What does it mean that God is omnipotent?

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True Bible Answers · Accepted Answer

The omnipotence of God — His almighty power — is one of the foundational truths of Scripture, woven from Genesis to Revelation. It means that God possesses unlimited, unqualified power: nothing is too hard for Him, nothing can resist His will, and everything that exists owes its origin to His creative word. The Name "Almighty" — El Shaddai The truth of God's omnipotence is bound up in one of His most ancient revealed names: El Shaddai, "God Almighty." This was the name by which He was especially known to the patriarchs. Morrish's Bible Dictionary explains: The learned are not agreed as to the derivation of the word shaddai and its signification: some giving it as 'all bountiful,' others 'all sufficient,' 'all mighty,' etc. This is not at all surprising, for any name of God must be above mere human learning or definition, yet it was the ground of faith to those who had the revelation. The name first occurs in Gen. 17:1; God said to Abraham "I am the Almighty God." This links it with the Patriarchs: it is the name by which God was known to them. This name carries into the future as well — it will appear again when God acts in power and judgment: The name Almighty will appear again when God works out his purposes in power and judgement. It was revealed in connection with promises made in time, as Father is in connection with eternal counsels. The four living creatures cry day and night "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." Rev. 4:8. Morrish also lists omnipotence among God's principal attributes, citing Job 24:1, Matthew 19:26, and 1 Timothy 6:15 ("only Potentate"). Omnipotence Displayed in Creation The creation account is the primary theatre where God's omnipotence is first displayed. C. H. Mackintosh writes on Genesis 1: None but an infidel or an atheist would seek an argument in proof of the Being of One who, by the word of His mouth, called worlds into existence, and declared Himself the All wise, the Almighty, and the everlasting God... In the Book of Job 38-41 we have an appeal of the very grandest description, on the part of Jehovah Himself, to the work of creation, as an unanswerable argument in proof of His infinite superiority; and this appeal, while it sets before the understanding the most vivid and convincing demonstration of God's omnipotence, touches the heart, also, by its amazing condescension. The majesty and the love, the power and the tenderness, are all divine. C. H. Mackintosh F. B. Hole makes the same point about the six days of creation: That these mighty works should be accomplished with extreme rapidity presents no difficulty to faith. Mighty works, though of another order, were done instantaneously by the Word, when He became flesh and took "the form of a servant." He was "in the form of God" when He acted in creation and everything displayed His unqualified omnipotence. Omnipotence and Sovereignty F. B. Hole, writing on Exodus and the sovereignty of God over Pharaoh, draws together omnipotence and omniscience as the twin foundations of God's sovereign rule: The sovereignty of God is one of the great foundation facts of Scripture: a fact that may well move our hearts to praise. If He were not sovereign in His omniscience and omnipotence, we might well tremble before the might of the great adversary. The responsibility of man, even though fallen, is another fact made plain in Scripture, and both facts we must maintain, though we may not feel able to correlate the two. Omnipotence in the Divine Titles A. J. Pollock opens his study of the divine titles by placing omnipotence alongside God's other infinite attributes: The greatest word that can pass human lips is GOD — GOD from all eternity to all eternity, uncreated, self-sustained, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, THE MIGHTY CREATOR and SUSTAINER, the One in whom we live, and move, and have our being. A. J. Pollock He shows that the name Jehovah-Sabaoth ("the Lord of hosts") carries this thought of omnipotent power in action: How happy to be assured that we have Jehovah, the LORD of hosts, with us, nothing short of omnipotent power on our side; and that the God of Jacob is with us, that is, if God could have patience with a crooked stick like Jacob, will He not be patient with us, who come so far short of what we might be? Jehovah-Sabaoth Pollock is also careful to show that omnipotence remains exclusively a divine attribute — even believers who share in God's moral nature do not share His power: We have been made partakers of the Divine nature, not as being lifted to the level of Deity, that could never be, not that we should be omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, but sharing the moral qualities of the Divine life, such as love, purity, compassion, holiness, righteousness, possessing a nature that can commune with God. Omnipotence at Work in the Believer An address on Ephesians 3:20 in The Bible Treasury (1912) explores how God's omnipotent power works within us by the Holy Spirit: "Able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." There are times when our minds and hearts seem enlarged, and we then ask for great things — and we think more largely than we ask... His abilities surpass all our words and all our thoughts. It is not a question of what we are able to do; God is making known what He is able to do. His resources are infinite. Do we not read in this epistle how Christ was raised from the dead by God's almighty power, and that this very same power has wrought in regard to us giving us life, drawing us to Christ, subduing our rebellious wills and bringing our hearts into subjection to God and to Christ? Surely this was a mighty work — only God could do it. Edward Dennett applies this personally — the God who is all-powerful is able to keep His people from falling: It is that God is able to keep us from falling (Jude 24). To doubt this would not only be to disbelieve His own word, but also to forget that He is God. And this truth also is full of comfort, because it takes our eyes off from ourselves, our own utter weakness and our many failures, and directs them upward to God and His almighty power. It was in this manner the Lord encouraged His disciples when, daunted by His words concerning the obstacles riches were to salvation, they exclaimed, "Who then can be saved?" He replied, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Matt. 19:26. Edward Dennett "The Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth" The truth of God's omnipotence reaches its climactic expression in Revelation 19:6. J. N. Darby writes: If we think of the past or the present, in scripture or profane history, and consider how power has been abused, we cannot wonder at the joy heaven evinces, and the song of praise bursting forth at God's taking the government: "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth!"... What a change, when God shall take the power into His own hands, and we can sing, "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" F. B. Hole adds: God is manifestly on the throne in His omnipotence. God is equally on the throne today, but it is to us a matter of faith... A terrible drama of unspeakable corruption and violent judgment has passed before us, and far above the evil and turmoil the Lord God omnipotent has sat upon the throne. All things have served His might and nothing has diverted Him from His purpose. To say that God is omnipotent is to say that He possesses unlimited, uncreated, self-sustained power — power that belongs to His very nature and that He shares with no creature. This power is seen first in creation, where He spoke and worlds came into being. It is seen in His sovereign government of the earth, overruling even the defiance of Pharaoh. It is known personally by every believer, in whom the same power that raised Christ from the dead now works by the Holy Spirit. And it will be displayed in full when all opposition is swept away and the cry rings out in heaven: "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" The comfort of this truth is that the God who holds all power is also the God of patience, grace, and love — omnipotence exercised not in raw force, but in faithfulness to His promises and in the keeping of His people.

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