Does God possess the power to sin?

[tonychanyt]

By my definition, whatever God does is righteous and not sin. Therefore, God does not and cannot sin.

Does God possess the power to sin?

I don't know. I don't think this question is semantically, operationally, and logically sensible.

 

[Ted-01]

It's kinda' like that question about God making rocks that He cannot lift... they're best left alone.

 

[trophy33]

Sin is (moral) imperfection. Imperfection does not require power, its the opposite - a lack of power.

 

[David Lamb]

By my definition, whatever God does is righteous and not sin. Therefore, God does not and cannot sin.

Does God possess the power to sin?

I don't know. I don't think this question is semantically, operationally, and logically sensible.

Sin is always ultimately against God. How can God go against His own will? It's certainly no lack in His omnipotence that makes Him unable to sin; rather, it's connected with what sin is.

 

[tdidymas]

By my definition, whatever God does is righteous and not sin. Therefore, God does not and cannot sin.

Does God possess the power to sin?

I don't know. I don't think this question is semantically, operationally, and logically sensible.

God is the ultimate standard of everything, and sin is rebellion against God. Therefore it is impossible for God to sin, and it is not His nature to do anything which He has communicated to mankind as being wrong. God has never contradicted Himself, and never will. James said that God cannot be tempted, and Moses said that God "is not a man, that He should lie," and Hebrews says that "it is impossible for God to lie" in what He promises. Paul wrote "let God be true, though every man be found a liar." When a person knows God and what His word says, the answer "no" to the question is a no-brainer.

Someone might ask then, how was Jesus tempted, if it was impossible for God to be tempted or to commit sin? This is where the mystery is shown, that Jesus had two natures after He was born, so "He was tempted in all points as we are, but without sin" is speaking of His human nature.

 

[tonychanyt]

God is the ultimate standard of everything, and sin is rebellion against God. Therefore it is impossible for God to sin,

Are you using the word "therefore" in the First Order Logical sense?

 

[tdidymas]

Are you using the word "therefore" in the First Order Logical sense?

I'm not a mathematician, computer programmer, or philosopher, so I'm not familiar with the phrase. What I mean is that since God is the highest order by Himself, He cannot rebel against Himself (it's not His nature to do so), and therefore He cannot sin, because sin is rebellion against God. So logically there are some facts: God Himself is the ultimate authority (or power), He never contradicts Himself, nor makes any mistakes. Then, how can the ultimate authority rebel against His own authority if He never contradicts Himself? He would have to make mistakes or be self-contradictory in order to commit sin then, wouldn't He? Anyone who would entertain the thought that God might sin doesn't know God, because they would have to assume that God Himself is not the ultimate authority, or that He is imperfect to make mistakes or contradict Himself. Man might do it because he is imperfect, but not God. "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should repent." Does this answer the question?

One more thing, "sin" is an archer's term, meaning "missed the mark." Since God is the mark, He can't miss Himself.