Objections 101: Can God Make A Rock So Big He Can't Lift It?

Welcome to the first in the new series, Objections 101, where we will take a look at some misconceptions and objections commonly brought up by the skeptics. Today, we will take a look at the question, "Can God make a rock so big He can't lift it?"

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Q. Can God Make A Rock So Big He Can't Lift It?


A. This is a common question that that skeptics bring up in order to suppress the idea that God may actually exist as the Theist claims and believes. It questions God's omnipotence by claiming that if He were all-powerful He could do anything -- even make a rock so large He couldn't lift it.

However, it is important to realize that there are some things that God cannot do: He can’t do anything contrary to His nature. Greg Koukl from Stand To Reason explains it very simply in the following video:




D. James Kennedy summed it up well in his book Skeptics Answered when he stated, "To me, this is like asking, 'Did you drive to work today or did you pack a lunch?' We are now in the territory of mind games, and generally the skeptic who asks this question is more concerned with creating confusion than in asking honest, searching questions about God. Still, it's provocative. The Bible says God can do all things and nothing is impossible for Him. If that is true, says this questioner, then can He make a rock so big He can't move it? The person has asked the question in such a way that God loses regardless of the answer given. The problem, then, is the question itself, which is designed to entrap. Furthermore, I think we should remember that just because God can do all things doesn't mean He will do them to prove His capabilities. God will never do anything contrary to His nature. He can't tell a lie. He can't sin, even though He is omnipotent. God can also choose to limit the power He expresses. In light of the immense, complex and powerful cosmos He created, are we not presumptuous to ask what He is capable of?"

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