“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 1:8
One of God’s core attributes is omnipotence. That is to say, God is all powerful. This is a constant theme that runs through the entire Bible. “For I know that the LORD is great,” wrote the psalmist, “and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places” (Psalm 135:5-6). The Lord Himself declared, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46:10). The non-believer of course rejects this teaching and asks mockingly, “If God is all powerful, can He create a rock too heavy for Him to lift?” The question is supposed to put us on the horns of a dilemma; whichever option we choose, God appears less than all-powerful. We, however, understand that rocks are by definition created, limited, finite things. Asking if God can create a rock too heavy for Him to lift amounts to asking if God can create an infinite finite thing, something that is both limited and unlimited. God can do many surprising things but not even He can do what amounts to nonsense! This may come as a shock, but there are many things God can’t do. God can’t lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18), or fail (Job 42:2) or cease to exist (Psalm 90:2). Since God is absolutely perfect in every way, any change in Him would be a move toward imperfection. This is something else God cannot do (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). God’s holy and unchanging character demands justice for sins committed. In other words, God will not pretend that moral evil doesn’t exist in His world. His justice demands that punishment be meted out. This would’ve spelled eternal disaster for all of us since we were all guilty of breaking God’s wise moral laws (Romans 3:23). However, God is also unchangingly loving, kind, merciful and wise. All of these came to maximal, stupendous, visible expression when God Himself became a man (1 Timothy 3:16) and paid our sin debt in full (Isaiah 53-5-6; 1 Peter 2:24). Not even God can improve upon His redemptive plan for man. It is the one, perfect, avenue to forgiveness and a right relationship with God. Be encouraged, dear saints, knowing that the Lord God almighty has accomplished what would have been impossible for us (Matthew 19:24-25). As we contemplate so great a salvation, and so great a redemptive price, let us consider Paul’s profoundly important and encouraging question: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”(Romans 8:32). Remember also that in God’s economy, no price was too high to secure your redemption You matter to Him and to the entire redeemed household of faith (1 Corinthians 12:26).
God bless,
Pastor John
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