Does God’s Omnibenevolence Contradict His Omnipotence?

From guest blogger, TJ.

If God cannot do certain things because he is “all-good” than it seems that he is not all-powerful.  There are a certain number of things that it seems God cannot do.  God cannot sin therefore he is not all-powerful. 

One might argue, God is all powerful therefore he can do all “doable” things.  God is also all-good therefore bad things are not “doable.”  Thus, God’s omnibenevolence does not contradict his omnipotence. 

However, one could now argue that the fact that God cannot do bad things takes away from his free will.  And it seems that a being with free will is somewhat “more good” than a being without free will.  For example, as we discussed a person with a switch in their head that keeps them from doing bad doesn’t seem as good as a person that has no switch but chooses do good over bad.  Why?  Because the person with the choice seems to have more power.  He can do bad things as well as good things (he can do more).  Also, he has the choice and chooses to good.  That seems “more good” than the person that can only do good.

I would argue that God does have free will, and that he is omnibenevolent and omnipotent.  He is capable of doing good things as well bad things therefore God does have free will and he is omnipotent.  And the fact that God chooses to do good things over bad things makes him “more good.”  However, God does sometimes choose to do evil.  This does not make him any less good because these evils are necessary for there to be good.  They are morally justified.  In order fot there to be good there must be bad.  There is always a purpose.