Who Is God?: The Eternal One

This is a continuation of a series on the attributes of God.

When we speak of God’s attributes, we are talking about those characteristics that help us to understand who He truly is. One of these attributes is “eternality.” In other words, God is the eternal one.

Where it is in the Bible

“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel,”I AM has sent me to you.”‘”
(Exodus 3:14)

“But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever; you are remembered throughout all generations.”
(Psalm 102:12)

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
(Hebrews 13:8)

What it means

Not only will God exist undiminished everlastingly into the future, but He has existed identically throughout the infinite past. Not only has God himself existed eternally into the past, but so also has His plan for His creation. Before the foundations of the world, God ordained the Creation, the Fall, the Incarnation and Resurrection, and the Salvation of His people.

Why it matters

This is a wondrous truth for the believer for it grants him confidence in the tenacity of his faith. Once a believer realizes that God has demanded his salvation and perseverance from this sin-stained world he can live without fear in the joy that God offers all of His children. Also of note is the fact that Christ is eternal in His sonship: He existed eternally before his incarnation as the First-Born over creation (though without human form) and will exist eternally post-resurrection as the glorified Son of God (and it seems that He will bear the scars of His sacrifice evermore — cf. Luke 24:36-40 and John 20:24-29).