God and Time

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Chaps

Active member
Apr 3, 2024
307
114
43
California
#1
An interesting philosophical concept to consider is the notion of God’s relationship to time. Many Christian are quick to claim that God is not subject to time. This view is known as atemporalism. At first glance, this view seems sound as it affirms God’s immutability, highlights God’s omniscience and seeks to exalt God as one who sits over the constraints of time.

However, there are some serious concerns with this view. First, if this view is correct, God exists in a constant state of stasis. Everything would be a frozen present to God. Thus, creation, redemption and recreation would all be simultaneous events for God. In fact, it would call into question the very concept of God creating the world ex nihilo. For, how could God create the universe which had not previously existed if, for God, there could never be a first moment of creation. Second, the biblical notion that God became flesh would also be called into question as, there would never be a moment for God when God was not Jesus of Nazareth. Finally, this notion would cause us to reconsider God’s interactions with humanity we see in Scripture that is replete with warnings, answered prayers, forgiveness, anger, love and other acts which indicate God is responding and interacting with humanity based on human actions in time. This view is also popular among Calvinists as they use this philosophical notion as justification for God‘s predetermination of the elect and damned based on his sovereign declaration rather than human response. It would only make sense that if everything is a frozen constant to God, then the moment of creation would also be the moment of salvation. God knowing everything prior to creation would have created the world in such a way as to have predetermined all outcomes.

A second view on God‘s relationship with time is temporalism. This view suggests that God exists in time. In the same way humans are subject to time, so is God. Yet for God, his past is infinite as well as his future. In some ways, this fits many of the Biblical descriptions of God’s interaction with time as he is referred to as one who is “from everlasting to everlasting,” “the first and the last,“ and “before all time and now and forever“ (Jude 25). This is not to say that God is subject to time, as if he is inferior to time itself. Rather, that time is part of God’s essence or being. Theologians from this view hold a range of different theological positions from Reformed theologians, Arminians and openness theologians.

A third view would argue that God is metatemporal. Similar to the temporal view, this view claims that God does exist in time. However, God does stand outside the human timeline. This view holds that there is created time and uncreated time. God stands outside the created timeline of the universe he made, but still exists in his own time which is part of his very essence. Thus, God does interact with humanity based on the flow of time and God, himself, along with his thoughts and actions do have a past, present and future. So the encounters with humanity along time are not merely anthropomorphic as atemporalists would argue, but are genuine responses to past and present actions.

What are your thoughts about God and time? I am interesting in discussing your thoughts and their implications on how we understand the teachings of Scripture.
 

Eli1

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2022
4,783
2,070
113
46
#2
My thoughts about Time are the same as consciousness or other deep mysteries of the universe.
We will never solve them or have any proof but we will always talk about it because it’s a great philosophical table discussion.

We are like fish in a bowl trying to ponder what is outside the bowl.
The fact that we’re able to do this, is fascinating onto itself and I think it’s done on purpose so we can act on faith and not on evidence.
Because evidence for some of these deep mysteries will be forever locked to us and this is also a scientific consensus based on how far the universe or the reality is receding away from us.

Your first example called ATemporalism, is the one that scientists think of time too in a higher dimension, where time is not a river but a location.
So when someone asks you When were you born? You were always born.
And when someone asks you When did you die? You were always dead.

All of this reasoning comes from our limited understanding in this engineering marvel called Existence trying to grasp things outside the bowl.
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
25,491
13,797
113
#3
Two thoughts:

God is not limited by time in either sense, but chooses to operate in the time frame He created.

As the Bible does not specify, we are left to speculate. Speculation is usually a waste of time. ;)
 

Omegatime

Well-known member
Apr 29, 2023
1,157
431
83
Pennsylvania
#4
Everything God planned for man was dominated by time. Everything and every event past, present and future. The feasts of the Lord is part of this. Israel leaving Egypt to the Lord crucified on Passover. Why do we say the Lord is slow in his coming, everything is based on time.
 

PaulThomson

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2023
3,479
455
83
#5
An interesting philosophical concept to consider is the notion of God’s relationship to time. Many Christian are quick to claim that God is not subject to time. This view is known as atemporalism. At first glance, this view seems sound as it affirms God’s immutability, highlights God’s omniscience and seeks to exalt God as one who sits over the constraints of time.

