If God can do ANYTHING...

[hedgehog51]

God has created us with free will and He doesn't impose His will on us. He wants us to freely choose Him. He doesn't want serfs, He wants us to love and obey Him of our free will.

In Him

 

[PhilosopherD]

Then can't he stop evil without interfering with our free will, and imput any lessons or appreciation we may gain from it into us, using his omnipotence?

If he can't, then God can't do everything.

If he can, then why won't he?

Whose evil are you wanting God to stop, yours or some else's?

Uh...well, a lesson does not guarantee any appropriation of the said lesson, even if God implants it in us. So, yes, God could use omnipotence to force an idea into us, but that still does not tackle the problem of how we respond. We are not computers waiting for programming.

 

[renee09]

Then can't he stop evil without interfering with our free will, and imput any lessons or appreciation we may gain from it into us, using his omnipotence?

If he can't, then God can't do everything.

If he can, then why won't he?

but are we really learning anything. i mean, if God just input the info into our heads, its just useless info. we wont really learn anything unless we experience it. think about it.

 

[renee09]

this is a passage from a book. i thought it seems approiate for this so here it is....


A couple months back, on a peaceful afternoon inside Vatican City, Chartrand had bumped into the camerlengo coming across the grounds. The camerlengo had apparently recognized Chartrand as a new guard and invited him to accompany him n a stroll. They had talked about nothing in particular, and the camerlengo made Chartrand feel immediately at home.

“Father,” Chartrand said, “may I ask you a strange question?”

The camerlengo smiled. “Only if I may give you a strange answer.”

Chartrand laughed. “I have asked every priest I know, and I still don’t understand.”

“What troubles you?” The camerlengo led the way in short, quick strides, his frock kicking out in front of him as he walked. His black, crepe-sole shoes seemed befitting, modern but humble, and showing signs of wear.

Chartrand took a deep breath. “I don’t understand this omnipotent-benevolent thing.”

The camerlengo smiled. “you’ve been reading Scripture.”

“I try.”

“You are confused because the Bible describes God as an omnipotent and benevolent deity.”

“Exactly.”

“Omnipotent-benevolent simply means that God is all-powerful and well-meaning.”

“I understand the concept. It’s just…there seems to be a contradiction.”

“Yes. The contradiction is pain. Man’s starvation, war, sickness…”

“Exactly!” Chartrand knew the camerlengo would understand. “Terrible things happen in this world. Human tragedy seems like proof that God could not possibly be both all-powerful and well-meaning. If He loves us and has the power to change our situation, He would prevent our pain, wouldn’t He?”

The camerlengo frowned. “Would He?”

Chartrand felt uneasy. Had he overstepped his bounds? Was this one of those religious questions you just didn’t ask? “Well….if God loves us, and He can protect us, e would have to. It seems He is either omnipotent and uncaring, or benevolent and powerless to help.”

“Do you have children, Lieutenant?”

Chartrand flushed. “No, signore.”

“Imagine you had an eight-year-old son…would you love him?”

“Of course.”

“Would you do everything in your power to prevent pain in his life?”

“Of course.”

“Would you let him skateboard?”

Chartrand did a double take. The camerlengo always seemed oddly “in touch” for a clergyman. “Yeah, I guess,” Chartrand said. “Sure, I’d let him skateboard, but I’d tell him to be careful.”

“So as this child’s father, you would give him some basic, good advice and then let him go off and make his own mistakes?’

“I wouldn’t run behind him and mollycoddly him if that’s what you mean.”

“But what if he fell and skinned his knee?”

“He would learn to be more careful.”

The camerlengo smiled. “So although you have the power to interfere and prevent your child’s pain, you would choose to show your love by letting him learn his own lessons?”

“Of course. Pain is part of growing up. It’s how we learn.”

The camerlengo nodded. “Exactly.”

Passage from Angels and Demons by Dan Brown​

 

[mama3hmscool]

It is because of free will that evil has the power that is has today. Eve used her free will and look where it has gotten us? God gave specific instructions and she failed. He allows us free will. After what Jesus had to endure for your salvation do not take it lightly and think that there is nothing that should be done on your part. You must earn your salvation and then work to keep it. Christianity is an everyday testimony to what Jesus did to save you....everyday you should exemplify that and use your free will for good and not evil.
Remember: "What Would Jesus Do?"

 

[calidog]

Then can't he stop evil without interfering with our free will, and imput any lessons or appreciation we may gain from it into us, using his omnipotence?

If he can't, then God can't do everything.

If he can, then why won't he?

He could do anything the way you think is best, but since He is omnicient, He does it His way.

 

[Whitestone]

Then can't he stop evil without interfering with our free will, and imput any lessons or appreciation we may gain from it into us, using his omnipotence?

If he can't, then God can't do everything.

If he can, then why won't he?

There is a problem with your first sentence, if the Lord input all the good things into us so we would be good there would be no free will.

He could take away all the evil, but there are people out there that would still strive to find it.

 

[Key]

4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

It never says to end suffering.

God Bless

Key

 

[hlaltimus]

Then can't he stop evil without interfering with our free will, and imput any lessons or appreciation we may gain from it into us, using his omnipotence?

If he can't, then God can't do everything.

If he can, then why won't he?

