Have you ever heard the phrase “God can't love you anymore or less than He does already?” I have and after thinking it through, I was left wondering what else God couldn’t do.
Knowing God’s “limitations” gives us a better understanding of exactly who He is.
There are at least 7 things that our infinite, almighty God cannot do. Yes, the God that parted the red sea in two and turned the Nile river to blood, Who caused the Sun to stand still for a day and rained fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah, Who caused it to rain and flood the earth for 40 days and nights and destroyed all life therein, Who took my sinful heart of stone and replaced it with a heart
of flesh – that same God:
1. Cannot lie.
"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;" Titus 1:2
"That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:" Hebrews 6:18
2. Can't love you anymore or less than He already does.
“I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” John 17:23
Have you read that verse? It amazes me that God loves His people as much as He loves His Son, Jesus! And we know that He loves His Son immeasurably. He loves you so much and has so much interest in you that He knows the number of hairs on your head. He knows your birthday and knows when you sit and when you rise and even when you fall. He’s so in love with you! It’s not that God cannot love us anymore because we aren’t lovable, but because His love for us is already infinite. Wow!
"Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." Jeremiah 31:3
3. Cannot change.
“For I am the LORD, I change not;” Malachi 3:6
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17
"Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax o
ld like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end." Psalm 102:25-27
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Hebrews 13:8
If we stop for a moment to imagine what it would be like if God could change, the importance of this becomes very clear! If God could change (in his being, perfections, purposes, or promises), then this means He could change for the worse. If God changed for the better, then he was not the best possible being when we first trusted him! And how could we be sure that he is the best possible being now? It is hard to imagine any thing more terrifying. How could we ever trust such a God who could change? How could we ever commit our lives to him?
4. Cannot be unfaithful.
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13
He cannot deny himself - Implying that it would be a denial of his very nature to save those who are unfaithful. He is holy; and how can he save one who is unholy? His very nature is purity; and how can he save one who has no purity?
At the same time, comfort is suggested to believers, that He is faithful to His promises to them.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
No matter how many times I mess up my relationship with him, God will always remain faithful.
"his steadfast love endures forever." Psalm 118
(ESV)
5. Cannot share his glory.
“I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images. ” Isaiah 42:8
"you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God," Exodus 20:5
Although the word Jealous is oftentimes used in a negative sense in the English language it can also be used with the positive meaning of being deeply committed to seeking the honor and welfare of someone, whether ones self, or someone else. Scripture continually represents God as being jealous in this way. He continually and earnestly seeks to protect his own honor. So we might define God’s jealousy as meaning that God continually and earnestly seeks to protect His Own honor and character.
People some times have trouble
thinking of jealousy as a desirable attribute, this is because being jealous for our own honor as human beings is most always wrong, we are not to be proud but humble and the reason this is because we have not and cannot do anything to deserve the glory that is due to God alone. Because God alone is altogether righteous, worthy, and holy. He cannot be jealous for himself in an unrighteous manner. It is not wrong for God to seek his own glory and honor,
for he deserves it fully!
If you think about it, the whole of the Bible is about God. From the very opening of creation, it is clear that the subject of the Bible is God Himself. “In the beginning God…” So throughout the Bible God draws attention to Himself, not to personal holiness or social justice or other such things that naturally follow from a good relationship with God. That is what God’s jealousy is really all about – He is consumed with Himself and He is consumed with us being consumed with Himself. He will tolerate no rivals or competitors for His affection and honor.
God deserves all honor and glory from His creation, and it is very right for Him to seek and protect this honor. To realize this and to delight in it produces a zeal for God and jealousy for His name that simply defines true worship.
6. Cannot bare sin.
“You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness.” Habakkuk 1:13
Many people believe they will enter heaven based on what they have done, thinking the very good things they do will be offered up to God as gifts and sacrifices to impress Him. However, these things are stained with sin and those acts disgust God
"But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;" Isaiah 64:6. Sin cannot be in His presence.
God hates sin because it directly contradicts everything he is!
7. Cannot be mocked (dodged).
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” Galatians 6:7
This one would more correctly fit under the title “Things that men cannot do to God” but it’s something everyone needs to hear. Many people are shrewd and have managed to trick others into gaining something or getting themselves off the hook. Maybe you’ve managed, on several occasions to "get away" with a wrong doing. It’s not like that with God. Don't be deceived! God knows each and every sin you have ever committed no matter how small you think it may be. He will punish you for every single one, even the ones you won’t be able to remember. Unless you ask Him for forgiveness, he will never forgive and forget your sin. God cannot be dodged.
In Conclusion.
It’s amazing how a study of the things God cannot do, rather than make him out to be finite and powerless, do the exact opposite. They paint the portrait of his attributes with much bolder and stronger shades so that we have a higher notion of him. His inability, for instance, to lie makes a greater impression on us of his attribute of holiness. What a great God we serve, even the things he cannot do show us just how great he is!
