The Stone Paradox

We have all heard the question, Can God create a stone so heavy that He can not lift it?. While many simply dismiss this question as unimportant and even silly, I feel that it is deserving of some kind of rational answer; and this is why: The question is meant to challenge the existence of God by attempting to show the logical incoherence of the concept of omnipotence. If omnipotence (i.e., the property of being all-powerful) is logically incoherent, then surely God cannot be omnipotent; and if God is not omnipotent then He is not God, for omnipotence is a necessary condition of deity.

The question, in a more syllogistic form, goes as such: If God has the ability to do everything, then God can create a situation where He cannot to do something (situation X). If God cannot create situation X, then He is not omnipotent—due to His inability to create situation X. However, if God can create situation X then again, He cannot be omnipotent—due to that which situation X implies. To put it simply, if God is omnipotent, then He has the power to be not-omnipotent. Either way, it seems we are trapped, and forced to admit that God cannot be omnipotent. Or are we?

It is of the utmost importance that we define biblical terms biblically. If we place secular definitions on biblical terms then we are setting ourselves up for trouble and confusion. What did the writers of the Bible mean by the word omnipotent? In Scripture, to many's surprise, we find that there are things that God cannot do. Here are three in particular:

God cannot lie (Titus 1:2, Heb 6:18)

God cannot be tempted with evil (James 1:13)

God cannot deny Himself (2 Tim 2:13)

Omnipotence was never intended to mean the ability to do everything. It was meant to describe God's power to do anything according to His own eternal nature. Because God cannot deny Himself, that is, act contrary to His nature, He cannot do that which is logically contradictory, nor can He create logically contradictory scenarios. He cannot create square circles, He cannot make married bachelors, and He cannot not be God. Illogical feats are not feats at all.

So in answer to the question, Can God create a stone so heavy that He can not lift it? No! He cannot.