Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

    Maybe, if the definition around changing includes different Covenants
    ; i.e. Rainbow after the flood showing a new covenant. Also, the 
    new covenant with Christ.
    
    Marc H.

    First thing that came to mind was, Did God intend for Adam to be alone?
    After seeing Adam's lonliness, did he decide to create woman?
    
    -Jack

God's mind was changed about how many innocent men (not women, mind you)
it would take to save Sodom from destruction.
(Genesis 18.22-33)

Shalom,
Richard

    God's mind was changed about making Saul the king.  One translation
    says "God repented" of having chosen Saul, the predecessor of David.
    
    Peace,
    Richard

(repost with righthand margin corrected, I hope)
re .0

	Some Scriptures to consider are Isaiah 46:10 and 55:11....

	Isaiah 46:10 NWT reads "the One telling from the beginning the finale,
	and from long time ago the things have not been done, the One saying
	'My own counsel will stand, and everything that is my delight I shall 
	do',"

	and Isaiah 55:11 NWT "so my word that goes forth from my mouth will 
	prove to be. It will not return to me without results, but it will 
	certainly do that in which I have delighted, and it will have certain 
	success in that for which I have sent it." 

	These Scriptures show that God is a God of prophecy and that what he 
	fortells comes to be (the end result is that prophecy is fulfilled to 
	the minutest detail). His will and purposes don't change they are the 
	same as at the time of Adam and Eve.

	He started Adam & Eve on a wonderful project to fill the earth and 
	subdue it (Genesis 1:28). Adam & Eve's role was to have righteous 
	offspring and extend the boundaries of the garden of Eden by 
	cultivating it (Genesis 2:8,15). Though Adam and Eve failed, Jehovah 
	God's goals have not changed and some of the first couples offspring 
	will see fulfillment of it. That is a paradise earth inhabited by 
	peace loving righteous mankind. Would you not like to see the 
	realisation of God's original purpose for mankind?. As God promises in
	Isaiah 55:11 "..it will have certain success in that for which I have 
	sent it."

	Here are some portions of Scripture that help show God's eternal 
	purpose for the earth:  

	God's purpose for the earth, Genesis 1:28, Isaiah 45:18, 
	Psalms 37:9-11,29, Proverbs 2:21,22 and Matthew 6:9,10.

	Earth to remain forever, Psalms 104:5 & 119:90.

	Righteousness to prevail in new earth(symbolic of new human soceity), 
	2 Peter 3:13, Acts 17:31, Isaiah 11:3-5,26:9.

	Global peace and security will be realised, Isaiah 9:6,7, Micah 4:3,4 & 
	Psalm 46:8-11.

	There will be an abundance provisions for all, Psalms 72:16, 67:6, 
	Ezekiel 34:27.

	The earth will not be ruined, for He will bring an end to those ruining 
	the earth (Revelation 11:18).   

	Phil.

    re .5 (CSC32::J_CHRISTIE)
    
>    God's mind was changed about making Saul the king.  One translation
>    says "God repented" of having chosen Saul, the predecessor of David.
    
    	That sounds like the KJV, which I think also says that God
    "repented" over having created man when he looked down before the
    Flood.
    
    	In a book on Hebrew synonyms, I once read that the Hebrew word
    translated "repent" has the sense of 'heaving a sigh', in that it
    embodies the complex feelings that cause one to sigh deeply. 
    Therefore, it's not that God felt he had made a mistake the way humans
    do when we recognize the need for repentance, but rather, he was
    saddened in a regretful way over the wrong course that people Jehovah
    loved had chosen.
    
    	How many times do you suppose God has looked down on man whom he
    created with such potential, and said to himself, "Oh what a mess
    they've made of things!"
    
    
    								-mark.

re .2

;God's mind was changed about how many innocent men (not women, mind you)
;it would take to save Sodom from destruction.
;(Genesis 18.22-33)

	Richard,
	
	Sorry, but I didn't read that from this portion scripture. Abraham,
	whom through experience knew God so well that he was known as his
	friend, was really asking God a hypothetical question "Suppose
	there are fifty righteous within the city?". Abraham's questioning
	was based on his knowledge of Jehovah's unchangeable qualities, 
	especially righteousness. Perhaps, righteous Lot who lived in
	Sodom played on Abraham's mind. To Abraham, it would be incongruent
	for God to destroy a righteous person and he made this questioning
	just to clarify the situation. God's answers confirmed Abraham's
	thoughts and trust. One should also take into account that God
	knows all things including the hearts of men. So he would have 
	known how many righteous persons there were in Sodom beforehand. 
	Jehovah God made a way out for righteous Lot and his family before
	destruction was brought on the city of Sodom. Well this is how
	I interpreted it.
   
