Classical theism famously insists that God is simple or non-composite, impassible, immutable, eternal in the sense of atemporal, omniscient in a sense that entails complete knowledge of the future, and omnipotent in the sense that there can be nothing that exists or occurs independently of his causal power. Classical theists hold that these attributes follow from God's being the ultimate reality in the order of being and the ultimate explanation of things in the order of discovery. Hence, it is claimed, to deny any of them is at least implicitly to deny God's ultimacy. by Chris Morrison (Facebook Friend)
Immutability and Impassibility are key, historic attributes the church has confessed, attributes that distinguish the infinite and eternal Creator from the finite and temporal creature. Immutability means God does not change in any way; he is unchanging and for that reason perfect in every way. Impassibility, a corollary to immutability, means God does not experience emotional change in any way, nor does God suffer. To clarify, God does not merely choose to be impassible; he is impassible by nature. Impassibility is intrinsic to his very being. Impassibility does not mean God is apathetic, nor does it undermine divine love. God is maximally alive; he is his attributes in infinite measure. Therefore, impassibility guarantees that God’s love could not be more infinite in its loveliness. Finally, impassibility provides great hope, for only a God who is not vulnerable to suffering in his divinity is capable of rescuing a world drowning in suffering. by Matthew Barret
I
don't know how classical theism works
with human free will, but I believe that somehow free will is figured
into what will come to pass.
Setting free will aside, how should one understand those references to God's emotion, such as wrath or sorrow or jealousy? These are different than things like love or mercy, because the former are temporal emotions and the later are the nature of God. Some believe God has emotions and others say that they are anthropomorphisms or anthropopathisms. Some say God is impassible and does not experience emotional change. But others would disagree.
Anthropomorphisms are human characteristics ascribed to God. God doesn't have an arm, but if Scripture speaks of the arm of God, we know it represents something about him, though he doesn't really have an arm. But when Scripture speaks of God's wrath, what does it represent? Maybe it is using a human emotion to represent God's disapproval. Jealousy represents the fact that God will not share his glory or his creation with another. God is just and disapproves of injustice. God desires to show mercy. Whether these are actual emotions on God's part or words to represent what is true of his nature, it seems either way we know something about him and what he expects from his creation. God is just, and he disapproves of injustice. God is creator, and he does not share his glory and creation with that which is not God, therefore he is a jealous God.
Anthropopathism : Attribution of human feelings to things not human, such as inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena. The ascription of human passions to supernatural beings, especially to the Supreme Being.
Anthropomorphism: Attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena. The ascription of human attributes to supernatural or divine beings; in theology, the conception or representation of God with human qualities and affections, or in a human shape
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