One possible confusion with divine impassibility involves the cross since Christ suffers on the cross. I should note that the same problem exists for divine simplicity, immutability, and so on. The answers to these possible problems generally involve reflecting deeper on the doctrine of God and the Trinity as well as Christology.
Recently, I wrote an article on divine impassibility. In the article, I tried to show how only the suffering God can help us during times of crises. It was not an article “proving” the doctrine since divine impassibility is both creedal and confessional, although at some point I would like to write a scriptural-theological argument for the doctrine.
One possible confusion with divine impassibility involves the cross since Christ suffers on the cross. I should note that the same problem exists for divine simplicity, immutability, and so on. The answers to these possible problems generally involve reflecting deeper on the doctrine of God and the Trinity as well as Christology.
Six Statements on God
1. Christ suffered as the person of Christ—which means that in Christ, God can be said to suffer, yes. But he can suffer only because he added to himself humanity. And it is only the person of Christ who suffers.
2. Any doctrine of penal substitution that says God suffers in himself as God has problems. This is why some Christians accuse penal substitution of heresy.
3. The cross is a triune work of salvation. It is the Father’s love, the Son’s satisfaction, and the Spirit’s perfecting of the work. It’s not that God is far away at the cross, or that God hates himself. God judged Christ with the just condemnation of sin.
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