If God never changes, why does Scripture show Him angry, jealous, or regretful?
Robert Sungenis answers that God's nature never changes but his dealings with creation do, so when Scripture says God repented, relented or grew angry he is freely responding to human action. He rejects the common Thomist reading that such language is merely metaphorical, holding that God truly interacts with his creatures and his responses are real, while his will and essence remain unchanging.
If God never changes, why does Scripture show Him angry, jealous, or regretful?
Answer
God’s nature never changes, but His dealings with creation do. When Scripture says God repented, relented, or grew angry, it means He is freely responding to man’s actions. He remains the same in essence but can act differently depending on human behavior. Thomists often say such language is metaphorical, but it is not. God truly interacts with His creatures. His responses are real, but His will and essence remain unchanging.