Can God Make a Rock He Can't Lift? - Acts 26
Acts 26:4 “The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. 6 And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. 7 This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. 8 Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
The answer to the question, "God make a rock He can't lift?", is an interesting paradox. This paradox is a called an "omnipotence paradox". So how do we solve this seemingly answerable question about God's power. "Omnipotence" means "all powerful". You can read more about the different arguments put forth throughout the ages from theologians, like Aquinas, or philosphers, like Descarte, here: (warning have some strong coffee before you read this you will need it!)
But the most compelling argument comes from Norman Giesler and William Lane Craig, two of the best known evangelical apologists. Here is what they say,
"The paradox assumes a wrong definition of omnipotence. Omnipotence, they say, does not mean that God can do anything at all but, rather, that he can do anything that's possible according to his nature. The distinction is important. God cannot perform logical absurdities; he cannot, for instance, make 1+1=3."
The bottom line regarding the question, "Can God create a rock he cannot lift?" is it is not a logical sequence. Therefore, the answer is "He wouldn't even if He could!"
So what does this have to do with the passage in Acts 25? As Paul recounts to King Agrippa the reason for his being on trial, he states that it because of the resurrection of the dead that he is being condemned by the Jewish leaders. Paul points out clearly the resurrection of the dead is taught in the Old Testament, especially in the teaching from the prophets about the Messiah.
Paul's argument of his innocence is based on two claims:
1. The resurrection is central to the Jewish understanding of God, therefore he cannot be arrested for preaching it by his fellow Jews.
2. It shouldn't be surprising to anyone that God can raise the dead, after all He is God. Another way of saying this would be to say, "If there is something God can't do, He isn't God!"
The difference between "God raising the dead" and "God creating a rock he can't lift" is that the resurrection of the dead is a logical and in keeping with God's character. It is logical because it is in alignment with God's nature. Since God created humankind to be in relationship with Himself, it makes sense that God would want to be in relationship with humankind forever. Therefore, the resurrection of the dead would be a logical thing for God to do, and something He is capable of doing.
Why is this important for you?
1. God created you to be in relationship with Him forever. And he made it possible by sending his Son who died, and then rose again from the dead. And he promised us that if we believe in Him though we die, yet shall we live. And ... God does not make a promise He can't keep. Or else...He would not be God!
2. It is good for us to think through these arguments that people like to throw out at us to deny the existence of God. The more prepared we are to give a logical answer to seemingly impossible paradoxes about God might cause someone to realize that Christians are not so dumb after all. It might cause them to want to investigate further the notion of God, especially if they are a thinker or have a philosophical bent. Oftentimes people try to make arguments to prove God doesn't exist so that they will not have to be accountable to Him one day.
Hopefully you have some "ammo" now when someone asks you, "Can God create a rock He can't lift!" Then you can shift the conversation and ask them a more important question, "Can God raise the dead?" After all that is a little more important isn't it?
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