Christians, Did God's nature change?

Question

Prior to Jesus's mortal birth, God spoke with man, revealing His will through men called as prophets.

While Jesus was living on the Earth, God spoke with man, revealing His will through the words and miracles of Jesus.

After Jesus ascended into Heaven, God spoke with man, revealing His will through the words and miracles of the apostles.

Then one by one, the apostles were killed off. Since then...nothing. No new scriptures, no prophets, no apostles, no continuing revelation.

Why did God change? Did He stop caring about mankind? Did He lose the ability to communicate His will to mankind? Does mankind no longer need God's will? Or is there another reason?

@ddking: No, I don't really believe this. I am interested in understanding how other christians interpret the change in God's behavior though. I don't think His behavior HAS changed. There are modern day prophets, scripture, and revelation, but most christians don't accept them. So...just curious. :-)

@Deluded: Actually that doesn't really address my question, nor does it take into account the historical interaction with God that I referenced. So...No Soup For You! ;-)

Answer 1

There are a couple systems of thinking on this question, and no consensus among Christians.

There is process theology, which posits that yes, God has changed over time, in action, communication, desires, etc. There are some obvious difficulties with this theology.

Then there's Dispensationalism. In this theology, there has been a series of "dispensations" from God to us--instances of God relating to us. The series is complete with Jesus, so no more miracles, prophets, etc.

My belief is that there are still people with the gift of prophesy, people who receive revelations (there were lots of mystics during the Middle Ages, especially, and even now, strong spiritual leaders in the world), etc. But the world has changed, so these voices are more difficult to hear, their truths harder to discern. The church has divided over and over again--the chances of any one of these voices finding enough approval from all the divisions is minuscule. So we each have to listen for God communicating to us in new, less obvious ways.

But I might be wrong.

Answer 2

YES, in a matter of speaking but there is always more to the ideas, more philosophy and theology then most people care to go into. YES, the basic idea is that SIN corrupted the world in a very fundamental way. Hardened it. It was no longer this perfect utopia. Consider this... Many of us believe that ideas have power...great power. Certain concepts change the fundamental rules of the game. We usually talk about this in a social construct.. like the ideas of "basic human rights" the idea of 'democracy' or 'racial equality', etc. BUT... why can't SOME ideas be even MORE powerful than that? Why can't SOME ideas actually, truly change the world? We often times use a figure of speech that an "idea can change the world" that "a single person can change the world" Maybe this is TRUE? Maybe this figure of speech is rooted in reality. Maybe an idea can TRULY be game changing. Here's how I see it... The knowledge of good and evil represents the IDEA of Freewill. The realization that we don't HAVE to follow God. The realization that OUR will is separate from the Will of God. And he won't physically stop us from doing WHATEVER we want. That is the IDEA encapsulated by "original sin" that is what is MEANT by "original sin" There can be NO sin more fundamental that THAT...then simply realizing "Hey, I don't gotta do what he says if I don't wanna...and I don't always want to" Regardless if you disobey or NOT.. simply KNOWING that shifts the game. I think the Biblical story of Adam and Eve is maybe literal but maybe allegorical...maybe it simply represents HOW the idea got out there. How this idea permeated every being, every cell, fundamental universal and natural law. How essentially God allowed the world to "do what it wanted..things to run wild" from the blade of grass to the storms at sea. Original sin is the idea that we don't have to do what he says and he lets us do pretty much whatever the heck we want. So to ME that's how an Idea leads to disease and storms.

Answer 3

According to a belief system called preterism, the prophecies made by Jesus and in the book of Revelation were all fulfilled when the Romans destroyed the temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD.

It could be that Jesus returned at that time and took all of his true followers. This would fit with his statements that some of his apostles would not die before his return.

After that, he apparently would have had no more interest in, or involvement with, humanity. That would explain why there are no more miracles or legitimate prophets.

With all of the real Christians gone, the religion should have just died out completely. However, an enterprising young Jew, who took the name Paul, seems to have decided that he could accumulate a large following by keeping the dead faith artificially alive.

That's just one possibility....

Another, more likely, possibility is that there were never any real miracles or true prophets and that the bible is largely a collection of fiction or meaningless stories from the bronze age.

