My first comment is more of a question. Do you believe God's omnipotence is limited? The speaker that was in convocation at LU this morning was talking about how the word omnipotence doesn't mean that God can do anything, but rather that God is all powerful but within that He has certain limitations. eg: God cannot bring himself to cease to exist, He cannot lie, He cannot sin. But the more i thought about that i felt that what we were doing was coming up with "logical" limitations to place on God based on our finite amount of knowledge. Maybe its because it is a pet peeve of mine to hear God "CANT" do blank... because it seems like such an arrogant and ignorant statement. Even though it doesn't make logical sense to us on earth doesn't mean God Can't. Rather i believe in God wouldn't statements that are based on his character rather then a limitation placed on his ability. Summing up what i just said into one line. God's omnipotence to mean really does mean God CAN do anything because He is all powerful. He is not bound by any of our physical limitations that we place on Him because logically it makes sense to us. Feel free to add or comment or disagree! it says anonymous but its Brandon ;)
I agree with that. God does not do things like lie because it goes against His nature. But in my mind the word cant does not apply to God. Just cause God can do anything does not mean that He must do anything. In today's society people try and understand God which is great. However a lot of people put human restrictions on Him. Like saying He can't do something because for us it is hard to understand a God that can do anything at all cause we don't have the same ability. I think people do this a lot with Omnipresence of God. They try to say that God is every where cause God is in you and there for He is every where. I believe that the holy spirit (who is fully God) is every where as well as in us. Feel free to disagree or add comments.
I would disagree. I would suggest that the idea of proposing something contrary to His nature is incoherent. God cannot sin, because if He could, He would cease to be God. God his holy, therefore He is bound by His nature to not sin.
C.S Lewis makes the point when answering "Can God make a rock so heavy even He cannot lift it" is logically inconsistent and by definition cannot be done. It is like saying can God draw a square circle. C.S Lewis rectifies the paradox by noting that it cannot be that any being could draw a square circle, if it is square then by definition it is not circle. In the book, the Problem of pain he defines the question as meaningless because of the obviously contradictory nature and states, "Therefore the question (and therefore the perceived paradox) is meaningless. Nonsense does not suddenly acquire sense and meaning with the addition of the two words, "God can" before it"
Ironically, I was just reading the book of James this morning. In James 1:13 it says that "God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone". He is incapable of being tempted. There's an example of something God cannot do.
i would agree God cannot be tempted by evil, but i don't think that it is because of a lack of power or limitation placed on Him, but rather because there is no sense of innate evil in Him. He is all Good. And all sin is in opposition to His character. We were born with a sin nature making sin look appealing to our flesh and our pride. But to say God cannot be tempted i think is interesting because we see in Luke 4 Jesus being "tempted" by Satan. So either God just will never "give in" to temptation because of a lack of appeal, or God is not able (capable) to be tempted. I believe that God will not do things in opposition of his character. in fact you may say he cannot do things because if if he did something outside of his character it would be essentially good. For example if God was to do something that by our pre existing standards is considered a sin. it would not be sin. Because God is the standard. Now thankfully we have been given the Word of God which is innerant and does not go against His character. But God does not go against his character. But thats not to say he can't. i don't think we should confine God in a box. Although we know God is immutable (does not change) it does not mean He has any limitation on him but rather is consistent with His character.
My first comment is more of a question. Do you believe God's omnipotence is limited? The speaker that was in convocation at LU this morning was talking about how the word omnipotence doesn't mean that God can do anything, but rather that God is all powerful but within that He has certain limitations. eg: God cannot bring himself to cease to exist, He cannot lie, He cannot sin. But the more i thought about that i felt that what we were doing was coming up with "logical" limitations to place on God based on our finite amount of knowledge. Maybe its because it is a pet peeve of mine to hear God "CANT" do blank... because it seems like such an arrogant and ignorant statement. Even though it doesn't make logical sense to us on earth doesn't mean God Can't. Rather i believe in God wouldn't statements that are based on his character rather then a limitation placed on his ability. Summing up what i just said into one line. God's omnipotence to mean really does mean God CAN do anything because He is all powerful. He is not bound by any of our physical limitations that we place on Him because logically it makes sense to us. Feel free to add or comment or disagree!
ReplyDeleteit says anonymous but its Brandon ;)
I agree with that. God does not do things like lie because it goes against His nature. But in my mind the word cant does not apply to God. Just cause God can do anything does not mean that He must do anything. In today's society people try and understand God which is great. However a lot of people put human restrictions on Him. Like saying He can't do something because for us it is hard to understand a God that can do anything at all cause we don't have the same ability. I think people do this a lot with Omnipresence of God. They try to say that God is every where cause God is in you and there for He is every where. I believe that the holy spirit (who is fully God) is every where as well as in us. Feel free to disagree or add comments.
DeleteI would disagree. I would suggest that the idea of proposing something contrary to His nature is incoherent. God cannot sin, because if He could, He would cease to be God. God his holy, therefore He is bound by His nature to not sin.
ReplyDeleteC.S Lewis makes the point when answering "Can God make a rock so heavy even He cannot lift it" is logically inconsistent and by definition cannot be done. It is like saying can God draw a square circle. C.S Lewis rectifies the paradox by noting that it cannot be that any being could draw a square circle, if it is square then by definition it is not circle.
In the book, the Problem of pain he defines the question as meaningless because of the obviously contradictory nature and states,
"Therefore the question (and therefore the perceived paradox) is meaningless. Nonsense does not suddenly acquire sense and meaning with the addition of the two words, "God can" before it"
Ironically, I was just reading the book of James this morning. In James 1:13 it says that "God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone". He is incapable of being tempted. There's an example of something God cannot do.
ReplyDeletei would agree God cannot be tempted by evil, but i don't think that it is because of a lack of power or limitation placed on Him, but rather because there is no sense of innate evil in Him. He is all Good. And all sin is in opposition to His character. We were born with a sin nature making sin look appealing to our flesh and our pride. But to say God cannot be tempted i think is interesting because we see in Luke 4 Jesus being "tempted" by Satan. So either God just will never "give in" to temptation because of a lack of appeal, or God is not able (capable) to be tempted. I believe that God will not do things in opposition of his character. in fact you may say he cannot do things because if if he did something outside of his character it would be essentially good. For example if God was to do something that by our pre existing standards is considered a sin. it would not be sin. Because God is the standard. Now thankfully we have been given the Word of God which is innerant and does not go against His character. But God does not go against his character. But thats not to say he can't. i don't think we should confine God in a box. Although we know God is immutable (does not change) it does not mean He has any limitation on him but rather is consistent with His character.
ReplyDelete