Can G-d Do Anything?

October 16, 2009 at 2:15 pm · Filed under General and tagged: C.S.Lewis, Can God Do Anything?, limiting God, omniscient, The Problem of Pain

by cndllighter

I was recently thinking of an issue that came to my attention a few months ago, in a theological debate with a friend. The question at hand is, “Can G-d Do Anything?” Of course, we both agreed that G-d is omniscient, able of doing the impossible, and all-powerful. I went so far as to say, “G-d can’t move a parked car, because if he did, it wouldn’t be parked anymore.” Unfortunately, this may have not been the best example, as the quick response was, “Well G-d could change the laws of science, or the definition of ‘parked’ and then he could.” This argument stayed in my head until the other night when I thought up this rebuttal:

Examples:
G-d cannot create a stick with just one end.
G-d cannot create two mountains without a valley in between.
G-d cannot deny himself.

This is what we call the “intrinsically impossible”. Of course, being omniscient, G-d can do the impossible, such as miracles and wonders, and things which no mortal can do, but he cannot do the intrinsically impossible, simply because it is nonsense.

The dilemma: Are we limiting G-d if we believe this?
My answer: G-d is limiting himself.

Explanation: G-d is truth; a lie is not the truth; if G-d lies, he is not truth – therefore G-d cannot lie. He is limiting himself. Another example is this: G-d is holy; something that comes in contact with sin is not holy; if G-d comes in contact with something unholy, he is not holy – therefore, G-d cannot come in contact with sin.

Thus we come to a conclusion. I will end this with a line based on a quote from C. S. Lewis, “You cannot state that nonsense is true, simply by putting before it the words ‘G-d can.’”

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