ANSWER: The Bible consistently states that God is eternal. Before earth and time began, God existed. The concept of “eternal” makes us wonder. God was not created. It is difficult to comprehend because everything that we experience through our senses was made at one time by something or someone.
Full Answer
Is God eternal or everlasting?
They thought of God as eternal, in the sense that he is timeless or atemporal. Now, the dominant view among philosophers is that God is temporal. His eternal nature is thought of as being everlasting rather than timeless. He never came into existence and he will never go out of existence but he exists within time.
What does it mean to say God is eternal?
According to Lafleur, when we say eternal, what we really mean is everlasting. Only in this way could God be everything we think of him as, both everlasting and all knowing.
Where does the Bible say God is everlasting?
Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Does the Bible say God is infinite?
God truly is infinite. Therefore nothing can oppose Him. This powerful truth--understood--brings healing. 1 Psalms 139:7-10.
What is the difference between everlasting and eternal?
According to the English language, “eternal” means “without beginning or end, always existing, lasting forever”; whereas “everlasting” means “lasting forever, lasting for a very long time, for an indefinitely long time.”
Who created God?
We ask, "If all things have a creator, then who created God?" Actually, only created things have a creator, so it's improper to lump God with his creation. God has revealed himself to us in the Bible as having always existed. Atheists counter that there is no reason to assume the universe was created.
Where in the Bible does it say God has no beginning and no end?
This brings me back to the One with no beginning and no end. Psalm 90:2 says, “From forever in the past to forever in the future, you are God.” — Common English Bible. This God is so unlimited in power that time and space cannot bind Him or define Him.
Does the Bible say God is timeless?
Peter said that in the word of God we have “all things pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). That principle of God's word – that in it we have everything we need to live holy and righteous lives for eternal salvation – is just as true today as it was when it was first written. The word of God is timeless!
What does Isaiah 40 31 mean?
The path of the righteous (verse 31) entails patience and waiting on the future glory of Christ to be revealed, but also the promise of strength to meet out trials and temptations here and now, and to do righteous acts to honor the Lord who bought us. The waiting does not mean empty time or space.
What is eternity according to the Bible?
In Christian teachings, eternal life is not an inherent part of human existence, and is a unique gift from God, based on the model of the Resurrection of Jesus, viewed as a unique event through which death was conquered "once for all", permitting Christians to experience eternal life.
What is eternity biblical?
On the first, God is timeless (divine timelessness); on the second, God is in time (divine temporality). Sometimes the term “eternity” is used to denote timelessness, but as mentioned, we will here use it as neutral between the timeless and temporal views.
Does God have unlimited power?
Whether physical or delegated, all powers belong to God and He gives to whoever He wishes. That is why the Bible states clearly in Psalm 62:11, “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.” The sovereignty of God is never in doubt. He is Himself, He owns everything, including power.
What is the biblical meaning of eternity?
infinite time; duration without beginning or end. eternal existence, especially as contrasted with mortal life: the eternity of God. Theology. the timeless state into which the soul passes at a person's death.
Is eternal the same as infinite?
Eternity vs Infinity While infinity is something that cannot be expressed or measured in units or measurement, eternity is something that is present at all times, something that has no end or beginning.
What does it mean that God is from everlasting to everlasting?
Moses, who wrote the psalm, gives us facts about God and this world that clarify that need. First, he tells us that God is from everlasting to everlasting. Our world had a beginning (verse 2), God did not. He has always been and always will be. Truths about God are deep things, but his eternity is the highest mystery.
What is eternal power?
2 often cap denoting or relating to that which is without beginning and end, regarded as an attribute of God. 3 unchanged by time, esp. being true or valid for all time; immutable.
What does the Bible say about the man who has become like one of us in knowing good and evil?
Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever —”
What does the Bible say about the smoke of their torment?
And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
What are some examples of punishments of eternal fire?
Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
Why did the Son of God appear?
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
What does the Bible say about the seven stars?
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. ...
Why should we give thanks to God?
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
What did Jesus say to Abraham before he was a man?
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
What does God say to Moses?
God’s reply is most revealing: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you'" ( Exodus 3:14 ). This signifies the real being of God, His self-existence, and that He is the Being of beings.
Who said the Word was God?
The apostle John also declared this truth regarding the nature of Christ: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” ( John 1:1 ). Jesus and His Father are one in essence, they exist sans time, and they share equally in the attribute of eternality.
Why did Jesus claim to be God in flesh?
It is clear that Jesus was claiming to be God in flesh because the Jews, upon hearing this statement, tried to stone Him to death.
What does Psalm 90:2 say about God?
Psalm 90:2 tells us about God’s eternality: “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”. Since humans measure everything in time, it is very hard for us to conceive of something that had no beginning, but has always been, and will continue forever. ...
Does the Bible say God is eternal?
However, the Bible does not try to prove God’s existence or His eternality, but simply begins with the statement “In the beginning God…”. ( Genesis 1:1 ), indicating that at the beginning of recorded time, God was already in existence.
