12 Things God Can't Do: ...and How They Can Help You Sleep at Night

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Let’s stay with the idea of a water barrel. Try to imagine one much too big to fit in your garden. In fact, imagine that this barrel already contains all the water in the world—more than that, it contains all the water in the universe. In this case, it is impossible for that barrel to get any fuller—not because of any limitation in its capacity to hold water, but because there simply isn’t any more water to add. Finally, in the last two sections, we look at the fact that God cannot be tempted, He cannot lie and God can’t disown Himself. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:17). [Cross reference Psalm 102:17; Psalm 138:6; Luke 15:10; and Romans 12:1] Aren’t you happy that, no matter what you have done, you can return to God through repentance and His saving grace? 9. God cannot be pleased without faith. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘ I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” ( Hebrews 13:5-6).

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” ( Romans 11:36). Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you” ( Jeremiah 32:17). 1. God Does Not Fail For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” ( Hebrews 4:15). Firstly, the foreknowledge of God means that God cannot learn, be surprised or change His mind, God knows everything about us and He sees the end from the beginning and God cannot change His mind but allows man to intercede at various points.In each of those cases, my inability to learn came from my limitations. But when we say that God can’t learn, it’s not for any of those reasons. I’m torn. I liked the scope of this book - it functions pretty well as a basic doctrine of God (though, thankfully, doesn’t describe itself that way). It links the doctrine of God to the incarnation really well via little ‘interludes’ that highlight the wonder of Jesus being like us, without trying to ‘smooth out’ the ways that might be seen to clash with the things we’ve seen about God in the main chapters. It’s wonderfully Christ-exalting, which is fab! Also notable was drawing on Church Fathers more than I’d expect from a book like this.

Let’s take a few minutes and uncover a few of the things God doesn’t or can’t do. And I’m so thankful He doesn’t. He who is capable of these things is capable of what is not for his good, and of what he ought not to do; and the more capable of them he is, the more power have adversity and perversity against him; and the less has he himself against these. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” ( 1 Peter 2:24). 2. God Does Not Fear My inability to learn came from my limitations. But when we say that God can’t learn, it’s not for any of those reasons. Have you ever felt like someone completely misunderstood what you did or said? God cannot misunderstand. He knows the deepest thoughts and intents of your heart. He knows your motives, and your desires.

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” ( Deuteronomy 31:6). The book ends by explaining how God can’t die while also showcasing the mystery of the cross. We see how Jesus was tempted yet without sin, and this gives confidence to Christians as we pursue sanctification in our everyday life. And because God cannot disown himself, we can be sure that God will not abandon us -- those who are in Christ.