Impassible and Passible

Not only is God incomprehensible as the self-existent Creator, who does not change, and is simple, but God is also impassible. "Impassible" means that God cannot suffer or feel pain. He doesn't experience emotions. Why would theologians say something like this? Doesn't this make God seem imperfect - distant, uncaring, remote?

Many theologians argue the other way: Because God IS perfect, he cannot change. He is always sovereign, in control, and does as he pleases. God is not an unfeeling statue. No - God is constantly, completely, fully loving. He understands our pain - he is omniscient. But he doesn't suffer or feel our pain.

For instance, to modify an analogy from Millard Erickson, imagine you get into an awful car accident, and you are raced to the emergency room with a broken leg, broken arms, and blood everywhere. At that moment, do you want a doctor who feels all of your pain…? Or do you want a doctor who doesn't feel your pain but knows about it, cares about it, and can fix your problem?

But wait! You probably still have an objection… What about the Incarnation? It certainly seems like Jesus suffered! After all, he was crucified, and died! So, how do we explain that?

The theologian Graham Cole says this: "(The) incarnation was necessary precisely because the Son could not suffer and die as God. In becoming a man, the second person of the Trinity suffered and died in his human nature. In other words, God suffered and died in the only way that he could—by assuming a second nature that was capable of doing that."

There is much more to explore here, but I hope the main point is clear: another reason God is incomprehensible is because he is impassible. We just don't know what that is like!

We are very much "passible" - we are constantly suffering, feeling pain, and being affected by external forces.

While it is normal to project what we are like onto God, once we come to terms with the fact that God is different from us, and we cannot fully understand him, we start to understand who God really is.

And that's the goal of this course: to know our First Love on his own terms. Because when we know our God better, it leads us to wholehearted worship.

Consider how the Incarnation—God taking on human nature—demonstrates both His impassibility as God and His willingness to enter into human suffering through Christ.