Actions which are logically impossible are such by definition. For example, a triangle is defined by the fact that it has three sides. Giving it four sides to make it a square guarantees that it no longer has three sides to be a triangle. Or, for the more religious example. God cannot sin and still be God. Part of the definition of God is that He is all good. If He sins, He can no longer be called God. Note that this isn’t saying that “God can’t sin” in the sense of it is impossible for Him to do commit such an action. I am not sure if God could choose to sin or not. All I know is that if He does sin, then He will no longer be God by definition. This example illuminates the principle of non-contradiction, which is what makes things logically impossible.

Actions which are scientifically “impossible” -such as miracles- are not impossible in this same sense. Science is founded on inductive reasoning, that is, we see events occur over and over again according to the same pattern. We use that pattern to formulate a scientific “law” and miracles are events that break those “laws.” Yet there’s nothing that tells us that it’s impossible* that some events fall outside the pattern. It’s just that they very rarely do. All of the observed miracles we know of – the resurrection, turning water into wine, the creation of the universe – violate the scientific laws that we have discovered inductively, but nothing makes them impossible deductively.

Saying that God operates within the realm of logic doesn’t reduce God to our level. Saying that God operates within the realm of logic doesn’t preclude the possibility for miracles. It merely points out something fundamental about the way the universe and God function. As Joseph does a good job explaining, even the Bible concedes that some things are outside of God’s power, for God “cannot disown Himself.” This indicates that we mean something slightly different when we say God is omnipotent: God can do anything that can be done. I don’t think that understanding this difference is important for being Christians, but I do think it is important for being logical and rational.