The question of whether God makes mistakes is an important one for many believers. At first glance, it may seem obvious that the all-knowing, all-powerful Creator does not err. However, a deeper look at Scripture reveals a more nuanced perspective.
On the one hand, the Bible clearly teaches that God is perfect and his plans cannot be thwarted. Numbers 23:19 declares, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” This verse indicates God’s promises and purposes are sure – he does not change his mind or fail to accomplish what he purposes. 1 Samuel 15:29 states, “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.” Again, God’s immutability is contrasted with fickle humanity. God does not err or have faults in his character that would require course corrections.
Furthermore, Isaiah 46:9-10 proclaims, “I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'” Here God declares his unique ability to orchestrate history according to his good plans. Ephesians 1:11 explains that in Christ, believers have been predestined according to God’s purpose, “who works all things according to the counsel of his will.” God oversees even the smallest details with perfect precision and sovereignty.
With texts like these in mind, some conclude that God never makes mistakes or changes his plans. Yet Scripture also contains examples where God seems to change his course of action or expresses regret. This requires care to reconcile with God’s perfection and sovereignty.
First, several passages describe God as “relenting” from a threatened judgment. For example, Exodus 32:9-14 records God’s anger at Israel’s idolatry. He threatens to destroy them, but Moses intercedes and “the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.” A similar scenario unfolds in 1 Chronicles 21 when God sends a plague on Israel but then relents after David intercedes. In Jeremiah 18:7-8 God says if he speaks of uprooting a nation but then they repent, “I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it.” How do we make sense of God “relenting” if he does not err or change his mind (1 Sam 15:29)?
Some observe that these passages do not necessarily depict God as mistaken or changing his eternal purposes. Rather, within his fixed overall plan, God relates dynamically to people and may adapt how he accomplishes his will accordingly. The LORD can be grieved by sin and extend mercy to the repentant, even though he remains unchanged overall. Therefore, God’s “relenting” should not be seen as weakness or shortsightedness on God’s part. As D.A. Carson explains, “These texts represent the Lord as ‘relenting’ not because he has changed his mind about the best course of action, but because he has changed course in light of changed circumstances: human repentance.”
Likewise, other passages describe God expressing regret over something he had previously decreed. Genesis 6:5-7 reports that God was “sorry” he had made mankind and put them on the earth because of their wickedness, and he resolved to send the Flood as judgment. After Saul is made king of Israel, 1 Samuel 15:10-11 states that God regretted making Saul king, because he had turned away from obeying God’s commandments. Do these verses imply shortsightedness or mistakes on God’s part? Did God fail to anticipate these problems when he acted?
Once again, we must recognize that such language reflects God’s relationship dynamics with his creatures. Within his sovereign plan, God genuinely interacts with human choices and responds appropriately. So while the LORD’s overarching purpose has not changed, he expresses sorrow over mankind’s sinful rebellion. John Frame helpfully explains, “When God regretted making man (Gen. 6:6), it was precisely because his righteous evaluation of man’s character (Gen. 6:5) differed from the evaluation he had of man’s character at creation (Gen. 1:31)…The regret arose not from any imperfection in the original evaluation, but from the actual development of human history.” God relates to people where they are at, not pretending their sin does not grieve him, yet all while working everything toward his ultimate ends.
Furthermore, attributing apparent “regret” to God may serve rhetorical purposes in Scripture. It emphasizes the gravity of sin, showing how seriously God takes disobedience and how far mankind has fallen. Additionally, it highlights God’s mercy in providing repeated warnings and opportunities to repent before executing judgment. Overall, we must remember that God transcends time – he sees the end from the beginning. So while God interacts purposefully within the timeline of human history, this does not mean his transcendent vantage point is limited.
A few other passages at first seem to directly depict some kind of mistake on God’s part. Genesis 22:12 records that after Abraham passed God’s test of being willing to sacrifice Isaac, the Angel of the LORD declares “Now I know that you fear God.” Does this mean God was previously ignorant of Abraham’s heart until this test? 1 Chronicles 13:9-10 tells of how Uzzah was struck dead for touching the Ark of the Covenant, after which the LORD says he “broke out against Uzzah.” Does this imply God somehow erred in this severe response? John Frame helpfully deals with texts like these: “When Scripture says that God repents or changes his mind, we must remember that this is anthropomorphic language. It does not imply that God learns things he did not know before. But neither does it imply that God actually changes his mind. Rather, it reports a change in God’s observable actions or reactions.” Passages like these metaphorically describe the human experience of interacting with God, but should not be interpreted as limitations on God’s knowledge or constancy.
In considering whether God makes mistakes, a few key truths provide an anchor. First, God’s nature is immutable – he does not change. This means his perfect attributes such as wisdom, holiness, truthfulness, and knowledge are not subject to flux or revision. Secondly, God’s sovereign decrees over history and human destiny do not shift. He works all things together for his glory and does not have to deviate from his original intentions (Isa 46:10). Finally, language of God relenting, regretting, or similar, reflects his genuine interactions with mankind within the timeline of history. As an merciful and emotional being, Scripture depicts God responding dynamically to human actions. Yet this should never be construed as God failing to account for things ahead of time.
In summary, the Bible presents God as a living, emotional being who relates to his creatures even while transcending time and flawlessly orchestrating all of history. While occasionally anthropomorphic language is used to stress human experience with God, Scripture does not depict God as mistaken or incompetent. He remains infinitely wise and sovereign even in passages mentioning God’s repentance or regret. By considering these passages in context, we can arrive at an understanding of God’s perfection that allows for dynamic interaction with mankind, without imputing human limitations to the Divine.