SEVEN THINGS GOD CANNOT DO

 

            Strongly as we believe and preach God’s total sovereignty, we do not, and we must not, press the issue of God’s sovereignty beyond the bounds of Holy Scripture, to the exclusion of or in contradiction to that which God has revealed in his Word. Here are seven things the holy, sovereign, Lord God cannot do.

 

            1. God cannot change or be changed (Mal. 3:6; James 1:17). His Being is immutable. His purposes are unalterable. The objects of his love and the measure of his love for them are always the same.

 

            2. God cannot lie (Tit. 1:2). This places no limitation upon the Almighty. It is simply the necessity of his character. If God has said anything, promised anything, or threatened anything, you can bank on it. God cannot lie. And Paul tells us plainly that God promised eternal life to some people before the world was made.

 

            3. God cannot save a sinner without a suitable sacrifice (Heb. 9:22). He cannot forgive sin without blood atonement. And atonement cannot be made without a suitable sacrifice. The only suitable sacrifice is one who is himself altogether innocent, a man of our nature, and a man of infinite merit who is himself God (John 1:14).

 

            4. God cannot take anyone to heaven who is not perfectly righteous in his sight (Matt. 5:20; Heb. 12:14). He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. “It must be perfect to be accepted.” The holy God requires perfect holiness. Christ is our righteousness, holiness, and sanctification (Rom. 5:19). We are complete in him (Col. 1:12; 2:10).

 

            5. God cannot send anyone to hell for whom Christ suffered and died at Calvary (Isa. 53:11; Rom. 8:33-34). “Payment God cannot twice demand, First at my bleeding Surety’s hand, And then again at mine!” His wisdom, love, goodness, and justice will not allow it!

 

            6. God cannot save a sinner apart from the preaching of the gospel. He cannot because he will not (I Cor. 1:21-24; James 1:18; II Pet. 1:23-25). I hear men say, “God can save men with the use of means, without the use of means, or in spite of the means used. He is sovereign. He can do whatever he will.” God is sovereign. He can do anything he wants to do. But God cannot lie. He cannot do that which is contrary to his Word. He cannot do that which he has said he will not do. Neither can he fail to do what he has said he will do . And God has said that the gospel of Christ is his ordained means of communicating saving grace to dead sinners. God will not save anyone apart from the preaching of the gospel (Rom. 1:15-17; 10:17). Neither will he save anyone by the preaching of a false gospel (Gal. 1:6-8).

 

            7. God cannot fail to save any sinner who trusts the Lord Jesus Christ, his dear Son (John 3:16, 36). God, who cannot lie, has promised eternal life to every believer. Faith in Christ is the fruit of election, redemption, and regeneration. And faith in Christ is the evidence of election, redemption, and regeneration. Will you now believe? Will you trust the Son of God?

 

 

Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For Today Radio Message #650

2734 Old Stanford Road - Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438

Donald S. Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net