Can God Create a Rock so Big that even He Cannot Move it?

This question is designed to bring God's omnipotence into question, for if one answers yes, than God's omnipotence can not be so rightly called, for He would be incapable of moving the rock; however, if one answers no then God is incapable of creating something, and this would lead some to believe that this invalidates God's omnipotence.  This is the trap that many athiests and agnostics will try to catch a Christian with.  Here is my response to this question:

The answer is no, for the finite can never overpower or exhaust the power of the infinite.  A rock is constrained by time and space: it is made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons which in turn make up minerals which in turn make up the rock.  All atoms, minerals, and rocks take up space, which is another way of saying that they are limited by space and time.  A rock can never grow to overpower the space that limits it, and the culmination of space--the universe, is finite and the finite can never overpower or exhaust the power of an infinite being.  Of course if the rock consumed the universe it would have no space to move into therefore becoming an immovable object, but we will not insult or critics--they are not seeking such a simple and obviously evasive question.  

They are trying to point out that the concept of omnipotence is paradoxal--and even contradictory.  It is true that if omnipotence were not controlled by another attribute of God that it would ultimately destroy itself, but God's power is limited by His perfect will.  His power can still be rightly called omnipotent because the will of the beholder is not a measure of potency--merely because God will use His power as He wills does not mean His power is insufficient.  God will never create an infinite immovable object because it would be contrary to His will, which is to maximize His glory by making manifest His infinite perfections.   God will never, because He is perfect, act in a manner that is contrary to His will or intentions, and because His will and intention is to maximize His glory, He will do so perfectly and will never use His power in such a manner as to impugn His glory, or which creating an infinite immovable object is an example.

I hope this has helped some of you out; you may or may not have heard this argument--it is tricky but stand your ground with humility and respect.

Cordially in Him,

Tommy Race

If you have any questions or concerns please e-mail me at unworthyservent@hotmail.com.

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