God and Time: Does God exist in all points in time?

[Bible Highlighter]

While God has no limits to what He can do (See this thread here), does God actually exist in all points in time?

I imagine somebody out there believes God had hit the rewind button. Now, while God could have let events in human history to unfold rapidly fast to view it all and then He could have pressed the rewind button, I do not get any indication He has done that. Also, how could God do that if the future is still moving ever forward? It is like a never ending movie or story.

Others may believe God also has the power to exist in some outside dimension where our time moves super fast from his perspective while we experience time normally. Five of our years of our time could be like 5 minutes from his perspective (when a part of Himself exists in this dimension). But what about the other part? The part of God that is ever active and presently involved in our creation? Does this make sense in light of what we see in Scripture?

The most popular belief among Christians is that God exists in all points in time. However, does God really exist in all points of our time? Does God exist in the past, present, and future simultaneously?

While God most certainly has the power to do this, I do not think this is so.

If God rested (stopped from His work) on the 7th day, and God existed in all points in time, this means that God would still be working in the past in creating everything on the 6 day creation.

"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;" (Hebrews 10:12).

Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins forever. Jesus only did this once. For all time!!!

But if God existed in all points in time, God would still be doing this right now. He would be sacrificing Himself more than once. But He would be sacrificing Himself over, and over, and over, and over again. As if God was a slave to time or something. But I do not believe that is the case. Nowhere does Scripture tell us that God exists in some past dimension. Also, nowhere does God say that He is in the future right now, either. Yes, God is our future because our end is in Him, but God does not exist in all points in time.

 

[Tree of Life]

At which point in time does God not exist?

 

[TheLostCoin]

While God has no limits to what He can do (See this thread here), does God actually exist in all points in time?

God has always existed and is uncreated - He exists outside of time. Time itself is something which God created; He only directly entered into time when He became Incarnate.

 

[Sanoy]

The idea that God could be in two places in time at once, for example leading the Israelites through the dessert and dying, requires a "B Theory" of time. That all moments in time are equally real and without tense. On the standard A theory there exists merely the present state of affairs. On A theory we can just say 'there is never a point in time in which God does not exist'.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

At which point in time does God not exist?

At which point in time in the future does his saints not exist?
There is a difference between what will happen vs. the idea that there is some kind of future dimension of time that is existence now.

 

[grasping the after wind]

God exists. Time is an illusion.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

God has always existed and is uncreated - He exists outside of time. Time itself is something which God created; He only directly entered into time when He became Incarnate.

What about when God shown Moses his back parts?
Was not God interacting in our time to do that?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

God exists. Time is an illusion.

Time is just the measurement of the sequence of events taking place. it is simply recording mathematically of how things progress within our universe. Unless you want to say the creation is an illusion (and is not real), I would not think it is fair to say that.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

The idea that God could be in two places in time at once, for example leading the Israelites through the dessert and dying, requires a "B Theory" of time. That all moments in time are equally real and without tense. On the standard A theory there exists merely the present state of affairs. On A theory we can just say 'there is never a point in time in which God does not exist'.

If so, then how could God rest (stop from His work) on the 7th day if He is also working in the past within the 6 day creation still or He is working in the future?

If so, then how could Jesus offer up ONE sacrifice forever if He is still repeatedly re-sacrificing Himself in some past time line?

 

[grasping the after wind]

Time is just the measurement of the sequence of events taking place. it is simply recording mathematically of how things progress within our universe. Unless you want to say the creation is an illusion (and is not real), I would not think it is fair to say that.

Creation exists. Time is an illusion. It is a measurement of a perception that is flawed. All that exists exists simultaneously and eternally. The perception that things come into and go out of existence is an illusion.

 

[Neogaia777]

While God has no limits to what He can do (See this thread here), does God actually exist in all points in time?

I imagine somebody out there believes God had hit the rewind button. Now, while God could have let events in human history to unfold rapidly fast to view it all and then He could have pressed the rewind button, I do not get any indication He has done that. Also, how could God do that if the future is still moving ever forward? It is like a never ending movie or story.

Others may believe God also has the power to exist in some outside dimension where our time moves super fast from his perspective while we experience time normally. Five of our years of our time could be like 5 minutes from his perspective (when a part of Himself exists in this dimension). But what about the other part? The part of God that is ever active and presently involved in our creation? Does this make sense in light of what we see in Scripture?

The most popular belief among Christians is that God exists in all points in time. However, does God really exist in all points of our time? Does God exist in the past, present, and future simultaneously?

While God most certainly has the power to do this, I do not think this is so.

If God rested (stopped from His work) on the 7th day, and God existed in all points in time, this means that God would still be working in the past in creating everything on the 6 day creation.

"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;" (Hebrews 10:12).

Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins forever. Jesus only did this once. For all time!!!

But if God existed in all points in time, God would still be doing this right now. He would be sacrificing Himself more than once. But He would be sacrificing Himself over, and over, and over, and over again. As if God was a slave to time or something. But I do not believe that is the case. Nowhere does Scripture tell us that God exists in some past dimension. Also, nowhere does God say that He is in the future right now, either. Yes, God is our future because our end is in Him, but God does not exist in all points in time.