However, there are some serious concerns with this view. First, if this view is correct, God exists in a constant state of stasis. Everything would be a frozen present to God. Thus, creation, redemption and recreation would all be simultaneous events for God. In fact, it would call into question the very concept of God creating the world ex nihilo. For, how could God create the universe which had not previously existed if, for God, there could never be a first moment of creation. Second, the biblical notion that God became flesh would also be called into question as, there would never be a moment for God when God was not Jesus of Nazareth. Finally, this notion would cause us to reconsider God’s interactions with humanity we see in Scripture that is replete with warnings, answered prayers, forgiveness, anger, love and other acts which indicate God is responding and interacting with humanity based on human actions in time. This view is also popular among Calvinists as they use this philosophical notion as justification for God‘s predetermination of the elect and damned based on his sovereign declaration rather than human response. It would only make sense that if everything is a frozen constant to God, then the moment of creation would also be the moment of salvation. God knowing everything prior to creation would have created the world in such a way as to have predetermined all outcomes.

A second view on God‘s relationship with time is temporalism. This view suggests that God exists in time. In the same way humans are subject to time, so is God. Yet for God, his past is infinite as well as his future. In some ways, this fits many of the Biblical descriptions of God’s interaction with time as he is referred to as one who is “from everlasting to everlasting,” “the first and the last,“ and “before all time and now and forever“ (Jude 25). This is not to say that God is subject to time, as if he is inferior to time itself. Rather, that time is part of God’s essence or being. Theologians from this view hold a range of different theological positions from Reformed theologians, Arminians and openness theologians.

A third view would argue that God is metatemporal. Similar to the temporal view, this view claims that God does exist in time. However, God does stand outside the human timeline. This view holds that there is created time and uncreated time. God stands outside the created timeline of the universe he made, but still exists in his own time which is part of his very essence. Thus, God does interact with humanity based on the flow of time and God, himself, along with his thoughts and actions do have a past, present and future. So the encounters with humanity along time are not merely anthropomorphic as atemporalists would argue, but are genuine responses to past and present actions.

What are your thoughts about God and time? I am interesting in discussing your thoughts and their implications on how we understand the teachings of Scripture.
Well said. There was a time when it was considered a damnable heresy to suggest that the earth circles the sun and not the sun circling the moon. But reality eventually became mainstream. Thecsame will happen with yhe ideological attachment to the idea of an atemporal God.
I started a thread asking if God occupies space. I am leaning toward the idea that space is God's body. In space we live and move and have our being. God fills all things and in Him all things hold together. God is love and ee are exhoryed to discover the height and length and breadth and depth of God's love.
I think time and space are attributes of God. He works out plans in space and time, and pursues them in space and time. I disbelieve the concept of atemporality, existence outside of time.
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
14,177
5,727
113
#6
An interesting philosophical concept to consider is the notion of God’s relationship to time. Many Christian are quick to claim that God is not subject to time. This view is known as atemporalism. At first glance, this view seems sound as it affirms God’s immutability, highlights God’s omniscience and seeks to exalt God as one who sits over the constraints of time.

However, there are some serious concerns with this view. First, if this view is correct, God exists in a constant state of stasis. Everything would be a frozen present to God. Thus, creation, redemption and recreation would all be simultaneous events for God. In fact, it would call into question the very concept of God creating the world ex nihilo. For, how could God create the universe which had not previously existed if, for God, there could never be a first moment of creation. Second, the biblical notion that God became flesh would also be called into question as, there would never be a moment for God when God was not Jesus of Nazareth. Finally, this notion would cause us to reconsider God’s interactions with humanity we see in Scripture that is replete with warnings, answered prayers, forgiveness, anger, love and other acts which indicate God is responding and interacting with humanity based on human actions in time. This view is also popular among Calvinists as they use this philosophical notion as justification for God‘s predetermination of the elect and damned based on his sovereign declaration rather than human response. It would only make sense that if everything is a frozen constant to God, then the moment of creation would also be the moment of salvation. God knowing everything prior to creation would have created the world in such a way as to have predetermined all outcomes.

A second view on God‘s relationship with time is temporalism. This view suggests that God exists in time. In the same way humans are subject to time, so is God. Yet for God, his past is infinite as well as his future. In some ways, this fits many of the Biblical descriptions of God’s interaction with time as he is referred to as one who is “from everlasting to everlasting,” “the first and the last,“ and “before all time and now and forever“ (Jude 25). This is not to say that God is subject to time, as if he is inferior to time itself. Rather, that time is part of God’s essence or being. Theologians from this view hold a range of different theological positions from Reformed theologians, Arminians and openness theologians.

