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“God’s Omnipotence.”
This is my final semester & I’m extra excited because one of my classes is the area of apologetics I’m most passionate about, which is Theodicy: reconciling an all-good & all-powerful God with the evil & suffering in the world.
“God’s Omnipotence.”
This is my final semester & I’m extra excited because one of my classes is the area of apologetics I’m most passionate about, which is Theodicy: reconciling an all-good & all-powerful God with the evil & suffering in the world.
Page 2.
The argument goes like this:
God is omnipotent.
God is wholly good.
Evil exists.
If something is wholly good, it always eliminates as much evil as it can.
If something is omnipotent, it can do anything.
The argument goes like this:
God is omnipotent.
God is wholly good.
Evil exists.
If something is wholly good, it always eliminates as much evil as it can.
If something is omnipotent, it can do anything.
Page 3.
I’m only going to address the concept of “omnipotence.” Not only do atheists love to use the omnipotence argument in an attempt to disprove God, they also have a very skewed understanding of the word “omnipotence.”
I’m only going to address the concept of “omnipotence.” Not only do atheists love to use the omnipotence argument in an attempt to disprove God, they also have a very skewed understanding of the word “omnipotence.”
Page 4.
It’s generally assumed that if the God depicted in the Bible exists, He can do anything-since He is represented as being all-powerful. However, that’s incorrect. In reality, omnipotence by definition does not & cannot, apply to that which does not lend itself to power.
It’s generally assumed that if the God depicted in the Bible exists, He can do anything-since He is represented as being all-powerful. However, that’s incorrect. In reality, omnipotence by definition does not & cannot, apply to that which does not lend itself to power.
Page 5.
Atheists have posed queries that they feel nullify the notion of omnipotence thereby demonstrating the nonexistence of God. For example, “Can God create a boulder so large that He, Himself, cannot life it?”
Atheists have posed queries that they feel nullify the notion of omnipotence thereby demonstrating the nonexistence of God. For example, “Can God create a boulder so large that He, Himself, cannot life it?”
Page 6.
No, He cannot. But not for the reasons implied by the skeptic: that He does not exist or that He is not omnipotent. Rather, it’s because the question is itself, self-contradictory & incoherent.
No, He cannot. But not for the reasons implied by the skeptic: that He does not exist or that He is not omnipotent. Rather, it’s because the question is itself, self-contradictory & incoherent.
Page 7.
It is absurd to speak of any power (even infinite power) being able to do what simply cannot be done. Logical absurdities do not lend themselves to being accomplished, & so, are not subject to power, not even to infinite power.
It is absurd to speak of any power (even infinite power) being able to do what simply cannot be done. Logical absurdities do not lend themselves to being accomplished, & so, are not subject to power, not even to infinite power.
Page 8.
Because Christ is the Divine Logos, His omnipotence is intrinsically bound by logical coherence. Whatever implies contradiction does not come within the scope of Divine omnipotence.
Because Christ is the Divine Logos, His omnipotence is intrinsically bound by logical coherence. Whatever implies contradiction does not come within the scope of Divine omnipotence.
Page 9.
So, even an all-powerful God couldn’t have created a world & allowed humans even an incline of moral freedom while at the same time limiting their freedom so that they only choose “good.” It’s the law of noncontradiction. Something can’t both be & not be at the same time
So, even an all-powerful God couldn’t have created a world & allowed humans even an incline of moral freedom while at the same time limiting their freedom so that they only choose “good.” It’s the law of noncontradiction. Something can’t both be & not be at the same time
Page 10.
The claim that God can do the logically impossible has implications. First, if God can do the logically impossible, then He can sin. He can also bring about that the same act is & is not sin at the same time and in the same sense and in the same person.
The claim that God can do the logically impossible has implications. First, if God can do the logically impossible, then He can sin. He can also bring about that the same act is & is not sin at the same time and in the same sense and in the same person.
Page 11.
He may consign us both to heaven & hell at the same time & in the same sense. If God can do the logically impossible, He can bring it about that it is logically impossible for Him to do the logically impossible.
He may consign us both to heaven & hell at the same time & in the same sense. If God can do the logically impossible, He can bring it about that it is logically impossible for Him to do the logically impossible.
Page 12.
This means that he both can & cannot do any & all of these things at the same time, in the same sense while both existing & not existing.
Such a view reduces God to nonsense.
This means that he both can & cannot do any & all of these things at the same time, in the same sense while both existing & not existing.
Such a view reduces God to nonsense.
