Malachi 3:6-15

·52 min·5 clips

Mohler argues that if God could change like humans, humanity would be doomed, based on Malachi 3:6.

The episode is a sermon by Albert Mohler on Malachi 3:6-15, part of his 'Line by Line' series. Mohler begins with a prayer and introduction, noting the passage's importance in his personal theology. He outlines Malachi's structure as a legal indictment leading to a divine verdict, referencing scholar Elizabeth Ochsmeyer's interpretation. Mohler then delves into Malachi 3:6, 'For I the Lord do not change,' explaining its centrality to the doctrine of God's immutability. He recounts theological debates from the 20th century, including responses to World Wars and the Holocaust, where some theologians proposed a suffering God. Mohler contrasts this with biblical texts like Numbers 23:19 and James 1:17, which affirm God's changelessness. He uses personal anecdotes, such as his father's moods and his own experiences, to illustrate human mutability versus divine constancy. Mohler addresses how scripture uses poetic language for God's emotions, interpreting it through categorical texts like Malachi 3:6. He discusses the Reformation principle of interpreting scripture by scripture and applies it to God's attributes. The sermon touches on modern challenges, including liberal theology's decline and evangelical debates over open theism, which Mohler opposed in a plenary address to the Evangelical Theological Society. He concludes by emphasizing that God's unchanging promises secure salvation, urging listeners to base their faith on this truth.

As heard by us

A grave, text-centered meditation on God's unchanging character as good news for people who fear being consumed.

Malachi 3:6 anchors a focused review of God's immutability and the comfort the host draws from it. The episode moves from dependence on God's word to the darker implication of a changeable God: people could not trust his purposes, know whether his heart had shifted, or feel sure…

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Why you'd press play

Press play when you need Malachi 3:6 turned into a reason to trust God when everything in you wants something steadier to hold.

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