A third view would argue that God is metatemporal. Similar to the temporal view, this view claims that God does exist in time. However, God does stand outside the human timeline. This view holds that there is created time and uncreated time. God stands outside the created timeline of the universe he made, but still exists in his own time which is part of his very essence. Thus, God does interact with humanity based on the flow of time and God, himself, along with his thoughts and actions do have a past, present and future. So the encounters with humanity along time are not merely anthropomorphic as atemporalists would argue, but are genuine responses to past and present actions.

What are your thoughts about God and time? I am interesting in discussing your thoughts and their implications on how we understand the teachings of Scripture.
My thought is that time is a construct of the creation when God set the uninverse in motion

“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 ‭KJV‬‬

And so we the creation are within the construct of time limited by it , but he is outside of the construct being the one who existed before time was constructed eternity is not within time , time is a construct within eternity

peter is talking here saying that in the end times people will be wondering “ I thought this Jesus was going to come back where is he ? Everything is just going on like always …. Peter assures them he will return but makes this point

“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is evidenced when he tells Adam “ you’ll surely die in the day you eat the fruit “ yet adam lived 935 years and then he died .

God isn’t within the construct or limits of time he created it and existed before and will exist after so his ways are not subject to its construct when Jesus said “ I’m coming soon “

tbat to us means maybe a couple years or something but to him soon may mean ten thousand years because he’s speaking from an eternal perspective

if you experience eternity “ soon “ might be thousands of years but if you are mortal a hundred years seems like an extremely long wait and doesn’t feel like it’s “ soon “

time is part of creation God is the creator
 

Karlon

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2023
2,617
1,180
113
#7
An interesting philosophical concept to consider is the notion of God’s relationship to time. Many Christian are quick to claim that God is not subject to time. This view is known as atemporalism. At first glance, this view seems sound as it affirms God’s immutability, highlights God’s omniscience and seeks to exalt God as one who sits over the constraints of time.

However, there are some serious concerns with this view. First, if this view is correct, God exists in a constant state of stasis. Everything would be a frozen present to God. Thus, creation, redemption and recreation would all be simultaneous events for God. In fact, it would call into question the very concept of God creating the world ex nihilo. For, how could God create the universe which had not previously existed if, for God, there could never be a first moment of creation. Second, the biblical notion that God became flesh would also be called into question as, there would never be a moment for God when God was not Jesus of Nazareth. Finally, this notion would cause us to reconsider God’s interactions with humanity we see in Scripture that is replete with warnings, answered prayers, forgiveness, anger, love and other acts which indicate God is responding and interacting with humanity based on human actions in time. This view is also popular among Calvinists as they use this philosophical notion as justification for God‘s predetermination of the elect and damned based on his sovereign declaration rather than human response. It would only make sense that if everything is a frozen constant to God, then the moment of creation would also be the moment of salvation. God knowing everything prior to creation would have created the world in such a way as to have predetermined all outcomes.

A second view on God‘s relationship with time is temporalism. This view suggests that God exists in time. In the same way humans are subject to time, so is God. Yet for God, his past is infinite as well as his future. In some ways, this fits many of the Biblical descriptions of God’s interaction with time as he is referred to as one who is “from everlasting to everlasting,” “the first and the last,“ and “before all time and now and forever“ (Jude 25). This is not to say that God is subject to time, as if he is inferior to time itself. Rather, that time is part of God’s essence or being. Theologians from this view hold a range of different theological positions from Reformed theologians, Arminians and openness theologians.

A third view would argue that God is metatemporal. Similar to the temporal view, this view claims that God does exist in time. However, God does stand outside the human timeline. This view holds that there is created time and uncreated time. God stands outside the created timeline of the universe he made, but still exists in his own time which is part of his very essence. Thus, God does interact with humanity based on the flow of time and God, himself, along with his thoughts and actions do have a past, present and future. So the encounters with humanity along time are not merely anthropomorphic as atemporalists would argue, but are genuine responses to past and present actions.

