Jonah and the Big Meatloaf

This is Jonah; he likes dogs and guitars, but mostly he likes his Grammy’s meatloaf! Unfortunately he lives in Utah and his Grandpa and Grammy (my brother and sister-in-law) live in Ohio so Jonah doesn’t get Grammy’s meatloaf as often as he’d like.

Jonah was quite upset recently as he Face-Timed with Grammy and saw that she was making meatloaf, and he couldn’t have any. It simply didn’t make sense to this three-year-old that he couldn’t get in the car and drive to Grammy and Grandpa’s for dinner.

When Jonah’s family was home for Christmas, Grammy made meatloaf for Jonah. He ate several big servings and after dinner he hugged his Grammy and said, “Grammy that was some gooooood chicken!”

Of course we all laugh at his sweet mistake, and we excuse it, after all, he’s only three. I recall struggling with things as a child, I’m sure you do to. I remember being corrected when I confused colors; and I remember confusing cherries and strawberries.

Jonah’s error didn’t change the truth that his Grammy made meatloaf, not chicken. Her meatloaf will always be meatloaf, and no matter how often Jonah might call it chicken, that doesn’t change the content of the meatloaf. Some things are immutable – they just don’t change. Red will never be blue. Strawberries will never be cherries. And Grammy’s meatloaf will always be ground beef.

More importantly, God doesn’t change.

“God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” – Numbers 23:19NLT

Because God doesn’t change, His Word doesn’t change and the Gospel of Salvation doesn’t change. Because God doesn’t change, any new gospel that contradicts or adds to God’s Word is a false gospel. Simply calling something “the gospel” doesn’t make it The Gospel; beef can’t become chicken.

“God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.” – Hebrews 6:17, 18b NLT

If God was a God who changed his mind, or who made promises that he didn’t keep, we would have no solid ground on which to stand; we would have nothing stable in which to place our faith. Red could become blue.

In God’s immutability, he is also perfect. He never makes mistakes that he must later correct. If he did, we would not know if the truths we hold today would still be true tomorrow. Strawberries could become cherries.

“He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!” – Deuteronomy 32:4 NLT

“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.” – 2 Samuel 22:31 – NIV

When you trust in the one and only Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, for your salvation, you don’t need to add anything else. Adding something – anything — causes the true Gospel to become a false gospel.

If there was anything that we needed to add, God would have told us. He didn’t. He told us that the only way to eternal life, the only way to heaven is through Jesus. You can stand on that truth and that truth alone.

Are you atanding on the truth that your salvation is secured by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in the one and only Son of God alone?