Christians, is it possible that God is limited?

Question

Obviously as Meat Bot has so graciously explained to us on several occasions, God cannot have all the qualities you attribute to him, because he would then be self-contradictory. So, is it okay to think of him as limited in certain ways, or do you just chalk it up to not fully understanding God's "mysterious" ways?

Here is an example.

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Answer 1

It's disturbing how some people believe their intellectual capacity is so great, yet they cannot discern and comprehend the simplest information -- How can this person conclude that God is or would be self contradictory if, in his word it states he is loving, holy, just, and righteous -- but it also states his is not without wrath, or above punishing disobedience -- but yet not without mercy -- what is hard to grasp about these truths? It doesn't give us any indication that he is a one perspective being, or ONLY good.

To answer your question no it doesn't mean he's limited in power or ability but faithful to keep his word -- meaning he won't deviate from it which may limit the responses from him.

God bless.

Answer 2

I don't know what Meat Bot said, but it sounds like process theology, which is in my opinion a tighter and more intelletually honest way to approach the question of God's being.

The world is rife with imperfection, casualty, disease, etc., our bodies are imperfect (though they work rather well) and inefficient in many ways, not the work of a master designer. Certainly if God is as perfect as is claimed, then our minds cannot comprehend God. However, there is such a disparity between perfection and the way that God is presented and how God is believed to 'be' that perfection seems a contradictory label to place on God.

Perfection, or being in an absolute state of being, would require an eternal state of stasis. This being could neither move nor act, it would simply be. This devastates the idea that God answers prayer, interferes in human activity, creates, thinks, moves, etc.

Perhaps free will is the cause of suffering in the world, and God mourns with us. This again defies logic. If God is perfect, and we are God's children, then God should be the perfect parent. What parent, who truly loves his or her children, would allow their child to run out into the street and be hit by a car and claim free will? Or what parent, seeing that their child has a terminal, painful disease, wouldn't do everything in their power to have the child healed? Yet God, more frequently than intervening, allows these things to happen. A perfect God of this nature also appears to be a tyrant God.

A God in process, a God who is becoming and evolving along with the rest of the cosmos makes more sense. This theological system also allows God a closeness with the cosmos and the rest of us that the perfect God theory does not. Perfection by nature cannot mix with imperfection. In God's own imprefections and limitations, God who must also be greater than us, is also in a sense one with us, and in so being, able to understand us and act when God is able. This God, at least to me, seems a more compassionate, merciful God than the other option.

Answer 3

How would He be self-contradictory? Could you give us an example of what Meat Bot said?

God is not limited because He has the free will to do whatever He wants. However, because He is so infinitely loving and wise, He simply doesn't choose to do anything evil since He knows that it doesn't accomplish anything. I agree with LizzieSpinelli in that God wouldn't do something like rewind time because His plan is already perfect as it is.

Does that answer your question? If not, could you provide some specific examples of how God is self-contradictory?

EDIT: I read your example. Meat Bot fails to acknowledge the fact that God created science, physics, and time. Therefore, He is beyond them, but we can still attribute traits such as loving, omnipotent, immortal, etc. for two primary reasons. First, God has incarnated Himself into our world as Christ and revealed His true self to us that we may understand whom He really is. Second, we know that God created us in His own image, so this is why He grants us vital characteristics such as the capability to love and the power of free will.

As I said, God is beyond time. However, Meat Bot is wrong to say that God cannot move. God can move, but His movements can't be measured by the scientific measurement of time. Also, God may not necessarily even NEED to move in order to do anything. God could just be this ultimate source of love, which is the self-image in which He created us, but no one could possibly say for sure.

I know that you referenced to the cliche "mysterious ways" thing, and I don't think that's necessary in understanding why God isn't limited. However, I do think that it's impossible to apply any absolute terms to the timeless realm of heaven, so I think that heaven does have its mysterious ways that we'll never understand until we're on the otherside.

Answer 4

The argument of the emanuel replaced into something i replaced into in basic terms chatting with a close by minister approximately. He has a Doctoral degree from Berkley and Neither people got here to a conclusive answer approximately it yet that's what I surmised. " If God is All effectual or at leased very effectual he could do very almost something he likes. That being so. the sadness of a worldwide of his introduction no longer being of the liking of his matters may well be insufferable. What could an all effectual being do? answer, locate out why those matters discovered their worldwide so unfair whilst he did no longer intend it to be . to try this he might could advance into one among them. this suggests he might could no longer be Divine. as a results of fact being Divine does no longer enable him to completely empathize of their frailty. He might could be as frail as they have been. Then and easily then he could understand what it replaced into incredibly elect to go through as a human." this additionally would require that mutually as he did this the universe did no longer disintegrate. So, even nevertheless he replaced into human a separate Divine area of him might nonetheless shelter the each and every thing else. Being finite and infinite somewhat does no longer be as impossible as coming up a universe from no longer something in case you think of approximately it. faith is a humorous element that way. by ways, the place does it say that something it incredibly is infinite won't be able to be be divisible? the reality that it incredibly is infinite might recommend it may no longer be ordinary. The universe has many aspects and that's barely massive. you will possibly think of a limiteless entity might contain so lots greater that a super element might.

Answer 5

As much as it pains me to say it, having no deity that I care to worship, it is not god that is limited, it is our concept of god that is pathetically lame. Look to the quanta and the amazing phenomenom of non-locality for an inkling of what god is about. And that's all I can say about that. Oh, sorry, this question was intended for Christians. I have to ask, WHY?

Answer 6

God is the self within you. He or she is not some third person. If you understand this, this question becomes redundant.

Answer 7

MeatBot lives in a mortal body in a limited state of existence.

God is not subject to these limitations. Therefore, MeatBot doesn't know who God is, nor what his attributes are.

Sorry. MeatBot is the blind leading the blind.

Answer 8

Of course God's not going to rewind time so you can go back and rearrange your life. He created the laws of the world. He won't go against them. He made time, he's not going to screw it up so you can unscrew you up.

Answer 9

Beyond all conception. Beyond idea. Beyond perception. Beyond limitation. Beyond all human qualities and tendencies. I AM is a possession of all but the most un-noticed and neglected part of ourselves!

Answer 10

he limits himself in how we get free will. he allows us to make our own decisions regarding him and our salvation!