Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is
wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:17
Have you ever thought about the eternality of God? How do we know He has no beginning or end?
Let me say upfront: I am using the Bible.
Although you don’t need a Bible to know there is a God and that He is eternal and powerful, having one puts this knowledge in words.
So, if you have access to a Bible, it’s crucial that you believe it is God’s word to us and contains what He wants us to know about Him.
That being said, let’s find out what God’s word says about Him being eternal.
Table of Contents
How Do We Know God is Eternal?
We know that God is eternal in two main ways: creation tells us, and so does the Bible. Those who have never heard about God or read a Bible still observe the world around them. They know it came from somewhere and that Someone eternal and divine must have made it. In the Bible, we also learn that God is triune, offers eternal life to humans, and has an everlasting kingdom, otherwise known as heaven.
1. The Bible Tells Us
Psalm 90:2 Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.
Exodus 3:14-15 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors–the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob–has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.
Isaiah 26:4 Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.
Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you.
Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega–the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come–the Almighty One.”
2. Creation Tells Us
Romans 1:20 For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse.
This verse doesn’t say people can know everything about God through creation, but they can know He exists and is powerful. Everyone is responsible for understanding that much.
Psalm 19:1-4 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge. There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard. Their message has gone out to the whole earth, and their words to the end of the world.
These verses tell us God’s existence can be known by observing creation. We can also know He is divine and powerful. Knowing God exists through creation is called natural revelation. Another way to put it is that creation continuously reveals God’s power and glory.
Furthermore, it’s unclear how God will judge those who have never heard the gospel, but we can be confident it will be fair because God is loving and kind. They will, however, be held accountable for knowing God exists through observing creation.
Unfortunately, some who have access to the Bible say God doesn’t exist. They look for other explanations for how the world began. Someday, these people will be proved wrong and will be without excuse before God.
The Eternal God is Triune
God is triune in nature. He exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
John 17:5 [Jesus speaking] Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.
John 1:1, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Hebrews 9:14 How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God?
As you can see, Scripture speaks of all three as being eternal.
The Eternal God Offers Us Eternal Life
We have an eternal God who loves us and provides a way for us to spend eternity with Him. Because we sin, we can’t get to heaven on our own. Being good enough isn’t an option since God’s standard is perfection. We must do things God’s way.
He offers eternal life for those who believe He sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to pay the penalty for our sin. He died on a cross and rose again victorious over death and sin. God says whoever believes will be saved. To be saved is to have eternal life.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 6:40 But this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 17:3 This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent–Jesus Christ.
John 5:24 Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.
Romans 10:13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift–not from works, so that no one can boast.
But what about those who have never heard of Jesus or the gospel? Can they be saved and have eternal life if they believe there is a God who created the world?
The Bible doesn’t answer this question directly, but we can be confident that God will judge fairly based on who He is.
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The Eternal God Has An Eternal Kingdom
Psalm 145:13a Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your rule is for all generations.
Psalm 10:16a The Lord is King forever and ever.
Psalm 29:10 The Lord sits enthrones over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned, King forever.
1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 1:11 For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.
Isaiah 9:7 The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever.
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Final Thoughts
We know that God is eternal because the Bible tells us, and so does creation. So even if one has never heard of God or seen a Bible, creation itself is enough to tell you that Someone divine and powerful had to make the world.
Everyone sees creation regardless of when or where you live, and it testifies to an all-powerful God. However, if you have a Bible, you can learn even more about this eternal God.
The Bible tells us that God is triune and offers us eternal life in His everlasting kingdom.
What are your thoughts on the eternality of God, the life He offers, and His kingdom in heaven?