God Cannot Do Anything Logically Contradictory, or Can He?

Posted by John L. Rothra on May 12, 2008 under Theology | Read the First Comment

A few months ago I had a conversation with a friend about God’s omnipotence. When the average person is asked to define ‘omnipotent’ or ‘all powerful,’ many say it means to be able to do anything. However, Scripture teaches that God cannot lie, change, or swear by any name greater than his own. Therefore, we both agreed that God’s omnipotence cannot mean that God can do anything possible.

I offered the perspective that God can do anything that is not logically contradictory, such as create a square circle. We both acknowledged that this popular understanding makes sense, but then he pointed out something that refutes this understanding. My friend mentioned that God does violate logic and reason in his very existence and actions. For example, God exists as a trinity, three persons in one God where each person is a seperate person but not different gods. The idea of a trinity is logically contradictory because it promotes the idea of a single being existing as three persons, yet only one being. Such an idea violates logic.

Another example is God’s omnipresence, which holds that God exists fully in more than one place. This idea teaches that a single being can be in more than one location at a time, yet not be divided. Again, another idea that violates logic.
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