David Robinson Army 1SG, firefighter, consultant (CFPS) - retired from all!

Great question! I love to meditate on such things. Of course, any thoughts along these lines necessarily involve some speculation since the bible does not answer these questions definitively. While speculation is often helpful and even necessary, it is risky and we must always be cautious not to take our speculations too seriously turning them into doctrines. When we speculate, our chance of error increases dramatically.

First, let's clarify the question a bit. While God does indeed exist outside of time, He also exists inside time although He is not bound by it as we are. Otherwise, we could have no contact with Him since we exist in time. Perhaps the better way to state the question is, "Since God transcends time..." Time is part of God's creation. God is infinitely greater than His creation and transcends every realm of existence.

I take the statements in scripture quite literally when they lead us to the conclusion that "all things are in Him." Our God is infinite in His essence; there can be nothing outside Him (Colossians 1:16-17). "All things" refers to time, space and all material and immaterial existence including us. "In Him we live and move and have our being...," literally! (Acts 17:28).

So, time exists within God and God exists (but is not contained) within time. Imagine time (all of time from the big bang until the last trumpet) as a clear sphere suspended within eternity, completed and constantly before the face of God. This sphere of time began in eternity at a point of singularity; one event (creation) began the progression of time and as more events occurred, the sphere enlarged and will continue to enlarge until the end of time. While we, as finite material creatures, are caught up in and held captive by the progression of time, God permeates both eternity and the sphere of time so that He is literally always present at all points in time and eternity.

From His eternal, omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent perspective, the entire sphere of time simply exists completed before His eyes. He sees and participates in all of time, all at once, all the time, without change or repetition. He is with Adam and Eve in the garden right now just as He is here with us, just as He is present at the wedding feast of the Lamb at the culmination of all things, and at all other places and events inside and outside of time. As the bumper sticker says, "Don't worry about the future, God is already there!"

Inferences drawn from scripture, reason and experience (near death testimonies, etc.) lead us to conclude that upon physical death, our spirit separates from our body and exits time into eternity and into the manifest presence of Almighty God. Our final judgment immediately determines our disposition and our rewards or punishments begin at once and continue perpetually (Hebrews 9:27, Ecclesiastes 12:7, 2 Cor 5:6-8, Phil 1:23-24, Luke 23:43). If, as we speculate, there is no progression of time in eternity (the eternal now), then it makes sense that when we exit the sphere of time we all enter eternity at the same point. Therefore, we will all experience the judgment together regardless of when we died (Hebrews 9:27).

It makes sense to me that glorified believers, being eternally in the presence of Almighty God who permeates both time and eternity, will exist primarily outside of time. It also makes sense that we will be able to see all of history (time) from the eternal perspective just as God sees it. I think the scripture strongly hints that from our perspectives in eternity, we will be able to observe events taking place in history in real time (Hebrews 12:1).

So, as best we can determine this side of heaven, we will exist outside of time in eternity with God. It is possible that we may also be able to visit, or at least observe historical events in real time as God allows. One thing is certain; eternity with our Lord will be far greater than anything we can possibly speculate on or imagine! (1 Cor 2:9).

March 31 2014 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Carl Naitram

I don't think that we will exist out of time. I think that according to Eph 2:7 there will be succeeding ages of time in which we will exist in. Yes our lives will be endless due to us putting on immortality at the resurrection. 
Now God can live in time since He created time and lived on the earth.

We have been made a little lower than the angels and even them cannot be considered as eternal beings beings since they were created. Eternal beings were preexistent before time. 
So though we will live for ever due to our immortality..invincible to dying, no I don't think we will exist as eternal beings. God alone is eternal.

March 30 2014 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Van W. Cottom

Time is a very interesting subject within the scope of the Scriptures. There is much said about the subject. I have some unique thoughts that I have never been taught except by the spirit. For example: Genesis 1:1-2
(1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
(2) And the earth WAS without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

The word "was" can be interpreted as "became" (Strongs H1961) which answers many of my questions. God created the Earth beautifully and complete, when HE threw Lucifer to Earth the devil tried to destroy what God had created, so the Earth, perfect in all ways, BECAME "without form and void. There may be hundreds of millions of years Satan also tried his hand a creation, explaining the dinosaurs and other pre-Eden life. By the end of verse 2 a great deal of time had passed. During this time, Holy Spirit, like a chicken protecting its egg, "moved" upon the face of the waters. Look up "waters" in Strong's (H4325) to get a better idea of how much Satan had fouled the Earth. Time is insignificant to God, in the manner we view it. We cannot comprehend time. 

While I'm here, Look at 1 Corinthians 15:52
"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." That word "moment" is exciting to me, being described in Strong's (G823) as "atomos," an indivisible (an “atom” of time): given that, what is the ONLY number that is indivisible? OK you math wizards, what is it? Well, to save you time, it is ZERO, is the only number that cannot be divided. That is the "speed" the Rapture will happen! 

Sorry to disagree with you Carl, but we are eternal beings, our spirit and soul that God breathed into us will exist forever, in Heaven or in Hell. We will receive a new body at the time of the rapture which will be re-united with the spiritual body already in Heaven and those that have died and been buried will receive new bodies on the way out of the grave, and "we that remain" will then receive our new bodies and be forever with the Lord. I do believe "forever" and "eternal" are the same.

April 07 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report