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 Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2026 10:51 am
I've encountered theologians who believe that God is unmoved by prayers. In fact, they have argued that He doesn't answer prayer at all.
Why pray, then?
Their answer: Obedience.
The main thrust of their argument is that if God can be moved to answer prayers, then He is not immutable. Any time Scripture indicates that God changed His mind is merely literary - God did not actually "change His mind".
I would contend that their primary mistake is one of definition. God is immutable. He does not change, something He states, for example, in Malachi 3. But what does immutability mean, exactly? In classical theology, it means that God's character does not change, and His attributes and ultimate purposes do not change, either. Therefore, God doesn't ever stop being loving or just or perfect. He doesn't stop being omnipotent or omniscient. He has secured for Himself a people with His blood, and that won't change.
It does not logically follow, however, that God cannot be moved by prayer, and His willingness to hear and answer prayer requests because they have been requested do not, in any way, contradict His immutability in any manner, because they do not: 1) change His character, 2) change His attributes, or 3) change His ultimate purposes (and if they would contradict His ultimate purposes, He can simply decline them).
But what do you think? Do you think God answers prayer requests? Do you think God's immutability necessarily excludes His ability to consider and answer prayer requests? What about Jesus' teaching on prayer? Let me know what you think.
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2026 10:00 am
I love this topic, especially as my own prayer journey has developed over the years.
I would like to think that God answers prayer, and also that prayer often changes us more than the other way around and aligns us with His will (I would say that God can be both immutable and able to respond to prayer).
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