This is an important theological question that has been debated throughout history. The Bible teaches that God is all-powerful, sovereign over everything, and able to accomplish all His holy will. However, there are some things that God cannot do because they are contrary to His nature and attributes.
God Cannot Lie
The Bible says that God is truth (John 14:6) and that it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18). Lying and deception go against God’s moral perfection and commitment to truth. Therefore, even though God has the power to do anything, He cannot defy His own nature by lying.
“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” (Titus 1:2)
God Cannot Change
God’s attributes are eternal and unchanging, this includes His love, justice, mercy, goodness, etc. Malachi 3:6 declares “For I am the Lord, I change not.” God is perfect, complete, and lacks nothing – so He has no need to change. His plans and purposes remain fixed from eternity past to eternity future.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17)
God Cannot Deny Himself
God always acts in accordance with His attributes and promises. He is faithful even when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13). God keeps His word because it is contrary to His holy nature to deny Himself or go back on His promises. He will accomplish all that He has decreed.
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13)
God Cannot Be Tempted By Evil
God is holy, righteous and separate from sin. Evil does not dwell with God, nor does He tempt anyone (James 1:13). Temptation arises from our own fallen nature, not from God (James 1:14). God has no sinful desires to tempt Him to do wrong. He cannot be directly tempted by evil.
“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” (James 1:13)
God Cannot Die or Cease to Exist
God is the eternal, self-existent Creator of all things (Genesis 1:1). He alone is immortal and exists forever (1 Timothy 6:16). He is self-sufficient, uncreated, and the source of all life. It is impossible for the eternal God who exists outside of time to die or cease to exist.
“who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:16)
God Cannot Author Evil or Sin
God is perfectly holy and separate from all moral evil or sin (1 John 1:5). He tempts no one to sin (James 1:13) but rather grieves over it (Genesis 6:6, Ephesians 4:30). God’s character is morally pure, upright, and good (Psalm 25:8). He cannot directly author, create or cause moral evil or sin to occur.
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)
God Cannot Violate His Own Nature
God is unchanging, faithful, truthful and consistent. He does not contradict Himself or go against His attributes. God MUST act according to His holy, just, loving, and unchanging nature. Even though He has power to do all things, He will not use that power in ways that contradict who He is.
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13)
God Cannot Force People to Love Him
Love involves free choice, so God allows humans to voluntarily accept or reject His love, even though He desires all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). He wants us to genuinely love Him, not be forced to love against our will. God grants people freedom to love, obey or reject Him.
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
God Cannot Learn Anything New
God is omniscient, meaning He possesses all knowledge (Psalm 139:1-6, Hebrews 4:13). He knows the past, present and future simultaneously. There is nothing new that God could learn that He does not already fully know. His understanding is infinite and His knowledge is eternal.
“Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” (Psalm 147:5)
In summary, God is unable to lie, change, deny Himself, be tempted by evil, author sin, violate His nature, force love, or learn anything new. He cannot go against His holy attributes or perfect character. However, within His moral will, God remains all-powerful and able to accomplish anything He desires.
What God Can Do
Though limited by His nature, God remains all-powerful and sovereign. Scripture declares nothing is too difficult for the Lord (Jeremiah 32:17). Some things the Bible says God can do include:
- Answer prayer (Jeremiah 33:3)
- Heal the sick (Luke 5:24-25)
- Restore the broken (Isaiah 61:1-3)
- Forgive sins (1 John 1:9)
- Sanctify us (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
- Empower us by His Spirit (Acts 1:8)
- Change circumstances (Proverbs 16:9)
- Renew strength (Isaiah 40:31)
- Bring reconciliation (Romans 5:10-11)
- Offer peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7)
God works powerfully in the lives of those who trust Him! We can be confident in God’s goodness and ability while also recognizing there are some things He cannot do because of His holy, unchanging nature and moral perfection.
Why God’s Inability is Good News
God’s inability to lie, change, deny Himself, or violate His nature is actually GOOD NEWS for us. Here are some reasons why:
- God is Trustworthy – He keeps His promises and will not deviate from His word or contradict Himself.
