[the hope of eternal life]… promised before the beginning of time …
Summary: God’s ”time” is very different from ours. Before our time began, he knew the cost of offering us eternal life and he willingly paid it.
Once upon a time is how we often begin a children’s story. In this letter, Paul writes to God’s children, and he starts his letter with, “before the beginning of time.”
It is hard for us to imaging a time without time. Even before the world was made, there must have been something called “time,” right? Well, maybe. If there is a kind of time that exists before our time began, it would be very different.
Our time is tied to the rotation of our planet around its axis. One rotation equals one day. One revolution of the planet around the sun is one year. Our “time” is unique in the universe. It is unlikely that any other planet would have the exact same length of day and year. So, in a very real sense, what we call “time” did not exist before our planet and our solar system came into being.
The psalmist tells us about God’s time when he writes, “A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.” (Psalm 90:4) God’s time is very different than the time he made for us to use. In His time, before the beginning of our time, God made a promise.
In his gospel, John, calling Jesus “the Word,” writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1: 1-4)
It appears to me that God knew what he was getting into when he created the world and all the people in it. Before God had created us, he made the angels, and even some of them turned out bad (2 Peter 2:4; Revelation 12:7-9). Despite that knowledge, God created us anyway. He knew the cost of offering us eternal life, and he willingly paid it.
Application: Take comfort in knowing that God knows what he is doing.
Food for Thought: How would your perspective on life change if you could see a hundred years of history pass in one day?
We are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes (James 4: 14). If we were to see a hundred years of history pass in a day, we would see generations come and go and be reminded that our time is short.
Rich,
I like the reference to James 4:14. We are a “mist” and one that dissipates quickly. This life is a wonderful gift but the real gift hides behind the mist.
How would your perspective on life change if you could see a hundred years of history pass in one day?
As a physical being in a body which will only function for an unknown, limited amount of time, it is a mind boggling thought. Or as a wise man once said “a conundrum.” I can tell you I have lived 76 years and today it seems like a second, when in reality there were
31,556,926 seconds in each year. Where did the 2.3398326e+9
seconds go?
As a believer, I have received eternal life through Christ. This new eternal life, is not confined to standards of this physical world. It is not something that starts when this physical body ceases to function. Eternal life begins the moment a person exercises faith in Christ. It is the life we live now. Our spirits are given eternal life and we remain on earth to minister to others as we enjoy the process of transformation through our relationship with God. To my eternal spiritual self, there is no time.
John 3:36 says, Whoever believes in the Son “has eternal life.”
John 5:24, John 6:47, John 11:25, Romans 6:23,2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Thank you, Ron.
I guess I would have to say I “second” that. 🙂
Well after watching the shows on the Histroy channel my perspective has changed a bunch,..and one twenty minute show will pass through a hundred years easy,..
I have come to respect more of the life I have been given because life is short,..tomorrow is not a guarentee,..but eternity is,..weird but true,..and that is God’s answer to me,..He has is all figured out already,..my life has been predestined,..my job is clearly spelled out in the Bible how to live this predestined life,..here on earth and in eternity.
It’s probably better off if I just look at today and keep my eyes fixed on Jesus instead of the time that has passed me by.
John,
Great advice! Thank you!
👍🏻👍🏻