Eternity of God

Definition and Meaning

The eternity of God is the doctrine that God has neither beginning nor end and is not bound by the passage of time. In the doctrine of God, it is treated as one of the "incommunicable attributes," that is, attributes that belong to God alone and are not shared with human beings. It is usually discussed together with the aseity of God and the immutability of God. The eternal life that believers receive is a life that has a beginning and then continues without end; it is therefore distinct from the eternity of God, who has no beginning at all.

Theologians understand eternity in two ways. The first is "timeless eternity," the view that God exists outside of time and sees past, present, and future all at once. The second is "everlasting duration," the view that God exists within time without end.

Biblical and Historical Background

Psalm 90:2 praises God as the one who is "from everlasting to everlasting." Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 state that in God's sight a thousand years are as one day. The title "Alpha and Omega" in Revelation 1:8 is also frequently cited as a supporting text.

In his Confessions, Augustine held that time was created together with the world and therefore explained that God does not exist within time. Boethius defined eternity as "the complete possession all at once of illimitable life." After the Reformation, the Westminster Confession of Faith and Question 4 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism likewise confess God to be eternal.

In the modern period, some theologians, including proponents of open theism, have argued that God also experiences time. Those who uphold the classical understanding criticize this position for weakening the omniscience of God and divine immutability.

Practice in the Korean Church

The confession that God is eternal is shared across Korean denominations, including Presbyterian, Methodist, Holiness, Baptist, and Full Gospel churches, and is not a point of dispute among them. Presbyterian churches teach it through their use of the Shorter Catechism in doctrinal instruction. Article 1 of the Methodist Articles of Religion also confesses God to be eternal. The question of which of the two understandings is correct is addressed mainly in systematic theology courses at theological seminaries. Lay members are familiar with the doctrine through the form of address "eternal God," used in representative prayers offered on behalf of the congregation and in hymns.