The Attributes of God: Eternal
God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. ““I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and […]
God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.
““I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Rev 4:8
The eternity of God points us to His self-existence.
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God” (Psalm 90:2).
There was a time before Tom. People existed before I did. And if they didn’t then I wouldn’t exist because it was people who caused my existence. My parents had to exist for me to exist.
God required no one to exist before Him. He existed before this world. He existed before the angels. He existed before there was any material things at all. There was no time before God. In fact, that is true in two senses because God even existed before time.
God has existed forever because He is self-existent. He sustains His own existence.
God explains this when He said to Moses, “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14).
You and I are dependent on others not just for our beginning, but also for our continued existence. We need people to purchase the products we sell so that we can have money to purchase food, shelter and clothing. We need people to produce food, make clothes, ship those things all over the place, build vehicles and buildings. We are so dependent on others for our existence.
I suppose you could become a hermit and live entirely cut off from everyone, but the only way you could do that is by knowing things that others have taught you. And even then, you would be dependent on God for His provision.
God is not like that. He is independent. He doesn’t need anyone to do anything for Him. He doesn’t rely on humans or angels or the created world for His sustenance or His dignity or His survival at all in any way.
This means that you can’t add anything to God. It means you can’t hurt God. And importantly, it means that you and I are completely dependent upon God. He is where existence comes from. You and I exist because the self-existent God gives and sustains our existence.
– Tom Eglinton
