PASTOR'S PEN
Four things God cannot do
SABRINA GRUBBS

Matthew 19:26 says, "but Jesus looked at them and said: With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Does the title of my article and the scripture above contradict each other? No, for only God can limit or impose a restriction on Himself. And He says through His Bible that there are four things He cannot do.

First of all, God cannot lie. He says in Titus 1:2, "In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began." So there it is, Titus inspired by God says God cannot lie. Therefore, all that God has to say in the Bible is true. He says truthfully, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23. In Romans 6:23, He adds, "the wages of sin is death." To confirm it, in Ezekiel 18:20, the prophet is directed to tell the Israelites, "the soul who sins will surely die".

The second thing God cannot do is undo what has already been done. Surely, if God would allow Himself to undo things He would have undone Satan's rebellion and Adam's fall. God gave us a "free will" and along with it a finality of our actions. Yes, Jesus offers us forgiveness of our sins or, if you will, "wrong actions", but there are consequences to our actions. They are forgiven and forgotten, but not undone. In Genesis 3:13, "and the Lord God said to the woman, what is this that you hast done?" My own version is "good grief woman! What have you done?"

God doesn't undo our actions, our words, or our thoughts. Again in Ezekiel, this time chapter 33, verse 11 "As I live! Declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from his way and live."

Third, God cannot save anyone apart from faith in Christ Jesus. "He who believes in Him is not condemned already, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18. In John 14: "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." And in Acts 4:12, Peter, addressing the high priest and his court proclaimed, "and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved." So there it is. If you want salvation, you must proclaim Jesus Christ as your savior.

Finally, God cannot save anyone against his or her will. John 5:39-40 reads, "You search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life." In Revelation 22:17, we are told, "And the Spirit and the bride say, come. And let him who hears say, come. And let him who is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the Water of Life freely."

See, God can't just take us, we must come to Him. When Jesus died on the cross, He gave everyone on the Earth, then and for all time, salvation. It's right there; it's even free, but we must ask for it. It's like water in a fountain in a public facility. It's right there for anyone, free of charge, but we must walk up to the fountain and turn the handle to get that drink.

Sabrina Grubbs is pastor at the Island Worship Center.