Can God make a soul not exist anymore?

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Can God make a soul not exist anymore?

I’ve read some confusing things from Aquinas. He said that God has no moral obligation to keep a being in existence, but I’ve also read that blotting out a soul would go against God’s nature.

Granted, I find a lot of Aquinas’ language complex and confusing.

Also, could God bring back into existence the soul he annihilated previously?
 
I’m going to go ahead an say yes to both on a purely “could it be done” because he can do anything.

However, He wouldn’t:

He doesn’t make mistakes and creates things for a reason. Plus he does so out of Love, and gives you free will for the same reason. He created souls for good but will allow them to choose otherwise forever if necessary.
 
No, Catholics pray the Creed as part of our beliefs. We also believe the soul and body compliment each ther and one is incomplete without the other, and they will be reunited after death, at the final judgement.
 
Yes, God can annihilate anything he created. God freely created the universe from nothing and preserves it in existence at every moment so that if God withdraws his conserving power from creation it would instantly return to nothingness from which it came. But God did not create the world to annihilate it or human souls to annihilate them but that they could participate in existence out of his goodness in their various ways. God could bring back into existence a human soul he annihilates but we don’t believe God will annihilate any soul he creates but that it will exist eternally.
 
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If the question is purely “Does God have the capacity?” then the answer is yes. However, if the question is “would He?” or “is it really possible this will happen?” Then the answer is no. To destroy a soul He has created would be a violation of His active will. Since God cannot violate His will, this is not actually possible.
 
WannabeSaint said:
Also, could God bring back into existence the soul he annihilated previously?
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Ofcourse He can. If there is something a god cannot do, then he is not the one true god.

God restored all Job’s children who passed away.
Job 42:
12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters.

Jesus said that John the Baptist was actually Elijah:

Matthew 11:
7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind?
8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces.
9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
10 This is the one about whom it is written:
“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it.
13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
15 Whoever has ears, let them hear.
 
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JoyfulTune said:
Ofcourse He can. If there is something a god cannot do, then he is not the one true god.
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God cannot do something against His nature (for example, sin). He also can’t make something violate its own nature and still be what it is (a square circle).
 
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Fauken said:
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JoyfulTune:
Ofcourse He can. If there is something a god cannot do, then he is not the one true god.
Click to expand...
God cannot do something against His nature (for example, sin). He also can’t make something violate its own nature and still be what it is (a square circle).
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I agree God doesn’t sin. Whatever God does is true and just.

Our understanding of what’s true and just, however, could be much different than Gods.

Isiah 55:8-9
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For example: God can takeaway life, without being sinful because all lives comes from Him and therefore belong to Him. Whereas it is sinful for humans to take other people’s life because we do not own others life.

However, a theological definition that says “God cannot do something against His nature” is inconsistent to the fact that if there is anything a god incapable of, then he is not god.

The question is whether we can define “God’s nature” accurately. And then, if we can define god’s nature accurately, then the next question whether that definition actually limit God who supposedly beyond our capability to define Him. So, consequently that definition most probably is imprecise if not completely errs.

Thomas Aquinas philpsophy is very brilliant. It has it’s place in academy, education, and so on. I am afraid it is not enough to define God. We should trust Jesus words more than Thomas Aquinas philosophy. His philosophy I am sure has limit, while God is without limit
 
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WannabeSaint said:
Can God make a soul not exist anymore?

I’ve read some confusing things from Aquinas. He said that God has no moral obligation to keep a being in existence, but I’ve also read that blotting out a soul would go against God’s nature.

Granted, I find a lot of Aquinas’ language complex and confusing.

Also, could God bring back into existence the soul he annihilated previously?
Click to expand...
As I understand it, the key here is that a soul, a created being, does not have existence in its essence. Any created thing requires God’s continuing will to continue to exist. If God ceases willing it to exist, it will “collapse” immediately back into non-existence. This is the case for any contingent being. We are dependent on - contingent upon - His active will to remain in existence.

Only God Himself - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - exist absolutely; only God has existence in His essence. Thus God is eternal, without beginning or end.

So literally “nothing” is needed to stop holding a created thing in existence; things exist only because and if and as long as God holds it in existence.
 
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While a soul can be annihilated, it is revealed that this will not occur. It is indeed in God’s power to “uncreate,” just as it is in His power to create, and to “re-create”. So, yes to all.

Take your time with Thomas, he becomes easier the more you read him… and you will appreciate how blindingly clear he is, 99% of the time.
 
God is omnipotent, which means He has infinite power and presumably this includes the power to destroy souls. So in this technical sense He can.

But in a more important sense He can not, because it’s against His nature. When theologians say say something is against His nature they don’t just mean it would be out of character, they mean that if He did it He wouldn’t be the God we know and worship. That’s why the question “Can God sin?” is answered with a resounding “No!”.
 
Yes, for sure but God is patient and loving. His omnipotence is so amazing but His understanding of the human being is too great. But in the Old Testament, whenever He becomes angry, He blasts out and send horrible things.
 
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