There are two Greek philosophical ideas that have had an inordinate impact on Christian doctrine over the centuries.
Christian theology, understood without reliance on the Greek ideas of absolute immutability and timelessness, would focus on a God who dynamically engages with creation within the unfolding of history. The Bible frequently depicts God as deeply involved in human affairs, responding to choices and events as they occur. This approach presents a relational and active view of divine nature, rooted in the biblical narrative and free from the constraints of abstract metaphysical concepts.
God’s interactions with humanity, such as His relenting from judgment or expressing grief over sin, demonstrate His capacity to engage meaningfully with the moral and spiritual state of His creation. Passages like Genesis 6:6 and Jonah 3:10 describe God adjusting His actions in response to human behavior, emphasizing His relational responsiveness. This does not compromise His faithfulness or reliability but instead highlights a steadfast commitment to His purposes while addressing the needs and circumstances of His people. Divine immutability, then, would refer to God’s consistent character rather than an inability to be affected by and respond to events as they happen.
Justice, central to God’s immutably righteous character, would be understood as His righteous governance, reflecting His role as the ultimate Judge who administers rewards and punishments based on what individuals deserve. Justice operates within the framework of actions and consequences, making it inherently tied to time and sequence. Romans 2:6 states that God “will render to each one according to his deeds,” a principle that reinforces His active and equitable dealings with humanity. Justice, therefore, would not exist as a static or timeless principle, as the Augustinians teach, but as an expression of God’s righteous nature applied within the unfolding of history.
This understanding shapes the doctrine of salvation as well. God’s redemptive work flows directly from His role as the ultimate Judge, where His justice demands a reckoning for wrongdoing. In this context, Calvary is the means by which God addresses human sin through an act of righteous judgment. By taking the consequences of sin upon Himself in the person of Christ, God demonstrates both the seriousness of sin and His profound mercy. The cross stands as the moment where God’s justice and mercy intersect, not as an abstract resolution to a philosophical dilemma, but as the tangible outworking of His righteousness within human history.
Human participation in this dynamic relationship becomes central to Christian doctrine, with faith, prayers, repentance, obedience, etc. playing meaningful roles in the unfolding of God’s purposes. Passages like James 5:16, which highlights the effectiveness of fervent prayer, and 2 Chronicles 7:14, which connects national restoration to repentance, demonstrate the real impact of human actions on divine responses. This perspective on the divine-human interaction and relationship underscores both God’s sovereignty and the genuine significance of human freedom.
Eschatology would likewise reflect a contingent and responsive understanding of God’s plans. Prophecies would not be seen as unchangeable declarations but as revelations contingent upon human response, as indicated in Jeremiah 18:7-10. The ultimate hope of a renewed creation and resurrection remains firm, but the path to its fulfillment would highlight God’s adaptive and relational engagement with humanity. God’s sovereignty would not be diminished by this view but expressed through His ability to achieve His purposes while fully honoring human agency by working with, through, around and in spite of various people to achieve his goals.
The Incarnation of Christ exemplifies this, with God entering history to engage directly with human experience. Philippians 2:6-8 portrays Christ’s humility in taking on human form, emphasizing God’s willingness to meet humanity where it is. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection illustrate God’s relational approach to redemption, where divine purposes are accomplished through meaningful engagement with His creation.
Ethical teaching would similarly emphasize responsiveness and adaptability, grounded in God’s unchanging character but sensitive to the relational context of human life. Micah 6:8 encapsulates this ethos, calling for justice, mercy, and humility before God. Moral principles would be understood not as static rules but as expressions of God’s desire for faithful and compassionate living within the ever-changing circumstances of life.
In this framework, Christian theology portrays a God who is dynamically engaged with creation, acting within time to achieve His purposes through genuine relationships with His creatures. His justice is active and fair, His mercy is responsive and profound, and His sovereignty is expressed through faithfulness to His promises and adaptability to human freedom. This theology reflects the biblical narrative of a God who is ever-present, relational, and deeply involved in the history of His creation.
