Luke 1:26-38
A question people sometimes ask when trying to discredit the omnipotence of God is, “Can God create a rock so large He cannot lift it?” There are other similar questions, such as: “Can God create a round square?”; “Can God create a two or four-sided triangle?”; “Can God create a ninety-year-old teenager?”
All of these and other similar questions are nonsensical absurdities. They are actually self-contradictory and incoherent questions. The best answer to inquiries of this nature is not that God cannot do these things, but that...logical absurdities do not lend themselves to being accomplished, and so, are not subject to power, not even to infinite power. (Warren, Thomas B., Have Atheists Proved There Is No God (Jonesboro, AR: National Christian Press, 1972), pp. 27ff.).
In other words, God can do whatever is possible to be done, as well as whatever is in harmony with His nature.
Thomas Aquinas wrote, “Whatever implies being and nonbeing simultaneously is incompatible with the absolute possibility which falls under divine omnipotence. Such a contradiction [like the ones I just mentioned] is not subject to it, not from any impotence in God, but because it simply does not have the nature of being feasible or possible. Whatever, then, does not involve a contradiction is in the realm of the possible with respect to which God is omnipotent. Whatever involves a contradiction is not within the scope of omnipotence because it cannot qualify for possibility. Better, however, to say that it cannot be done, rather than God cannot do it.” (T. Aquinas Summa Theologica, p. 163-164 , Volume I, ques. 15 ans. 3)
Simply put, there are some things God cannot do, either because they are “logical absurdities” or they are contrary to His nature!
Recently, I sat down and began making a list of the things the scripture says God cannot do. After recording six or seven statements, I decided to Google this thought to see what others things might be added to my list. To my surprise I found lists numbering from four to more than 101 things that God cannot do. I suppose the total number actually depends on whether you are looking for direct or indirect statements about things the scripture says God cannot do. With that in mind, let me give you twelve things scripture specifically says God cannot do.
- God cannot change. (Malachi 3:6; cf. Hebrews 13:8)
- God cannot lie. (Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2; Numbers 23:19)
- God cannot be tempted with evil. (James 1:13)
- God cannot change His Word. (Psalm 119:89)
- God cannot lose one of His children. (John 6:39)
- God cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)
- God cannot leave you. (Hebrews 13:5; Genesis 28:15; Deuteronomy 31:6)
- God cannot break a promise. (Psalm 89:34)
- God cannot get tired. (Isaiah 40:28)
- God cannot be unholy. (Isaiah 6:3)
- God cannot show partiality. (Deuteronomy 10:17; Romans 2:11; Colossians 3:25; 1 Peter 1:17)
- God cannot enjoy our sin. (Isaiah 59:2)
All of these things would fall within the realm of causing God to violate His divine nature, if He were to do them. Let’s remember, God only does what is in harmony with His nature! He cannot violate who He is, nor will He do things that are nonsensical absurdities!
Having said that, there is a comforting phrase found in the Christmas story that all believers need to take to heart. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce that she would be the vessel through whom the Christ-child would be delivered, she wondered how since she had never “known” a man. In addition to the explanation of how the Holy Spirit would create this miracle within her womb, God told Mary about Elizabeth who was past the years of giving birth to a child. Already Elizabeth was six months pregnant with her son, something the angel said was only possible because God can do the impossible (cf. Luke 1:37).
Christmas is the season of hope when we are all reminded that God can do anything He chooses to do. He is omnipotent and His will cannot be circumvented. Whatever does not violate His divine nature, He is powerful to accomplish...even conceiving a baby in a virgin’s womb. That was the assurance given to Mary about what was going to happen to her and the promise to which she submitted herself.
A “virgin” birth is unique, but totally within the power of the One that is not limited by the “laws of nature.” After all, it is God that put the laws into place and He can suspend them, set them aside, or override them whenever it is appropriate to accomplish His purposes. And, that is exactly what He did in bringing Christ into this world to be our Savior! He performed a miracle!
This whole idea of God being able to do the impossible is not something new or only revealed in the Christmas story. There are many miraculous events that happened around the birth of Christ and throughout His ministry, death and resurrection. But, God has often done what can only be termed as humanly impossible...or miraculous.
- When Abraham and Sarah were well past the years of giving birth to a child, God reminded them that with Him nothing was impossible...and Isaac was eventually born. (Genesis 18:11-15)
- After Job was reminded that God did not owe him an explanation of how He goes about doing His work because it is so far beyond mankind's ability to understand it, Job declared that God can do anything. (Job 42:2)
- When Jeremiah saw Jerusalem under siege, He cried out to the Lord and God responded with a reminder that He would again gather His people to that very place to fulfill His everlasting covenant with them...because He can do the impossible. (Jeremiah 32:17, 27)
- When Jesus said it was hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, the disciples were baffled by His statement, but Jesus told them that with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)
- When the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would be the mother of the Christ-child, she couldn’t understand how it could be true, but she was reminded that “with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)
One of the things that we learn from the Christmas story is that no matter what we are facing...our God is still greater and more powerful. If He chooses...He can do the impossible in changing our circumstances or He can do the impossible by sustaining us in our circumstances. Either way, there is always reason for hope when you know the God of Heaven through His Son, Jesus Christ!
“In Greek, the phrase πᾶν ῥῆμα (pan rhēma, “nothing”) has an emphatic position, giving it emphasis as the lesson in the entire discussion. The remark is a call for faith.” (NET Bible Notes on 1:37)
Upon hearing that God can do what is humanly impossible, Mary surrenders herself in faith to God’s promise (cf. 1:38). That is what He is calling all of us to do during this season of Advent...or any season of life, for that matter!
- Abraham trusted God and became the father of many nations.
- Job trusted God and twice as much was restored to him after his suffering.
- Joseph trusted God and was raised up to be the ruler of Egypt.
- Moses trusted God and saw the mighty Red Sea rolled back to make a way of passage.
- David trusted God and slew a nine-foot giant with a single, small stone.
- Elijah trusted God and heard the sound of a heavy rain before anyone else.
- Paul and Silas trusted God in the prison cell and were miraculously released.
We all have things in our lives that should cause us to turn to God in faith...some problem or situation that we just can’t seem to resolve.
Christmas reminds us of the hope we have in God and that He wants to be intimately involved in our lives, so much so that He did the impossible in bringing the Savior of mankind to us through the womb of the VIRGIN Mary!
Try to always remember...Trusting God brings about extraordinary happenings in otherwise ordinary people’s lives!
Sometimes God brings us to the end of ourselves so that we can fully rely on Him by seeing how limited we are and how unlimited He is…“For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)
