Does God have emotions?

It is inexpressible comfort to see that God knows every ingredient in the cup of trial He mixes for us. It is His own heart He is telling out while He is thus searching out Abraham's? Did it not cost Him to give up His own beloved Son? Was the sacrifice all on the Son's part, and none on the Father's? Shall we call Him "Father," and not credit Him with a Father's heart? Is our God revealed as an impassive God who does not feel? We must not ascribe to Him human defect or frailty, surely, but must we not credit Him with love? He would rather come under imputation of defect than that we should think this of Him. "God is not a man that He should repent," yet He will talk about repenting. Nay, not only did it repent the Lord that He had made man, but "it grieved Him at His heart." Blessed to know such a heart; and that what the Son of His bosom suffered, the bosom that held the Son suffered also.

In verse 6 we are told how all this affected the Lord, and here for the first time we have human feelings attributed to God. Only thus could we have any understanding of such a matter, and there is nothing incongruous in it, inasmuch as man has been made in the image and likeness of God. Only there must be an intensity and elevation in the Divine thoughts and feelings altogether unknown by man. How great must have been His grief! All good at the outset, and now all so abominable, that nothing could meet the case but the total destruction of mankind, with but few exceptions, and also of the animate creation that had been committed to man's hand.

"And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man [was] great on the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart only evil continually (all the day). And Jehovah repented that be had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And Jehovah said, I will wipe out man whom I have created, from the face of the ground — from man to cattle, to reptiles, and to bird of the heavens; for I repent that I have made them. But Noah found favour in the eyes of Jehovah" (vers. 5-8).

Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Could He be indifferent to the general state of man morally? It is not God simply in His nature, but He who concerns Himself with the ways of His creatures. Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth. Nor would it be easy to find a more solemn appraisal: "every imagination" of them was before Him; and He who loves to accredit the least thought or feeling that is good saw nothing but evil all the day. He is assuredly the God of judgment, and after due testimony will not be slow to execute it.

Yet the language employed is affectingly suggestive of the grief it cost Him Whom the unbelieving mind of man is pleased to treat as impassive. "Be not deceived, evil communications corrupt good manners. Wake up righteously and sin not; for some have ignorance of God," as the apostle speaks to our shame. Converse with the world lowers to its own level those who thus indulge; and as the world by its wisdom, when it boasted most, knew not God, it never without Christ finds Him out; for Christ is the image of the invisible God; and Christ never showed Himself insensible to human evil, whatever His patience and endurance. No doubt, as is so characteristic of these early revelations, the expression is by grace adapted in childlike fashion to the heart and conscience of man. Jehovah felt deeply what man ought to have felt but did not. "Jehovah repented that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart."

These questions must be left without reply. The other Apostolic testimonies which declare the Son of God to be 'the image of the invisible God,'9 'the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person,'1 though strikingly assertive of the Lord's divinity, are by no means identical in force with the language of the verse now before us. For they respect rather what is manifested than what is essential, though the latter is plainly involved in the former. But Paul here uses an expression of a different kind. With him essential Godhead has a form. No merely theological definition of deity exists of a perfectly satisfactory kind. Nor is this surprising, as the very attempt at such definition on any of our parts is but a spiritual impertinence, since what is neither visible nor mentally comprehensible cannot be defined. All such endeavours are in their nature not 'of faith,' and are therefore self-condemned. To listen to God's words, and record faithfully in our hearts what is by Him revealed on such a subject, is our safety and our praise. Accepting the unauthorised assumption that God is 'without body, parts, or passions,' very many who read Paul's words take 'form' loosely in the sense of 'nature.' But precision as well as truth belongs to all inspired words, and 'form' is surely not the same as 'nature.' And that the Father has a form or shape2 may be inferred from the Lord's own declaration to the Jews.

Dr. Waldenström's first proposition is "that no change has been effected in the heart of God by the fall." Now as to God's nature, this is surely true. If He is love, He is always love; if righteous, always righteous; if holy, always holy. But because He changes not, His relationship towards others changes, and His conduct and dealings, because they are changed.

Certainly God knew from eternity past that man would so greatly corrupt himself, yet we are told in verse 6 that He repented that He had made man on the earth. This surely indicates the depth of sorrow that God feels in contemplating the sin of mankind. On the one hand God's great wisdom and power is seen in His creation and also in His marvelous work of recovery after man's ruin; but on the other hand we see the reality of the feelings of His heart in reference to His creatures willingly choosing to rebel against Him. Though God is absolutely sovereign, yet man is seriously responsible and must be made to feel the results of his willful sin. Thus, God decreed that He would "blot out man -- from the face of the land." Yet animals, creeping things and birds are included in this awesome destruction, for man's sin has involved the rest of the earthly creation. People may say that when they sin it is only themselves they have damaged, but man's sin always affects others too, even unreasoning creatures.

Has the living God no compassions or sympathies? Can He not be moved by the sight of human woes? The presence of Him who was sent here by the Father is a sufficient answer to that. And is not the cross of the Son the great manifestation of that love and pity with which He looked down upon a world dominated by sin and Satan? Even as to the sorrow of His earthly and rebellious people He could say: “In all their afflictions He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them: In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old” (Isa. 63:9).

(2) All the time while they regard not God, He is regarding them. Patiently He searches among them so as to know if there be one that understands or seeks after Him. This anthropomorphism as to God is beautiful. Put it how you will, you must not believe that the living God is careless of His creatures. He will not judge hastily, or in a lump, but with careful discrimination.

[* God is not a man, that He should repent as to His eternal and unchangeable counsels and unconditional promises, which "are without repentance." But in His grace He may repent of, i.e., not carry out, a threatened judgment, as in the case of Nineveh. We must remember, that the Spirit of God condescends to express Himself after the human way of speaking, on account of our infirmities.]

Then the third set of questions would again, if entertained, bring God's nature into question. "Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? (v.9). Is it possible for God to forget? Is he God, or not? Has He become so angry that He has cut off all possibility of showing His characteristic tender mercies? Men may become so angry as to lose control of themselves, but God's anger is always consistent with His love. Because He loves good, He is angry with 'what attacks good, and his anger is perfectly wise, for it is anger against evil, and therefore active on behalf of good. Always it has in view the greatest good of believers.