Foundational Truths – God – Omnipotent

Perhaps no attribute of God speaks directly to His HOLINESS than our next three.  And perhaps none are as well known (at least in word) as they are.  Many of His attributes seem to meld together and it sometimes can be quite difficult to distinguish many of them from their counterpart.  I suppose it true that an infinite God would also have infinite attributes but it seems that if one could arrive at a single unifying attribute of God it most assuredly would be His Holiness and closely found would be His Omnipotence, Omnipresence, and Omniscience.

Webster’s 1828 states of Omnipotent as:

1. Almighty; possessing unlimited power; all powerful.  

2. Having unlimited power of a particular kind.

(i.e. one that is omnipotent has omnipotence)

Now at the onset we must admit that omnipotence (at least the term) is not found in Scripture but it is clearly on display to all who will see.  It was the testimony of the Lord to Abraham Gen 18:14 that nothing is to difficult for the LORD even opening the womb of Sarah long past the age of child bearing.  Once Job was reminded of his place  he stated that God can do all things(Job 42:2).  Jesus stated in Mt 19:26 that all things are possible with God.  And God directly declares that He is the Alpha and Omega…the Almighty in Rev 1:8.

He displays His omnipotence in the act of creating (Gen 1:1 ff.) and sustaining that which He has created (Col 1:17b; Heb 1:3).  His Omnipotence is displayed in His providence over the affairs of mankind (Gen. 45:4 – 8; Ex. 4:11; Dan 4:17 – 37; Acts 12:21 – 24).  His omnipotence is over the hosts of heaven (Dan 4:35; Heb 1:14) as well as Satan and his minions (Job 1:12; 2:6; Luke 22:31, 32).  So that for a word that is not in Scripture it sure turns up quite a bit and this is but a partial look.

Now Webster is very correct in stating that Omnipotence is “Almighty; possessing unlimited power; all powerful,” but notice his second treatment of the word.  If one is omnipotent they have “unlimited power of a particular kind.”  And this is very fascinating for it means that God’s Love is all powerful just as His Wrath is.  His Justice as well as His Mercy is all powerful so to is His Grace so that it proves irresistible to the sinner to whom God has decided to give it to.  Why a man could no more resist His Grace than He could His Wrath.

Now although God has all power He cannot do that which contradicts His Holy character or essence and thus He cannot annihilate Himself because He is eternal, immutable, and all wise.  He cannot lie because He is truth (Titus 1:2; Heb 6:18).  He cannot not keep His Word because He is faithful (2Ti 2:13).  God cannot be tempted by evil (James 1:13). The omnipotence of God gives every saint a firm foundation to trust Him and confidence in His ability to keep His precious and magnificent promises in Scripture. 

Thankfully only God has what the power hungry can only dream of.  And that’s a good thing.