Your phrase, "If he can't, then God can't do everything." should have read,
"If He won't, then God won't do everything", and indeed God doesn't do somethings that He could have done otherwise had He consented. He could have plunged me into hell years and years ago...But He didn't. He still "could have" by virtue of His power and rightful prerogative as Creator, but clemency and mercy withheld Him to my eternal benefit. I could walk out into the street in front of my house at this hour and discharge five of the six cylinders of a .357 revolver...But I won't. I still could...That is I still know how to pull a trigger, but that will never happen due to my overuling convictions that determine all that I should or should not do. It is a great assumption that argues an inability in God from His inactivity as there are a multitude of future acts of this God that are yet to be in spite of the fact that they have not as yet been, eternal judgment being an example.
He could have stopped evil without interfering with our freewill had He denied the tempting serpent access into the Garden of Eden...He could have but He didn't...Why? You could also board a jet airplane scheduled to fly to Honolulu with a single jet turbine engine that has never, ever been tested. You could, but would you? I wouldn't! God tested Adam's freewill to certify of it's lasting and true value and Adam happened to fail in that testing. Had God exercised His divine prerogative and stopped the serpent from tempting Adam He, the Lord, would have then received an untested and unproven vessel in which to eternally abide Himself and this He didn't wish to do for the same reason that you won't commit your life to a mechanism that has never proven it's worthiness. The freewill of mankind and the superior agency of God are two, independant agencies that will never cancel out each other and that is the only way in which we, as freewill beings, could ever hold communion with a divine Being who also encompasses a free will.

 

[SaintPhotios]

I'll go ahead an say: No, God cannot do anything. Can acts within His nature. That nature is incomprehensible to us. But we know that it transcends ultimate goodness and ultimate power. So, can God kill Himself? Of course not. That would be contrary to God's nature. And it is your misunderstanding that the ability to do anything is power. Quite the opposite, to act contrary to one's Being and Nature is weakness. For instance, when man disobeyed God at the Fall of man, this was not a rebellion of heightened power. It was man's weakness. Just the same, for God to change his creation (i.e. removing man's freedom to conquer evil) would be a weakness on God's part. It would imply that God was mistaken in giving man freedom in the first place.

Strictly speaking, evil is not something that has existence in and of itself. Evil exists only when an evil act is committed. Free will is not a natural state of man. Man was created with freedom. However, free will implies a choice. Man can choose either good or evil. But when man was created, there was no choice to be made. He was naturally drawn to good, and evil was never part of the equation. It was by his disobediance that evil entered the sphere of man's freedom. That is, man has always had freedom, the ability to have one's own actions originate from within themselves and not from an external source. But free will, the choice between good and evil, is a weakened state of man, a result of the fall.

This is why Christ did not have free will. Free will would mean that Christ could have chosen evil. No, it would be impossible for God Himself to have chosen evil. Christ has freedom. His actions, thoughts, and decisions came from God and Christ alone. But because he did not inherit Ancestoral Sin, he was not burdened with the weakened state of free will.

 

[BigNorsk]

Then can't he stop evil without interfering with our free will, and imput any lessons or appreciation we may gain from it into us, using his omnipotence?

If he can't, then God can't do everything.

If he can, then why won't he?

He will, it is just that he has chosen when and where to do so. That is his choice to make. After he does so, you will no longer have a choice to make yourself. So far, he is being patient with you and others and giving you a chance. Do not confuse patience and mercy with inability or weakness.

2Pe 3:9 NET.
(9) The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.


Marv

 

[MrsHolwager]

It sounds to me like you dont have very much faith. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and for free wil. In the end, that is what will seperate the people worthy of going to heaven. God tests us, and its the ones that can stand the tests that god gives us that will be worthy of the kingdom of heaven. That is just my opinion

 

[Aces High]

Then can't he stop evil without interfering with our free will, and imput any lessons or appreciation we may gain from it into us, using his omnipotence?

If he can't, then God can't do everything.

If he can, then why won't he?

Just because YOU or someone else can't logically understand it doesn't mean it can't be done or it has never happened.

Omnipotency means "infinite power" or "all powerful" it doesn't mean "infinite power as long as it makes sense logically"

There are so many things that we as individuals don't understand, just because we don't understand it doesn't mean it's not possible for God to do.

 

[MessianicJewishGuy]

Then can't he stop evil without interfering with our free will, and imput any lessons or appreciation we may gain from it into us, using his omnipotence?

If he can't, then God can't do everything.

If he can, then why won't he?

You can rob a bank. Why don't you?

It's not the right thing to do.

Your question is answered.

 

[wiggbuggie]

Then can't he stop evil without interfering with our free will, and imput any lessons or appreciation we may gain from it into us, using his omnipotence?

If he can't, then God can't do everything.

If he can, then why won't he?

I dont believe God is Omnipotence or can do ANYTHING Look at Jesus God in flesh couldn't make everyone turn to him their were always people who were against him, their are other things that goes against God's nature like sin, God would never lie or cheat people. And God will stop evil eventually, thats the whole message in the book of revalations that God will put an end to death and satan and be with his children for eternity

 

[MessianicJewishGuy]

I dont believe God is Omnipotence or can do ANYTHING Look at Jesus God in flesh couldn't make everyone turn to him their were always people who were against him, their are other things that goes against God's nature like sin, God would never lie or cheat people. And God will stop evil eventually, thats the whole message in the book of revalations that God will put an end to death and satan and be with his children for eternity

Wrong. You are saying Yeshua should have forced people to believe in him. Nope. Thats against free will. All you are stating is opinion. This is fact:

Isaiah 55:7-9
7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.