The Nature of God — Three Things God Can’t Do

Wait a minute, God is all-powerful and all-knowing, so he can do anything, right? It turns out that’s not true — some things God can’t do. The problem comes from thinking all-power means the ability to do anything. To use the philosophical argument: Can God create a rock so big he can’t move it?

Obviously not. For if God creates it, that means by definition He can control it. So God can not create a rock so big He can’t control it. But that’s not the only thing God can’t do.

1. God Can’t Learn

If you already know everything, it’s impossible for you to learn.

That’s good, because it means when I make a mistake tomorrow, it doesn’t catch God by surprise. Way back in the garden of Eden, Adam’s blowing it didn’t catch God by surprise, because God can’t learn.

I am the LORD, and I do not change. (Malachi 3:6 NLT)

2. God Can’t Lie

As part of His nature, God can’t lie. Many people talk about the God of the Old Testament versus the God of the New Testament, but they’re the same God, as God cannot lie or change.

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. (Hebrews 6:18 NLT)

3. God Can’t Make You Love Him

Love implies a voluntary choice, thus it’s not possible to force someone to love you. In spite of possessing all power and knowledge, in the end God doesn’t get what He wants — all people to accept Him.

All Power Does Not Mean the Ability to do Anything

The mistaken idea God can do anything comes up in the problem of evil as some say if God is good, and all-powerful, the fact evil exists means He’s either not all-powerful, or not good.

The problem comes from those believing possessing all-power provides that entity the ability to do anything, and when looked at logically, you’ll discover that turns out to be false.

Filed Under: Doctrine

Recommended Citation:
Yeager, Darrin "The Nature of God — Three Things God Can’t Do" (2023-11-23 14:45),
https://www.dyeager.org/post/nature-of-god-part1-3-things-god-cant-do.html
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