What are your thoughts about God and time? I am interesting in discussing your thoughts and their implications on how we understand the teachings of Scripture.
2nd Peter 3:8- 'but brethren, be not ignorant, for 1 day with the Lord is as a thousand years & a thousand years as 1 day........."
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,704
6,892
113
#8
God IS, WAS, and ALWAYS WILL BE. Time is one of His creations. Should the Creator be bound by the creation?

om·ni·pres·ent
[ˈämnəˌprez(ə)nt]
adjective

  1. widely or constantly encountered; common or widespread:
    "the omnipresent threat of natural disasters"
    • (of God) present everywhere at the same time.

    Time suggest is, was, will be. God is not in those categories. God said "tell them I AM sent you." Jesus said "before Abraham was, I AM."

 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,777
113
#9
What are your thoughts about God and time?
In a nutshell time means nothing to God since a thousand years are but a day in his sight. He has given times and seasons to men to regulate their activities and their worship (see Genesis 1:14-18). The Bible says that from ETERNITY to ETERNITY thou are God. So just junk all those theories and stick with Bible truth.
 

awelight

Well-known member
Aug 10, 2020
1,629
490
83
69
#10
An interesting philosophical concept to consider is the notion of God’s relationship to time. Many Christian are quick to claim that God is not subject to time. This view is known as atemporalism. At first glance, this view seems sound as it affirms God’s immutability, highlights God’s omniscience and seeks to exalt God as one who sits over the constraints of time.

However, there are some serious concerns with this view. First, if this view is correct, God exists in a constant state of stasis. Everything would be a frozen present to God. Thus, creation, redemption and recreation would all be simultaneous events for God. In fact, it would call into question the very concept of God creating the world ex nihilo. For, how could God create the universe which had not previously existed if, for God, there could never be a first moment of creation. Second, the biblical notion that God became flesh would also be called into question as, there would never be a moment for God when God was not Jesus of Nazareth. Finally, this notion would cause us to reconsider God’s interactions with humanity we see in Scripture that is replete with warnings, answered prayers, forgiveness, anger, love and other acts which indicate God is responding and interacting with humanity based on human actions in time. This view is also popular among Calvinists as they use this philosophical notion as justification for God‘s predetermination of the elect and damned based on his sovereign declaration rather than human response. It would only make sense that if everything is a frozen constant to God, then the moment of creation would also be the moment of salvation. God knowing everything prior to creation would have created the world in such a way as to have predetermined all outcomes.

A second view on God‘s relationship with time is temporalism. This view suggests that God exists in time. In the same way humans are subject to time, so is God. Yet for God, his past is infinite as well as his future. In some ways, this fits many of the Biblical descriptions of God’s interaction with time as he is referred to as one who is “from everlasting to everlasting,” “the first and the last,“ and “before all time and now and forever“ (Jude 25). This is not to say that God is subject to time, as if he is inferior to time itself. Rather, that time is part of God’s essence or being. Theologians from this view hold a range of different theological positions from Reformed theologians, Arminians and openness theologians.

A third view would argue that God is metatemporal. Similar to the temporal view, this view claims that God does exist in time. However, God does stand outside the human timeline. This view holds that there is created time and uncreated time. God stands outside the created timeline of the universe he made, but still exists in his own time which is part of his very essence. Thus, God does interact with humanity based on the flow of time and God, himself, along with his thoughts and actions do have a past, present and future. So the encounters with humanity along time are not merely anthropomorphic as atemporalists would argue, but are genuine responses to past and present actions.

What are your thoughts about God and time? I am interesting in discussing your thoughts and their implications on how we understand the teachings of Scripture.
This is an interesting subject - if it can help us to understand who God is. Worthless, if it is a mere mental exercise or philosophical endeavor.

When thinking of Eternity and Time, one must acknowledge the most important distinction between the two. Eternity - no time. Temporal - time. How the two interact is beyond our present comprehension.

However, this question can be asked and somewhat answered. When did time begin?
With God? Absolutely not. For God is Eternal. Best understood as having no beginning and having no end. Therefore, time has no meaning. No purpose.

Therefore, time began with Creation because creation was subject to change and corruption. Creation had a beginning and thus, the clock began because there was a time when nothing was created.

God gave time to mankind as a construct. A way to measure the passing of time. Gen 1:4-5 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Time would be necessary for mankind.

