If God is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, is there anything God can’t do? It’s an important question to ponder because it can lead to some false perceptions of God and ourselves. How is that? If there is nothing God can’t do, why didn’t God stop COVID-19 before it even started? Why doesn’t God heal everyone of their imperfections? Could it be possible that God can’t? Is it possible that God has limitations for what God can and cannot do?
God’s nature is eternal, without beginning or end. God did not create or choose the attributes of the divine nature. And God cannot change them because the divine nature is immutable.” “A God worthy of our worship cannot be Someone who causes, supports, or allows genuine evil. ~ Thomas Jay Oord
Most people will agree that humans have free will or, if you wish, say-so for how they choose to live their lives. Each person gets to decide how they will respond to the idea of a Higher Power, a Creator responsible for all of creation, including our very existence. If it’s true that God has created humankind in God’s image and given us free will, isn’t it fair to suggest that God can’t revoke our free will once God grants us free will, or it wouldn’t be free will at all, now would it?
If that’s true, then open theism would have a strong argument for why God can’t, especially when we think that God should be intervening. This theology would explain why evil exists and suggest that God’s heart hurts when we hurt from experiencing the evils that exist in this fallen world.
“We know that perfectly loving humans who could stop evils would do so. Why don’t we think a perfectly loving God would stop the evils if God could do so?” ~ Thomas Jay Oord
If Thomas Jay Oord’s theology challenges you or his open theism position is attractive to you, then consider purchasing his book “God Can’t.” Thomas Jay Oord’s book is available at Amazon, iTunes, and other online sources.
Lord, I don’t know everything You can do, can’t do, or won’t do, but I do know You are real and desire a relationship with me. Please help me be honest, open-minded, and willing to remain teachable and ready to grow in understanding and effectiveness related to Your will and Your purpose. In Your Spirit and Name, I pray these things. Amen.
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