The only God we can see/taste/hear/sense/touch is the one who is all and any "manifestation of God" which is always Christ (and/or YHWH)

(Colossians 1:15) "Who is the image (any image, manifestation, and/ representation, AT ALL, ever) of the invisible God, (The Universal Father) the firstborn (first) of every creature...

I recommend Colossains 1:15-29 also...

When god or when where God steps into time at any time it is always was, and ever will be Christ/YHWH, YHWH/Chirst...

God Bless!

 

[Sanoy]

If so, then how could God rest (stop from His work) on the 7th day if He is also working in the past within the 6 day creation still or He is working in the future?

If so, then how could Jesus offer up ONE sacrifice forever if He is still repeatedly re-sacrificing Himself in some past time line?

He can't on A theory because only one moment in time is real (present). That sort of scenario only enters the discussion if you assume B theory.

 

[Neogaia777]

Time is just the measurement of the sequence of events taking place. it is simply recording mathematically of how things progress within our universe. Unless you want to say the creation is an illusion (and is not real), I would not think it is fair to say that.

I guess it would depend on what you thought was "real"...? After what is "real" after all...? Is it only our perceptions...?

God Bless!

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Creation exists. Time is an illusion. It is a measurement of a perception that is flawed. All that exists exists simultaneously and eternally. The perception that things come into and go out of existence is an illusion.

Time is merely the use of math. Are you saying math is a lie or an illusion?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I guess it would depend on what you thought was "real"...? After what is "real" after all...? Is it only our perceptions...?

God Bless!

I believe time is based on math. Is math not real?

Can 2 + 2 = 5?
Or does 2 + 2 = 4?
Even Jesus says there are 12 hours in a day.
So for Jesus, time exists.

 

[Neogaia777]

I believe time is based on math. Is math not real?

Can 2 + 2 = 5?
Or does 2 + 2 = 4?
Even Jesus says there are 12 hours in a day.
So for Jesus, time exists.

If you had a number system based on 12's instead of 10's, for example, is math meaningless...

Like a society that has six fingers and or toes, verses five fingers and toes, and based their whole numeric system on that...

Or is math just way of our measuring, another construct based on nothing, (having no meaning or place or nothing elsewhere) or does it have more substance than that...?

If so, how and what would that substance be...?

God Bless!

 

[RDKirk]

The concept is called "extemporal simultaneity."

God exists simultaneously at all points in space and all moments in time.

Because time and space are a created continuum, both concepts are actually one. Existing simultaneously at all points of space is the same thing as existing simultaneously in all moments of time.

Somewhere out there is the furthest reach of matter-energy, created at the Big Bang. That point (actually, it would be the surface of an expanding globe is both the beginning of time and the beginning of space), that place in space-time still exists. We will never really see it with telescopes because it's expanding away from us so fast that it's light will never reach us. But God is out there, right in that place and moment of space-time.

And right where I am in my own particular moment of space-time--my own personal here-and-now, God also exists...simultaneously.

 

[RDKirk]

If so, then how could God rest (stop from His work) on the 7th day if He is also working in the past within the 6 day creation still or He is working in the future?

If so, then how could Jesus offer up ONE sacrifice forever if He is still repeatedly re-sacrificing Himself in some past time line?

For us, time is a progression marked by change. Time is change. If absolutely nothing ever changed, there would be no time.

Because God never changes, there is no time within God. God is a singularity (see "Flatland" and consider God the occupant of the one-point universe).

There are not multiple points in space-time that Jesus is being crucified.

There is only one point in space-time that Jesus is crucified, and for God that point in space-time continues to exist.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

For us, time is a progression marked by change. Time is change. If absolutely nothing ever changed, there would be no time.

Because God never changes, there is no time within God. God is a singularity (see "Flatland" and consider God the occupant of the one-point universe).

There are not multiple points in space-time that Jesus is being crucified.

There is only one point in space-time that Jesus is crucified, and for God that point in space-time continues to exist.

When it says that God does not change, it is talking about His character and not how God does not do things differently through out time. The fact that Jesus only offered Himself up once is proof that God does change. Jesus did not offer Himself up before that point in time. So this proves that God does operate within our time. At one point, there was no 6 day creation. God changed that by having one. So what you say is not true.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

If you had a number system based on 12's instead of 10's, for example, is math meaningless...

Like a society that has six fingers and or toes, verses five fingers and toes, and based their whole numeric system on that...

Or is math just way of our measuring, another construct based on nothing, (having no meaning or place or nothing elsewhere) or does it have more substance than that...?

If so, how and what would that substance be...?

God Bless!

Time keeping is merely showing the passage of time using Math. The parameters for time keeping like 24 hour calendar days, 12 months in a year, etc. are based upon factual things that we see. Months are determined by seasons. Days are determined by the rotation of the sun and the moon. God set these things in the sky for us for time keeping.

"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years" (Genesis 1:14).

Even without the rotation of the sun, and the moon, and the change of seasons, we would still be able to mark the passage of time even if nothing ever happened from our perspective. Just start counting.... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc. This is the mark of time. Sequential numbering. God counts all our steps. So God is very much into numbering things.... including time. God interacts with His creation that is bound by time. Can God exist outside of our time, too? Nothing is impossible for GOD. I do not doubt that He can do that. But is that is what is revealed to us in Scripture? No. I don't see how that would exactly work based on things that are written in His Word. Again, God cannot stop from His work on the 7th day if He existed in another part of time whereby He was working.