We know that God is omnipotent, but what exactly does that mean? Does that mean there are no limitations on God and what He can do? Or does it mean that, ultimately, He can achieve His purposes, whatever that might be? It is this latter understanding that makes the most sense to me. The reason I say this is that God actually has some limitations. Hearing that might surprise you initially, but you will likely agree once I explain. You will also likely agree that those limits greatly benefit Christians. So, what are these limits? Well, firstly, it is impossible for God to sin. He cannot even be tempted to sin. As James says in chapter 1:13-14 of his letter, “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone”. If God could sin, how could He save us from it? More specifically, we know that God cannot lie. Notice Titus 1:2, where Paul speaks of our faith and knowledge coming to rest on the “eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time”. If God could lie, how could we trust Him? How could we believe in Him to be saved? Thankfully God is limited by the fact that He cannot lie. This means that when He speaks and makes a promise, you can be confident that it will happen.
One thing that God has promised and made available to all is the hope of eternal life. Eternal life is more than just living forever and ever. But a life that is fully alive and engaged in the fullest and most meaningful existences. That is a life fuelled by a relationship with God and maintained because of the work of Jesus Christ. It is this eternal life that God promised to make available to humans even before life on earth began. A promise that has driven God’s providential and miraculous workings down through the history of the world so that now through the gospel message, it can be made known. In Titus 1:3, Paul says it was his privilege to share that message with all. Specifically, he writes, “at his appointed season he (God) brought his word (the eternal hope) through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Saviour”.
Since eternal hope is made sure by the fact that God cannot lie, why not grasp it today and begin to live life to the fullest as you anticipate living with God completely in the future.
