How can the omnipotent God have attributes and remain God?

Question

Shouldn't an omnipotent God be capable of exercising as much justice as injustice for instance? Shouldn't God, theoretically speaking, be capable of as much goodness as malice? ............. Has God limited himself through the goodness and gracious act of loving us? … Darn, I am starting to sound like the faithful! :-)

Answer 1

I'm not Catholic but I certainly agree with "a catholic monk". "Attributes" is merely a word with describes a part of a personality. If I said you were clever, or shy, or outgoing each of these words describe an "attribute" of yours. This is part of your personality but, in no way, describes you as a total person.
The same is true for God in that: to set apart an attribute to describe it in no way negates the totally to who God is. He is much more than Justice or Love although He is completely these things. He is the originator of these things and without God they would not exist in the universe if, indeed, the universe existed at all.
God is not capable of exercising injustice. Everything He does is just or He would, and could, not do it.
Many people are afraid of God because they cannot stand someone besides themselves having control over their lives...and they are afraid of what an Almighty God might do to them. So they rail against Him rather than trying to understand what God's motive is for His actions. They take stories from the Bible and blame God for them even though God in no way says that He approves of the actions. The Bible is not only an account of God's actions, it is a story of man's actions in regard to God. This is either by following and obeying God or denying God and going against Him.
There is plenty of information out there to be had if someone really wants to understand the Bible and, as much as it is possible for humans, to understand God. I can only feel sorry for someone who would rather blaspheme God than do a little research so that he can understand a little more of what God is about.

Answer 2

You ask two unrelated questions. Your first question ( how can an omnipotent God have attributes and remain God?) is itself a nonsense question. Omnipotence is itself an attribute.
Your 2nd question is very important to resolve. OMNIPOTENCE is never to be understood in an absolute way in theology. It is understood in relation to the person or object it is referencing. The Caesars were omnipotent rulers, within the limits of their empires. It doesn't mean they were always GOOD because their natures were not always good. Outside of that, they were VERY limited men. It is the same with God, but the limitations are very few. God is limited by his own nature. That is to say, he cannot go against himself. He cannot make himself not exist. He cannot do evil, he cannot speak untruth. This is because God's NATURE is perfect and perfection is GOOD It lacks nothing, it needs or requires NOTHING to be complete. God has willed himself to become a souce for all other things, and whatever things depend on God for their existence are GOOD because their orgins are based on perfect good. HOWEVER, in the case of two classes of creatures ( BEINGS created by God) he granted a special attribute, that would be both a test for them and an attribute to make them more like himself than anything else in creation. This attribute we call FREE WILL. He granted this to angels and humans. What it means for us is that we have the freedom to choose between two wills to follow: our own, or God's. The very fact that we can describe that there are two wills means there can be at least two ways of doing things or deciding things. It should be obvious through reason that if God is perfect, then HIS way would be the best way. And thus it follows that any OTHER way is less than perfect. And what is less than perfect is "EVIL", in the specific theological understanding of that word. God canot do evil, because he is perfect he can do only what is HIS will (this should be obvious, through reason/logic also). Thus it is a nonsequitur (Latin for "it does not follow") to say that God is capable of injustice.

Answer 3

God is above good and evil.As a totally spiritual being and being Supreme,He is all justice,but in this material world,created for the rebels that we are,there is injustice among humans,which God rectifies through the law of karma:whatever wrong is done is punished the same way,and the do gooder gets reward for his actions.So,people often cry:where is God's justice,when they see a child killed in wartime,but the innocent child was a killer in his past life,and now pays for his past crimes.So there is no need to lament for anyone...When one understand that this material world is not our real residence,he ceases to commit injustice towards others,prays for going back to God,who wellcomes him.

Answer 4

LOL You have stuck yourself in a paradox. The answer to this is yes and no. Its the old question of can God make a rock so big that not even he could lift it. Which your forced to aswer both ways. You have to answer yes because other wise your limiting God. And you have to answer no because God can do anything. So there is no answer that we can comprehend. Its one of the great mysteries of God.

Answer 5

The God you're looking for is Abraxas, my friend, the True God and wielder of both Good and Evil indiscriminately. The True God whom humans were modeled after.

Answer 6

God is not limited by our thinking or perspective of him. We are created in his image; therefore, he has attributes. The attributes that we share with him are so powered down, however, that we cannot begin to imagine his capabilities. Jesus loves you.

Answer 7

being one of the faithful...i say that God only displays the attributes we assign to him. we keep forgetting words like, All, and forever, and infinite....

Answer 8

If God failed to display attributes, how could we come to know him? For it is this desire for which we are created.

Answer 9

God will do with us what he likes, we are his property

Answer 10

So, exactly what is your question???