Transcript
Ben Fallon: Welcome back to another week on the “Ask Paul Tripp Podcast.” We hope you're enjoying this new resource from Paul Tripp Ministries, and remember, please continue to send us your questions either via email to ask@paultripp.com or by filling out the form at paultripp.com/ask. Today's question, Paul, is one that I think most of us theologically, at least, know the correct answer to, but as you always do, it would be helpful if you connected that theology to our everyday life where the rubber hits the road in those 10,000 little moments that you talk about.
The question, submitted anonymously, is this, “If we are saved and there's nothing that can separate us from the love of God, is God disappointed with us when we sin? If he can't love us any less because of what we do, can he like us any less when we're in rebellion?”
Paul Tripp: Well, you know, before I answer this question, I want to say what enthusiasm I have for these questions and answers. I was reflecting this morning that throughout my Christian life, I've had enormous questions, and God has always provided resources for me, people in my life, people who have gone before me, who have thought about these things more than I had, who could answer my questions. And so, if I could be that person to people out there, then that is really exciting to me.
One of the basic things that's important to keep in your mind whenever you think about God, I'll give you the street level and then I'll explain it, is God is not like us. We are made in the image of God, but God is not like us. And there are two doctrines that are very, very important to remember. First is the doctrine of God's immutability. That means God cannot and does not change; that is very, very important. The God who reveals himself in Scripture is what he is and will ever be.
A corollary of that, a cousin of that doctrine, is one that we don't hear of very much. It's called the doctrine of impassibility. It means God's emotions don't change and he doesn't suffer. So, what this means is that God doesn't have the emotional ups and downs that we have. It means you'll never catch God on a bad day because the emotions of God, God is an emotional being, the Bible talks about the emotions of God quite clearly, but the emotions of God are not a reaction, they're a constant part of his character. Now you say, “Well, then that means I'm just relating to this immovable being, that's sort of discouraging.” Well, let me give you an illustration I think it makes this really helpful, this helps me so much.
Let's just say you're driving down the road, you hit a patch of ice, you lose control of your car, it flies off the road into a ditch and hits a tree, you're significantly injured, and you're trapped in the car. A rescue vehicle comes. What do you need from the people that moment? You don't need someone who feels everything that you're feeling because you can have somebody who feels everything you're feeling, and, because they're in a huge panic, they're unable to help. What you need is somebody who's stable and able to reach in and rescue you at that moment. That's why the fact that God's emotions don't change is so important to us. That's vital to his ability to always be what he's declared himself to be and to always do what he's declared himself to do.
So, is it possible for God to love me more? No, but that's good news because he loves me perfectly. He loves me as much as he possibly could ever love me. And is it possible for him to love me less? No, it's not, because his love is unchanging! That's just glorious news. Would you like to be married to somebody who loves you as much as they possibly could love you and that love is utterly unchanging? That's wonderful news! And so, we should be thankful for God's immutability that he isn’t going to change. We should be thankful for his impassibility that his emotions aren't an up and down thing in reaction to everything that's happening around us, unlike us. So, his love will never weaken; his joy in us will never, never weaken; he'll never have a bad day, we'll never get up in the morning and greet a God who's just not so sure he loves us like he once did. And that love for us will never turn to hatred!
BF: So then, how would you define or characterize God's response when we do sin?
PT: Well, displeasure, of course. But that displeasure is the result of the constant holiness of God. And so, of course, anything that's less than holy would be displeasing to a God who's holy. So, all of that stuff comes not from his changeability, but from his unchangeability.
BF: 1 Thessalonians 4:1 says, “…we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.”
I had a very godly older man; he used to be my discipleship group leader before he went home to be with the Lord, a mentor in many ways. He said to me, “Do something today that will put a smile on God's face.” Is that possible to do something in obedience to make God smile or to make him happier with us?
PT: No. Because in Christ, he's as happy as he could be with his people. You know, being in Christ means God loves me in the same way that he loves his son. And in that relationship, there's actually perfect love and perfect harmony. That's the beautiful thing that never am I hoping that I can do something that's going to affect God's emotions toward me. I mean, that's a huge burden.
Listen, we all know that burden in human relationships. I mean, we're always thinking, “What are they going to think of me now?” Or “Are they mad at me now?” Or “Tomorrow, will our relationship be OK?” And “Have I blown it away; this person will never love me the way that…” I mean, that is incredibly burdensome, and I don't ever have that burden with my Lord. That's so beautiful to me! And so, all of the hatred of God, all of the displeasure of God is all connected to his unchangeable holiness, his unchangeable love, his unchangeable faithfulness, his unchangeable wisdom.
BF: OK, Paul, so now for the big question. If nothing, including our disobedience, can separate us from the love of God, and if our obedience doesn't increase our favor with him, what's the motivation to obey or what's the deterrent for disobeying, knowing that we're forgiven?
PT: There are few questions that I love more than the one you just asked, “So what's the point?” And here's the point. This God, who is perfectly holy in every way all the time, who is perfectly wise in every way all the time, couldn't possibly ask for me to do anything that would hurt me. In fact, what he asks of me is the perfect best thing all the time. That's why I obey; because in obeying the one who made me, and is the ultimate definition of wisdom and love and holiness, says, “This is best!” That means a life where I thrive, where I'm blessed, where good things take place. So, I don't do it to achieve a response from God. I do it because this one who is unchangeable in wisdom and holiness has said to me, “This is the best way to live.”
I mean, think about when the Law was first given. It wasn't given so Israel could gain a relationship with God; he had already chosen to love them, unleashed his power to free them from Egypt. But they're now in the wilderness, and these people don't have a clue how to live because for 400 years, they had lived under their slavery, all the choices were made for them. So, God, as an act of love, knowing what's best, lays out what's the best way to live for them. If you want to know why the law was given, the Law was given because this way brings glory to God. But it's for our good; it's so that we'll thrive. It's not so that we can achieve his love; because in the historical moment when the Law was first given, God had already placed his love on the people to whom he was giving the Law. So, I love that question because it doesn't make a difference in terms of, “I'm putting coins into God's love bank.” because that's not what obedience is.
But it makes a huge difference because I have the choice of living the way this ultimate holy wise one says to live, or to fall into thinking that “I'm smarter than he and my way is better.” In that way, Ben, I'll just say it. “Disobedience is just stupid! It's just stupid!” I mean, would I really stand before God and say, “You know, I think a lot of times you're right, but on this one, I'm not so sure?” We would never do that, but that's what disobedience does.
BF: Thanks, Paul. If you want to get more from Paul on doctrine and more specifically how that doctrine transforms everyday life, I would encourage you to consider his book, Do You Believe? In it, Paul covers 12 core doctrines of our Christian faith. Including God's holiness, sin, justification, and sanctification. That's, Do You Believe?: 12 Historic Doctrines to Change Your Everyday Life. And it's available at paultripp.com/doctrine.
To conclude this episode, I want to read Romans 8:31-39, a passage that we're all very familiar with. But in light of Paul's answer, it would be good to remind ourselves of Scripture once again.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died–more than that, who was raised–who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thanks for listening to “Ask Paul Tripp.”
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