	I have been thinking about this topic over the last weekend. To me 
	God does not change his mind, but I began to ponder on why this is
	so. Humans change their mind or viewpoint on things because of the 
	knowledge and experience that they take in. In God's case the Bible 
	indicates that he is the source all of True knowledge (Romans 11:33,
	36 ; Proverbs 2:6; Job 37:14,16). To me thinking that God may 
	change his mind on things is a dangerous line of thought. Why? well 
	take for example the Jews mentioned in Malachi 3, they felt that 
	their sacrifice of lame animals etc rather than the first fruits or
	best would be acceptable to God. Jehovah's reply in Malachi 3:6a RSV
	was "For I the LORD do not change;" and he told them to "Return to 
	me, and I will return to you" (verse 7) and "Bring the full tithes 
	into the storehouse," (verse 10). Today we are told by the world 
	that we live in the 20th Century and morals have changed. However, 
	God's moral standards have not changed and Paul's admonition to the
	Corinthian congregation in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 RSV was "Do you not 
	know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do 
	not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolators, nor drunkards, 
	nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, 
	nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such 
	were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were
	justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the spirit
	of our God." Here Paul told them "Do not be deceived" and the
	emphasis was on persons to repent and change for he said "such
	were some of you" rather than one expecting God to change his
	standard to fit their immoral acts.

	Another point that came to mind was the Psalmist's words in
	Psalm 56:11a RSV "in God I trust without fear.". Such trust
	would be built on the Psalmist's experience of how dependable
	his God was. Many servants have put their trust in Jehovah
	and His Word and had their faith strengthened. If one feels
	that God would change His mind on things then such faith
	would be greatly weakened.

	The unchangeableness of God helps one to make application of
	the following counsel "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, 
	and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge 
	him, and he will make straight your paths." 

	Phil.

re Note 761.8 by RDGENG::YERKESS:

> 	I have been thinking about this topic over the last weekend. To me 
> 	God does not change his mind, but I began to ponder on why this is
> 	so. Humans change their mind or viewpoint on things because of the 
> 	knowledge and experience that they take in. In God's case the Bible 
> 	indicates that he is the source all of True knowledge (Romans 11:33,
> 	36 ; Proverbs 2:6; Job 37:14,16). To me thinking that God may 
> 	change his mind on things is a dangerous line of thought. 

        Even in the case of human beings apparently "changing their
        mind" it is often hard for an observer to determine whether
        it really is a change or merely a different response because
        the situation is different.

        It is really tempting to say that God appears to change his
        mind between the Old and New testaments, but the situations
        are different.  Without being able to see into the mind of
        God (and even if we could we couldn't fathom it), we can
        never come to the conclusion that God actually had a change
        of mind (i.e., when faced with the SAME situation twice acts
        differently) just because a roughly similar situation was
        handled differently by God.

>       Why? well 
> 	take for example the Jews mentioned in Malachi 3, they felt that 
> 	their sacrifice of lame animals etc rather than the first fruits or
> 	best would be acceptable to God. Jehovah's reply in Malachi 3:6a RSV
> 	was "For I the LORD do not change;" and he told them to "Return to 
> 	me, and I will return to you" (verse 7) and "Bring the full tithes 
> 	into the storehouse," (verse 10). Today we are told by the world 
> 	that we live in the 20th Century and morals have changed. However, 
> 	God's moral standards have not changed 

        Even if we take this as a given we can't assume that the
        situation as seen by God is the same.  Perhaps some people
        say that "morals have changed" but I do not.  However, I also
        know that human beings have changed. So it would be illogical
        to assume that God would apply the same unchangeable standards
        with the same result when what God sees may be very
        different.

> 	and His Word and had their faith strengthened. If one feels
> 	that God would change His mind on things then such faith
> 	would be greatly weakened.

        It is certainly comforting to feel that God would not change
        his mind.  On the other hand it is also comforting to think
        that if I see what looks to me the same situation as previous
        situation then God will treat the two situations the same. 
        Unfortunately this latter comfort is based on my human
        perception and is likely to be disappointed.

        (It's really the other side of the famous question "why do
        bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to
        bad people?"  If we look for and even insist on the
        appearance of consistent involvement of God in the world
        around us, we will be disappointed.  Or else we play mind
        games and tell ourselves that things are not what they appear
        to be.)

> 	The unchangeableness of God helps one to make application of
> 	the following counsel "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, 
> 	and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge 
> 	him, and he will make straight your paths." 

        This is a fine attitude to take with regard to our personal
        understanding of God's involvement in the world.  However,
        many people want to take a giant leap of illogic from this
        and conclude that we humans can rely on our judgment of what
        God would do when dealing with each other, and insist on
        consistency as it appears to our eyes.

        Bob

but who knows if he'll change it in the future?