Is God omnipotent and controls everything?

[zoidar]

I have started this thread to show that all Christians believe God is omnipotent. Christians just have a different view of what omnipotens means.

We'll see what the poll says.

New thread, trying to pinpoint my question.

 

[Dahlia Grace]

I studied this briefly in a theological course.
Yes, God is most likely omnipotent. However, even if He has the potential to do anything, it doesn't mean he would. The beauty of Creation is Free Will, and if God was to assert control over everything, humans wouldn't have the ability to choose their own paths.
If God had the ability to do anything, He would've prevented the original sin. The original sin is, as I see it, the ultimate first test of free will. Without free will, there would be no grounds for evil- as God is only good. If there is no evil, there is nothing to compare goodness to and there is no way for humans to live lives that improve and grow. There would be no ultimate incentive to learn goodness through God if everything was peachy.

This is a very big theological question with a lot of different stances, so I'd be interested in hearing what other people have to say.

 

[Jeshu]

i cannot vote as an rightful option is not available.

i believe that God is Almighty and works everything in accordance to His will.

His revealed will is that doing good is rewarded with more life and doing evil is punished with death as ending. People doing wrong is clearly outside of His will that is why He willed it to be destroyed in the end. People doing good can only come from God, for God is the originator of all good, so i believe that if we have life in good then we have life in Him and from Him.

All praise to God for ultimately controlling everything, even the death of those things He has never willed, or that came from Him to start of with.

Peace.

 

[Minister Monardo]

I am wrestling with the word "everything". Can I comprehend that?

 

[RickReads]

I am wrestling with the word "everything". Can I comprehend that?

I have my doubts.

 

[Minister Monardo]

I have my doubts.

Just don't let your doubts turn to sin. Romans 14:23

 

[RickReads]

I studied this briefly in a theological course.
Yes, God is most likely omnipotent. However, even if He has the potential to do anything, it doesn't mean he would. The beauty of Creation is Free Will, and if God was to assert control over everything, humans wouldn't have the ability to choose their own paths.
If God had the ability to do anything, He would've prevented the original sin. The original sin is, as I see it, the ultimate first test of free will. Without free will, there would be no grounds for evil- as God is only good. If there is no evil, there is nothing to compare goodness to and there is no way for humans to live lives that improve and grow. There would be no ultimate incentive to learn goodness through God if everything was peachy.

This is a very big theological question with a lot of different stances, so I'd be interested in hearing what other people have to say.

We only have to look outside our door to see that God doesn`t control everything. The dead bird outside my door was killed by my mean cat.

I believe that in eternity God will control everything. At that time and in our oneness with Him, we will get to assist Him in that endeavor and it will be wonderful.

In the meantime, a full-on intervention by God to establish that control would have consequences, for our sake God restrains His hand, for now.

 

[Aussie Pete]

New thread, trying to pinpoint my question.

God is omnipotent. He could control everything if He so chose. One day, He will impose total control on all that is in rebellion. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, either voluntarily or because they must. God will have His way, one way or another. Somehow He will do that in love, with mercy and grace, and perfect righteousness.

 

[Hammster]

New thread, trying to pinpoint my question.

You’ll need to define what you mean by “control”.

 

[zoidar]

You’ll need to define what you mean by “control”.

It's like you have to write three pages just to ask one question... That shows how complex this question is.

God is in control over everything, but God doesn't control everything. Does that explain it?

 

[Dave L]

New thread, trying to pinpoint my question.

12.7 παντοκράτωρ, ορος m (a title for God, literally ‘all powerful’)—‘the Almighty, the One who has all power.’ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ὁ παντοκράτωρ ‘the Lord, our God, the all- powerful One’ Re 19:6; ὁ παντοκράτωρ, ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος ‘the Almighty, who was and is and will be’ Re 4:8. In some languages the Almighty as a title for God may be expressed as ‘the one who controls everything’ or ‘the one who commands all things and all people.’


Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 138). New York: United Bible Societies.

 

[RickReads]

It's like you have to write three pages just to ask one question... That shows how complex this question is.

God is in control over everything, but God doesn't control everything. Does that explain it?

This might help.

What is the difference between God’s sovereign will and God’s revealed will? | GotQuestions.org

 

[Hammster]

It's like you have to write three pages just to ask one question... That shows how complex this question is.

God is in control over everything, but God doesn't control everything. Does that explain it?

That will work. So yes, He is. Every single action man makes is subject to God’s control. He can stop it, or allow it. Whatever He does, there’s a purpose.

 

[zoidar]

This might help.

What is the difference between God’s sovereign will and God’s revealed will? | GotQuestions.org

I think this was a pretty good text.

"Some of His decrees are efficacious (that is, they directly contribute to the fulfillment of God’s desire); others of His decrees are permissive (that is, they allow for an indirect fulfillment of God’s desire)."

I agree that God's decrees are efficaious or permissive. What I don't agree with is that God decrees everything that is happening, if that is what the author meant.

 

[Hammster]

I think this was a pretty good text.

"Some of His decrees are efficacious (that is, they directly contribute to the fulfillment of God’s desire); others of His decrees are permissive (that is, they allow for an indirect fulfillment of God’s desire)."

I agree that God's decrees are efficaious or permissive. What I don't agree with is that God decrees everything that is happening, if that is what the author meant.

Which brings up another question. What’s meant by decree?

 

[zoidar]

Which brings up another question. What’s meant by decree?

How would you explain decree?

 

[zoidar]

Deleted.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Is God omnipotent and controls everything?

God is omnipotent, anything is possible with God.

God does not meticulously control every aspect of creation.

God created things so they can interact with one another.

Since God does not see us as wind up dolls or toys, when we do something God doesn't like - He doesn't stop us.

If God controlled everything, there would be no sin and no need for a judgment day.

 

[Hammster]

How would you explain decree?

Foreordaining will. That’s from Webster, and I think it’s pretty good.

What it doesn’t mean is that God actively controls every single thing we do as if we were puppets.

 

[Dave L]

People have free will but every choice is a reaction to a reason God used to solicit their choice. Therefore they choose what they want and are held accountable for it.