His Holiness Pope Shenouda III addresses the attribute of strength and power in God, then moves on to explain God’s justice and how it is applied to humans.

God’s strength and power
God is strong and omnipotent — able to do everything without limits. Creation is evidence of His power because creating from nothing is not possible for a creature. Man is an inventor and discoverer, whereas creation belongs to God alone.

Evidence of divine power
Among the evidences of God’s power are granting life and raising the dead, giving the first life when He breathed the soul into Adam, and performing miracles that exceed the capability of humans and angels.

Difference between God’s power and human power
Human ability is limited before the forces of nature, disease, death, and disasters, while God’s power is complete and includes nature, disease, demons, angels and all beings; however, God’s power always accords with His holiness and will.

Constraint of power by God’s will and holiness
God’s power does not operate apart from His will and holiness; God does not do what contradicts His holiness or will. Example: God is able to destroy the devil or end the world now, but He does not do so because His will is different.

Human freedom and God’s will
God is able to guide a person toward good but He respects free will, therefore He does not prevent all evil completely so that man retains real choice.

God’s justice
God is just and will recompense every person according to his works and capacities and according to his knowledge and understanding. Divine justice takes into account lack of will or reason in some people, and distinguishes between the sin of ignorance, the sin of betrayal, and the sin of fear.

Manifestation of justice in eternal order
The earthly inequality is compensated by God’s justice in heaven; the one who received nothing will be compensated, and the one who was wronged will receive justice. The system of repentance and forgiveness is applied to all by the divine measure.

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