friend, at least as far as the Bible is concerned, Right Action isn’t rocket science; when in doubt (especially when it comes to the nature of God’s Love), simply choose to FOLLOW JESUS!
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