91�ȱ�

God as omnipotent

Christians believe that God is omnipotent. According to Christian belief, God created the world and everything in it, and also continues to be involved in the world, sustaining it.

In the Bible, there are many accounts of when God demonstrated his power and involvement in the world to human beings.

For example, Exodus 7–11 tells the story of how God spoke to Moses and helped to free the Jews who were enslaved in Egypt:

• Because the Pharaoh was stubborn and refused Moses’ request of freedom for his people, God sent ten plagues to Egypt.
• God sent the plagues to help Moses persuade the Pharaoh to release the Jews from slavery.
• After losing his son to the Angel of Death in the tenth plague, the Pharaoh finally gave in and allowed the Jews to go free.
• However, he soon changed his mind and sent his soldiers after them.
• Led by Moses, the Jews found themselves trapped between the Red Sea (in front of them) and the Pharaoh’s men (behind them).
• God intervened and miraculously parted the sea so that the Jews could escape. Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and God parted the waters so that the enslaved people could escape. The waters also killed the Pharaoh’s men.

God as omnibenevolent

Christians believe that God is omnibenevolent. There are many passages in the Bible that explain God’s all-loving nature, for example: But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Psalm 86:15).

Christians believe that Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s omnibenevolence. Jesus was God’s only son, sent as a sacrifice to make amends for the sins of humankind. Christians believe that this sacrifice made it possible for people to have eternal life with God in Heaven after they die. This is described in the Gospel of John:

In the Bible, St Paul talks about the strength of God’s love for humanity. He says that God will ensure that human beings will always have this love, which cannot be conquered (Romans 8:37–39).