Answer 4

There were many times in human history where the heavens seemed as brass and there was no word from the Lord. Some 400 years elapsed from the last prophet in Old Testament times to the coming of Christ, with no revelation further to what had been written before.

Christ warned those looking for miraculous signs, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they listen if someone rises from the dead.' This was a reference to his own resurrection, said in context of the parable of Lazarus going to Abraham's bosom and the rich man in hell asking that his brothers be warned about hell. This shows the place of God's written word - those who don't heed it look for more exciting messages - and heeding the words of the Word of God, Jesus.

There's quite enough in the holy scriptures for us to be getting on with. It speaks to every generation and the Holy Spirit teaches those who read it reverently, applying its truths to their particular situation. God will not communicate with those who can't be bothered to take his already revealed will seriously.

Answer 5

I have to agree with The Mormon Duck and Yoda's Duck, God hasn't changed, society on the whole has gone deaf to the promptings.

I know there is modern revelation - for that which was good in ancient times, is good today... Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

Answer 6

It is a matter of opinion as to whether or not there are no apostles, prophets, and continuing revelation. The canon may be closed but plenty of believers think all else has continued, and that all that is revealed since the closing of the canon must be tested against it to be truly of God.

God's character doesn't change.

Your question is couched in terms that make me think you've received some 'dispensationalism' type teaching. I don't happen to agree with that type of theology; however, if you believe it, that certainly explains why you may be questioning the nature of God.

Ask Him to give you discernment and wisdom in understanding his word and He will! :)

Answer 7

just wondering, cuz i've seen dozens and dozens of your answers on here...but, do you really believe this? i'm not implying any judgment or criticism, just kinda shocked.

add: oh, ok...i do know what you are talking about, though. it is sad...i hope they never "re-write the Bible" as my pastor put it one sunday...i survived a car accident in which i truly should have been killed; i consider that a "modern-day" miracle, and that's just my personal experience...i just saw on the Y! headlines yesterday where the nfl player that broke his neck has made a "miraculous recovery"--the author's words not mine...people just brush things like this under the rug, they want lightning and thunder and the earth to split apart, er rather, the sea...LOL!

Answer 8

God didn't change, Unchanging in Qualities and Standards. As Jehovah told the people of Israel: “I am Jehovah; I have not changed.” (Mal 3:6) This was some 3,500 years after God’s creation of mankind and some 1,500 years from the time of God’s making the Abrahamic covenant. While some claim that the God revealed in the Hebrew Scriptures differs from the God revealed by Jesus Christ and by the writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures, examination shows this claim to be without any foundation. Of God, the disciple James rightly said: “With him there is not a variation of the turning of the shadow.” (Jas 1:17) There was no ‘mellowing’ of Jehovah God’s personality during the centuries, for no mellowing was needed. His severity as revealed in the Christian Greek Scriptures is no less nor his love any greater than it was at the beginning of his dealings with mankind in Eden.

The seeming differences in personality are in reality merely different aspects of the same unchanging personality. These result from the differing circumstances and persons dealt with, calling for different attitudes or relationships. (Compare Isa 59:1-4.) It was not Jehovah, but Adam and Eve, who changed; they put themselves in a position where Jehovah’s unchangeable righteous standards allowed no further dealings with them as members of his beloved universal family. Being perfect, they were fully responsible for their deliberate wrongdoing (Ro 5:14) and hence beyond the limits of divine mercy, although Jehovah showed them undeserved kindness in starting them out with clothing and allowing them to live for centuries outside the sanctuary of Eden and bring forth offspring before they finally died from the effects of their own sinful course. (Ge 3:8-24) After their eviction from Eden all divine communication with Adam and his wife apparently ceased.

he talks to us through the pages of the bible. that's how he communicates with us. he loves us dearly, he would never let it be a waste of time that he son suffered, in our behalf. and yes to gain that life that his son died for us to have we MUST remain faithful to him and to the BESTof our ability do his will.

Answer 9

The teachings of Jesus Christ and the Apostles continue thru Apostolic Succession of the Popes.And has done so for over 2,000 years

Answer 10

There's a story about a couple that had been married for decades. One day they're in the car, driving along, and the wife comments on how much she misses how they used to sit snuggled up next to each other in the front seat of the car...

The husband looked at her, then the steering wheel in front of him, then back at his wife, "I'm still sitting where I always have."




God hasn't changed, we have.