Christians say, “God is omnipotent. He is all-powerful. He can literally do anything, including giving people superpowers, etc. God can do ANYTHING. He could make pigs fly with a snap of the fingers; he could create infinite universes with just speaking it into existence.” But, at the same time, these same people say, “God had to send his son to die because it was the only way.”
Okay, then God is not all-powerful then, lol. He’s not omnipotent. That’s literally the opposite of omnipotence. If God is omnipotent, then he literally had infinite options. In fact, if he’s this powerful, then sending his son is a really dumb idea and makes zero sense.
I don’t know if this comparison makes sense, but in The Flash TV show, when they were fighting a speedster named Savitar, there was a building with metahuman power dampeners so you can’t use your powers inside this building. Savitar was going to kill Iris West, so what would be the smart thing to do??? Maybe put Iris in this building because Savitar can’t use his powers inside it. Case closed. It would make no sense for this option to be here but then for Team Flash to say, “We know this easier and smarter option exists, but Iris, you dying is the only way we can stop Savitar and save you.”
See what I mean? Point is, if God is omnipotent, then Jesus dying wasn’t the only way. Jesus being tortured so he could feel all the pain of sin was not necessary. If you’re saying this was the only way, then fine, but don’t say God is all-powerful and limitless, because clearly there are limits to God’s own power.
He didn’t HAVE to do anything to be fair. Biblically it was a gift of love (as messed up as that is).And yeah perhaps there was another way, but that’s the way he chose. If he slaughtered a pig, you’d probably be like why didn’t he offer his own son? Doesn’t really have anything to do with omnipotence. Sacrifice was common in those days with goats etc. So it matches the culture of the day. Also kind of mirrors and reflects on the Abraham story too.
Also biblically God, Jesus and the holy spirit are technically one. Not really sure how that changes anything but is interesting to think about.
Here’s the biblical text if youre interested John 3:16 ESV “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
I’m just some guy and dont have all the answers or am looking to battle about it. But I’m happy to chat if we keep it chill. Why is God’s omnipotence important to you?
My headcannon for a lot of those things is that it’s really hard to retcon earlier made statements and actions, so some times He can’t go with the sensible approach in order to get around it.
Why would an omnipotent and omniscient being be influenced by the human culture of the day? Isn’t it more likely that the people of the time created stories that fit with the culture of their day?
It was a message, makes sense to speak the language of the people you are talking to. If God just 4d time tesseracted instead people wouldn’t get it.
Get what? What is there for people to get? Either god forgives humanity or he doesn’t. Why does he need to kill something, which was a human fad of the time, in order to forgive? I forgive people all the time and I don’t need to make any sacrifices for the other person to ‘get it’. We just move on with life.
Ah my bad, I mean ‘get it’ as in ‘understand it’ not as ‘recieve it’.