- Absolute immutability, where God cannot change in any way whatsoever
- Divine Timelessness, where God is not at all temporal and exists entirely outside of time
Christian theology, understood without reliance on the Greek ideas of absolute immutability and timelessness, would focus on a God who dynamically engages with creation within the unfolding of history. The Bible frequently depicts God as deeply involved in human affairs, responding to choices and events as they occur. This approach presents a relational and active view of divine nature, rooted in the biblical narrative and free from the constraints of abstract metaphysical concepts.
God’s interactions with humanity, such as His relenting from judgment or expressing grief over sin, demonstrate His capacity to engage meaningfully with the moral and spiritual state of His creation. Passages like Genesis 6:6 and Jonah 3:10 describe God adjusting His actions in response to human behavior, emphasizing His relational responsiveness. This does not compromise His faithfulness or reliability but instead highlights a steadfast commitment to His purposes while addressing the needs and circumstances of His people. Divine immutability, then, would refer to God’s consistent character rather than an inability to be affected by and respond to events as they happen.
Justice, central to God’s immutably righteous character, would be understood as His righteous governance, reflecting His role as the ultimate Judge who administers rewards and punishments based on what individuals deserve. Justice operates within the framework of actions and consequences, making it inherently tied to time and sequence. Romans 2:6 states that God “will render to each one according to his deeds,” a principle that reinforces His active and equitable dealings with humanity. Justice, therefore, would not exist as a static or timeless principle, as the Augustinians teach, but as an expression of God’s righteous nature applied within the unfolding of history.
This understanding shapes the doctrine of salvation as well. God’s redemptive work flows directly from His role as the ultimate Judge, where His justice demands a reckoning for wrongdoing. In this context, Calvary is the means by which God addresses human sin through an act of righteous judgment. By taking the consequences of sin upon Himself in the person of Christ, God demonstrates both the seriousness of sin and His profound mercy. The cross stands as the moment where God’s justice and mercy intersect, not as an abstract resolution to a philosophical dilemma, but as the tangible outworking of His righteousness within human history.
Human participation in this dynamic relationship becomes central to Christian doctrine, with faith, prayers, repentance, obedience, etc. playing meaningful roles in the unfolding of God’s purposes. Passages like James 5:16, which highlights the effectiveness of fervent prayer, and 2 Chronicles 7:14, which connects national restoration to repentance, demonstrate the real impact of human actions on divine responses. This perspective on the divine-human interaction and relationship underscores both God’s sovereignty and the genuine significance of human freedom.
Eschatology would likewise reflect a contingent and responsive understanding of God’s plans. Prophecies would not be seen as unchangeable declarations but as revelations contingent upon human response, as indicated in Jeremiah 18:7-10. The ultimate hope of a renewed creation and resurrection remains firm, but the path to its fulfillment would highlight God’s adaptive and relational engagement with humanity. God’s sovereignty would not be diminished by this view but expressed through His ability to achieve His purposes while fully honoring human agency by working with, through, around and in spite of various people to achieve his goals.
The Incarnation of Christ exemplifies this, with God entering history to engage directly with human experience. Philippians 2:6-8 portrays Christ’s humility in taking on human form, emphasizing God’s willingness to meet humanity where it is. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection illustrate God’s relational approach to redemption, where divine purposes are accomplished through meaningful engagement with His creation.
Ethical teaching would similarly emphasize responsiveness and adaptability, grounded in God’s unchanging character but sensitive to the relational context of human life. Micah 6:8 encapsulates this ethos, calling for justice, mercy, and humility before God. Moral principles would be understood not as static rules but as expressions of God’s desire for faithful and compassionate living within the ever-changing circumstances of life.
In this framework, Christian theology portrays a God who is dynamically engaged with creation, acting within time to achieve His purposes through genuine relationships with His creatures. His justice is active and fair, His mercy is responsive and profound, and His sovereignty is expressed through faithfulness to His promises and adaptability to human freedom. This theology reflects the biblical narrative of a God who is ever-present, relational, and deeply involved in the history of His creation.
"The openness model is an attempt to provide a more biblically faithful, rationally coherent, and practically satisfying account of God and the divine-human relationship" - John Sanders
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