Interwoven into the human, by God at creation, is the potential to become.
In God’s providence we are blessed with the opportunity to change.
- We can move from worse to better.
And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly. Luke 22:59-62
Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” John 21:17-19
- We can move from better to worse.
“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ Revelation 2:2-7
- We can move from one type to another.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
With eternity set in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11) we long to transcend the temporary for the permanent. In changing from worse to better, better to worse or from one kind to another we are faced with the temporariness of our best intentions and most diligent efforts.
Thanks be to God, He is entirely different than this.
God does not change and is not temporary. He is perfect in every way (thus changeless) and permanent in every way (thus eternal).
There is no worse in God (he is perfect in every way) to change for the better (there is nothing better than His perfection).
There is no better in God (Being perfect, He is best in every way) to move to worse (perfection removes the option of becoming imperfect).
There is no other for God to become. To become something other is to no longer be God.
To God, nothing can be added. From God nothing can be subtracted.
Malachi 3:6 states, “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.”
Deuteronomy 33:27 features God’s eternality. “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”
Notice, in Hebrews 6:17-20, the changeless nature of God is a sure and steadfast anchor for our souls.
17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
From Heidi Reeder, author of Commit to Win: How to Harness the Four Elements of Commitment to Reach Your Goals, we understand the equation of commitment.
(Treasure – Troubles) + Contributions – Choices = Commitment
Applying the best of contemporary commitment science, we can confidently answer the question, “Is God committed to me?”
With current commitment science highlighting “treasure’ as the first integer of the commitment equation, I must ask, “Does God treasure me?”
When I place my trust in Jesus for salvation, I am adopted into Israel. In this way, I am part of the “people (clans or tribe) of God.”
Consider Jeremiah 31:1, “At that time, declares the Lord, I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my people.”
As a person in the tribe of God’s new Israel, am I treasured by Him?
I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Jeremiah 31:3
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine. Exodus 19:5
“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 7:6
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9, 10
These Bible verses place strong emphasis on God’s eternal commitment of love which allows us to become His treasured possession.
To His treasured possessions (Those in Christ Jesus), God is eternally and unchangingly committed.
Yes, God is eternally and unchangingly committed to us.
Therefore, we long for eternal (permanent) and unwavering (changeless) commitment to and from our friends and tribe.
The Apostle Paul reveals his deep longing for his friends and tribe to practice permanent and unwavering commitment.
9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.
14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.
16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Timothy 4:9-18
May God’s eternal and unchanging commitment to me…
- Be reflected in an eternal and unchanging commitment from me to Him.
- Be reflected in an eternal and unchanging commitment from me to my closest friends.
- Be reflected in an eternal and unchanging commitment from me to my tribe.