What did God say about the beginning of the world?
And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. ...
Who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel?
And which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
What did Jesus say to Abraham before he was a man?
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
Why did God bless the seventh day?
So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, ...
What covenant did God make with the Levites?
God’s Covenant With The Levites The Eternal Covenant Covenant, God's with Israel's priests. All the offerings of the holy gifts, which the sons of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a perpetual allotment.
Is Jesus the same yesterday?
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Why is God eternal?
God is eternal because he is beyond time, his dominion is everlasting, he is our eternal rock, and that he lives forever. What we see in this world was created by him and only him, and, if we choose, he will be forever with us. We always read in the Bible that God is eternal. By definition, the word eternal means without an end ...
What does it mean to be eternal?
By definition, the word eternal means without an end and without a beginning, which is what God is. He has no end and no beginning and yet he is the beginning and the end of things. He was never created and is never able to experience death. He has power over all things because he is eternal.
What is the purpose of Ephesians 3:11?
In Ephesians 3:11, he accomplished his purpose in Jesus, “according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”. Shortly after, Jesus became the Word, as written in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”. Life is full of trials and tribulations.
Why is it comforting to have someone lead us for eternity?
It means that he can lead our lives forever and he can lead the lives of our future families and relatives. We feel assured that God is able to point us to the lighted path because he will always be with us even after we depart from this worldly life.
What does Luke 16:9 say about wealth?
Luke 16:9 emphasizes this as written, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”
What does it mean that God is the start of everything?
This means that God is the start of everything, and this also means that before God made the heavens and the earth, he already existed. While we do not know what happened before God created our surroundings, we know that he exists beyond time. Time is irrelevant for God because he invented time itself. Abraham knew the nature of our eternal God in ...
What is the beginning of time in the Bible?
God Is the Beginning of Time. In the first book of the Bible, God is described as the beginning and the one who created everything. We can read this in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” and further towards Genesis 1:3, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”.
What does the Bible say about eternal nature?
The Bible says, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms ” (Deuteronomy 33:27).
What does Psalm 100 say about eternity?
Take all the doctrines you choose to embrace, all the things you like in the Bible, and then tell me in the same breath you don’t believe in eternity.
How to compare time and eternity?
Several writers have suggested a helpful idea about how to compare time with eternity. Imagine taking hundreds of pieces of white paper and taping them together to form a huge, white backdrop. Now imagine plastering it like a giant curtain to the side of a large skyscraper. Now, take a pencil and make a dash in the middle of that vast expanse of paper. That tiny thin line would represent time against the span of eternity. 1
What happens if we can grasp God?
If we have a God we can grasp, he ceases to be God. By definition, God must be incomprehensible. If we could unravel the mysteries of His Person, we would elevate ourselves to His level, which we cannot. He is infinite as it relates to space, everywhere present at the same time.
Is God's later the same as the beginning?
God’s terms are different. For God, later is the same as earlier. The end is the same as the beginning. Now is the same as then. He watches the parade from above, from the top of a building. He sees the whole thing at one time, from the eternal now. He is the eternal God we worship.
Did God exist before time?
God Existed Before Time Began. His eternal nature is also unsearchable, yet the Bible lets us glimpse this glorious truth. It tells us God existed before time began. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God.”.
Does God have a beginning or an ending?
God never had a beginning and will never have an ending. There never was a time when He was not, and there will never be a time when He ceases to be. I know we can’t fully comprehend that truth, but that’s all right. A God who is small enough to be understood isn’t big enough to be worshiped.
Eternal life advocates annihilationism
The biblical teaching of Hell can make people uncomfortable. Some have made the claim God’s judgment against sinners will not last for eternity. In this view, after God casts people into Hell, they suffer for a temporary period of time and then cease to exist.
Eternal life centers around our existence
The secularized perception of heaven portrayed in movies has influenced our culture’s understanding of eternity. Often displayed is a godless heaven that centers around people who enter paradise with their friends and family.
We will get bored after a while
Although God has set eternity in our hearts ( Ecclesiastes 3:11 ), it’s impossible for us to fathom what it will be like to live forever. At this point, we can only relate to our temporal, earthly experiences. No matter how much you enjoy life now, the pleasures of this world are not enough to satisfy us forever.
Eternal life is granted to good people
It’s very natural for people to compare moral appearances with one another. Anyone who seems like a good person (by human understanding) is often assumed to have a place in heaven.
People are given eternal life by saying the right things
It’s a common misperception that God automatically grants eternal life to people who say the right things. There are many who treat the Sinner’s Prayer like magic words which force God to dispense His grace. People think if they can just convince or manipulate a person to say the right words, they’ll go to heaven for sure.
Eternal life begins when we get to heaven
Christians can view their eternal life as some far-off abstract thing that only begins once we step foot into heaven. The truth is our eternal life has already begun. Our eternal life is grounded in our relationship with God ( John 17:3 ).