- God is Consistent – He does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17). His character and truth remain the same yesterday, today and forever.
- God Upholds Moral Order – He is the unchanging standard of righteousness, upholding moral law in the universe.
- God Will Judge Fairly – At the judgment, God will judge rightly because He is unable to show favoritism or violate justice.
- Our Hope is Secure – God will complete His plan of salvation and redeem this broken world. He will not falter!
In a changing, chaotic world, we can find comfort that God remains constant and keeps His promises. He is unlike us – bound to truth, faithfulness and holiness. Understanding what God cannot do helps build our trust in Him.
Faith During Unanswered Prayer
When we pray to God, sometimes the answer is “no” or “wait.” This can be challenging and stretch our faith because we know God has the power to respond any way He chooses. How should we respond when God does not answer the way we hoped?
- Remember that God is wiser than us (Isaiah 55:8-9) and trust His timing and ways are best.
- Check our own hearts for sin or wrong motives that may hinder God’s response (Psalm 66:18).
- Submit our desires to God’s greater plan, asking “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10).
- Ask God to give us patience, strength and endurance as we wait on His answer.
- Have faith that God hears us and will respond in the way that is most loving and wise.
While God can do anything according to His will, He allows us to go through difficulties that refine our faith and teach us to trust Him on a deeper level. During these seasons of “unanswered” prayer, we can surrender control to the One who sees the full picture.
God’s Power and Our Human Limitations
Comparing God’s omnipotence to our human limitations and weaknesses can be frustrating at times. We may wonder why God doesn’t just instantly solve all problems, remove hardship from the world, or overwhelm evil right now. However, we must remember:
- God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). We have limited perspective.
- God works on a redemptive timeline for humanity’s salvation.
- God uses trials to build character and faith (James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5).
- God allows evil for a time because of free will, but will one day make all things right.
Rather than being impatient for God to display His power how and when we demand, we can trust His wisdom and rest in His sovereignty over all things. He knows what He is doing!
Finding Comfort in God’s Sovereignty
Since God is working out His perfect plan, we do not need to be anxious but can find comfort and security in His sovereignty and goodness. Believers can be assured that:
- God causes all things to work for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28)
- Nothing happens without God’s permission (Job 1-2)
- God will complete the work He began in us (Philippians 1:6)
- No one can snatch us from God’s hand (John 10:27-29)
- God will supply all our needs according to His riches (Philippians 4:19)
- God works out His purposes even through our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9)
- Suffering produces perseverance, character and hope (Romans 5:3-4)
Because He is sovereign, we can trust that God is able to bring beauty from ashes and work redemptively – even in our pain, questions and doubts. Fixing our eyes on Christ gives peace in the storms of life.
Submitting to the Potter’s Hand
God as Creator has power to make us into whatever He desires. Isaiah 45:9 warns against challenging God’s right to mold us as He sees fit:
“Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’?” (Isaiah 45:9)
Like clay in the potter’s hand, it is senseless for us to strive against God’s purpose in shaping us through various circumstances. We must surrender our lives fully to the Lord’s will, accepting both blessings and trials from His hand.
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair.” (2 Corinthians 4:8)
As the Master Potter, God chips away at our character, conforms us to Christ’s image, and carefully crafts us into His holy purpose. This process can be difficult and even painful at times. Yet we can trust God’s hand through it all, yielding to become the masterpiece He desires to create in us.
In Conclusion
While God’s power has limits due to His holy nature, He remains sovereign over all things and able to accomplish His perfect will. Submitting to God’s purposes in our lives – even when difficult – brings hope. Though we cannot understand everything about God, we can trust His wisdom, love and faithfulness at work in our circumstances.
God may allow trials for a time, but we can be assured He is constant, righteous and true. He will complete the work of salvation and redemption for all who trust in Him. Understanding both what God can and cannot do helps us find comfort that He is in control – leading humanity into the eternal Kingdom prepared for all who love Him.