How Free is God? Understanding Divine Omnipotence

One of the most intriguing questions in theology revolves around the nature of God’s freedom. How free is God? What can He do, and are there things He cannot do? This article explores these questions, particularly focusing on divine omnipotence and its limits. By analyzing God’s freedom, we gain a deeper understanding of the concept of omnipotence and how logic and morality interact with the divine.
In this exploration, we’ll take insights from a discussion on the philosophical definitions of omnipotence, God’s moral essence, and His ability to create and manage the universe. The limitations of God’s freedom are not weaknesses, but rather, logical and philosophical necessities.

What is Divine Omnipotence?

Divine omnipotence is often understood as God’s ability to do anything. However, as the philosopher in our discussion explains, omnipotence doesn’t mean that God can do absolutely anything. Instead, it is more precise to say that God can do anything that is **logically possible**. This distinction is important because many things that seem impossible are actually contradictions.
For example, God cannot make a **married bachelor** or a **square circle** because these are absurd combinations of words with no coherent meaning. These are not actual things that can be done; they are logical impossibilities. Therefore, when we say God is omnipotent, we mean He can do anything that makes logical sense.

Limitations of Omnipotence: Logical Contradictions

One of the classic examples often raised in discussions of omnipotence is the question: **Can God create a rock so heavy that He cannot lift it?** This question, like the idea of a married bachelor, is a logical contradiction. It doesn’t truly test God’s power because it poses an impossible scenario. Such conundrums are helpful, though, because they encourage careful thought about the definition of divine attributes, particularly omnipotence.
The philosopher explains that **omnipotence is not limited** by logical contradictions. In other words, God’s inability to perform logically impossible tasks—like creating a square circle—doesn’t diminish His omnipotence. It simply reflects the nature of reality and logic itself.

God’s Freedom in Creation

A central aspect of God’s freedom is His ability to create. One important question is whether God was free to not create the universe. Could God have chosen not to create anything at all? According to traditional Judeo-Christian theology, creation is a **freely willed** act of God. He could have refrained from creation entirely.
Philosophers often speak of a conceivable world where God alone exists—without time, space, or matter. This would be a possible world in which no universe exists, and God alone remains in His eternal, self-sufficient existence. In this view, God was not **obligated** to create; it was a free choice.

Multiple Universes: Could God Create Many Worlds?

Another interesting question is whether God could create multiple universes. Could there be more than just our universe? The philosopher asserts that there is no theological reason why God could not create **multiple worlds** or **infinite universes**. As an infinite being, God could freely choose to create as many worlds as He desired, each with its own distinct qualities.
The traditional view of God in monotheism doesn’t restrict Him to creating just one universe. This opens up fascinating possibilities about the scope of God’s creative power and what kinds of worlds might exist beyond our understanding.

Can God Sin?

An important limitation of divine freedom is whether God could commit **sin**. Could God do something morally wrong? The answer, according to classical theology, is no—God cannot sin. This isn’t because God lacks the power to act, but because **sin** is inconsistent with God’s nature.
God is understood to be **essentially good**. Moral perfection is an inherent part of God’s essence. Just as it is a logical contradiction for God to create a married bachelor, it would also be a logical contradiction for God to commit sin. In this case, the impossibility of sin stems from the definition of God as a morally perfect being.

The Necessity of Moral Perfection

The philosopher explains that God’s inability to sin is not a weakness; it’s a result of His perfection. **Moral perfection** is one of the essential characteristics of God. According to the philosopher **St. Anselm**, God is the **greatest conceivable being**, which means He must be perfect in every respect. A morally imperfect being would not be worthy of worship and, therefore, could not be God.
This leads to a further point: if a being were immensely powerful but morally flawed, it would not deserve worship. **Worship** is reserved for beings that are not only powerful but also perfectly good. This moral perfection is part of what defines God as the greatest being.

God’s Freedom and the Problem of Evil

One of the most challenging questions in theology is the problem of **evil**. If God is all-powerful and morally perfect, why does evil exist in the world? The philosopher introduces the concept of **middle knowledge** to address this issue.
Middle knowledge is the idea that God knows all the possible choices that free creatures could make in any given circumstance. This knowledge is called **counterfactual knowledge**, meaning God knows what would happen if certain conditions were met. However, God doesn’t **determine** these choices. Free will remains intact, even though God knows the outcome of every possible decision.

The Role of Middle Knowledge

Middle knowledge creates an interesting limitation on God’s freedom. Although God can create the universe and set circumstances in motion, He cannot force creatures to choose good over evil. The philosopher explains that this means God can know every possible world, but some worlds may not be **feasible** for Him to create because of the free choices creatures would make.
In other words, even though God knows every possible outcome, there may be no possible world where all creatures always choose to do good. This perspective offers a **theological explanation** for the existence of evil. It’s not that God wills evil, but that in any feasible world, some creatures will freely choose to act against good.

Conclusion: The Complex Nature of God’s Freedom

The question of how free God is leads to profound reflections on the nature of divine omnipotence, morality, and the existence of evil. While God is omnipotent, His power is limited only by **logical impossibilities** and by His own **moral perfection**. God cannot sin, nor can He create logical contradictions. Yet, these are not weaknesses—they are necessary features of a perfect being.
Through middle knowledge, we see that God’s freedom also interacts with the free will of His creatures. Even though God knows every possible outcome, He allows for genuine freedom in human choices, which may explain the presence of evil in the world.
If you found these reflections on divine freedom fascinating, I encourage you to explore the full discussion in this video: William Lane Craig – How Free is God?.