However, God works with creation within predetermined time markers but is in no way constrained by time. If God was constrained by time, as if it were not of Him, then two problems arise. First, TIME would be God and not God. Secondly, this would have God learning as He goes. This is not Biblical. There is no point when God did not know all things.

Finally, there will come a time when time is no more because creation will be in the eternal existence, where there is no more day or night nor corruption or decay. So then, what are we measuring?
 

Chaps

Active member
Apr 3, 2024
307
114
43
California
#11
Thank you all for replying. I will just try to address a couple of the points I see have been made several times…

The metatemporal view also holds that God created time. Yet that does not mean God does not operate in time. He can both be the creator of our time and exist in time. So I dont think the idea that time is a creation of God necessitates atemporalism.

The second point I think is important to address is this idea that if God exists in time, He would be subject to it and therefore less than God. I don’t think this is accurate. To me, this is like posing the old paradoxical question, “Can God create a rock so big even He cannot lift it?” The question itself is faulty because it poses a limit on God’s ability either way you answer it. In the same way, suggesting that because God operates in time makes him subject to it is an “either-or fallacy.” If time is part of God’s essence, he is not “subject” to it because it is part of who He is. This is like suggesting that God is constrained because He cannot sin. No, sin is an imperfection and therefore to suggest that God cannot do it only emphasizes His ability. In the same way, if time is part of God’s essence, it is does not undermine His greatness. Also, God existing in time does not negate his omniscience since the entire concept of foreknowledge indicates a knowledge of things in the future.

Finally, I would ask that those who posit comments as if the answer is obvious and that anyone with any sense would agree with them and the Bible, please address the challenges of the views I laid out above. If it is clear to you that God is atemporal, then how would you respond to idea that God seems to genuinely interact with humanity in time. Is this just a pretense? Did God ever really create the universe as Genesis indicates? If God exists outside of time and remains in a frozen present, how could he create anything out of nothing? Was the man, Jesus of Nazareth, always the Son of God or did the Word actually become flesh? It is easy to just claim, “God is greater than time, so obviously He exists outside of it” but this view poses some really challenging questions that are conveniently ignored.

Anyway, I know this is more of a philosophical question and am not claiming one view is absolutely right and others wrong. I just thought it would be an interesting topic to discuss and explore some of the challenges of each view from a Biblical perspective. Moreover, I do think it is an important topic to consider, as certainly, how we understand God interacting with His creation is no small thing. Blessings everyone.
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
14,177
5,727
113
#12
This is an interesting subject - if it can help us to understand who God is. Worthless, if it is a mere mental exercise or philosophical endeavor.

When thinking of Eternity and Time, one must acknowledge the most important distinction between the two. Eternity - no time. Temporal - time. How the two interact is beyond our present comprehension.

However, this question can be asked and somewhat answered. When did time begin?
With God? Absolutely not. For God is Eternal. Best understood as having no beginning and having no end. Therefore, time has no meaning. No purpose.

Therefore, time began with Creation because creation was subject to change and corruption. Creation had a beginning and thus, the clock began because there was a time when nothing was created.

God gave time to mankind as a construct. A way to measure the passing of time. Gen 1:4-5 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Time would be necessary for mankind.

However, God works with creation within predetermined time markers but is in no way constrained by time. If God was constrained by time, as if it were not of Him, then two problems arise. First, TIME would be God and not God. Secondly, this would have God learning as He goes. This is not Biblical. There is no point when God did not know all things.

Finally, there will come a time when time is no more because creation will be in the eternal existence, where there is no more day or night nor corruption or decay. So then, what are we measuring?
Indeed this part is well put

“However, God works with creation within predetermined time markers but is in no way constrained by time”

time was constructed for mankind’s time on earth in the natural it’s an important element of creation

“neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭17:25-27‬ ‭KJV‬‬
 

Eli1

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2022
4,783
2,070
113
46
#13
Finally, I would ask that those who posit comments as if the answer is obvious and that anyone with any sense would agree with them and the Bible, please address the challenges of the views I laid out above. If it is clear to you that God is atemporal, then how would you respond to idea that God seems to genuinely interact with humanity in time. Is this just a pretense? Did God ever really create the universe as Genesis indicates? If God exists outside of time and remains in a frozen present, how could he create anything out of nothing? Was the man, Jesus of Nazareth, always the Son of God or did the Word actually become flesh? It is easy to just claim, “God is greater than time, so obviously He exists outside of it” but this view poses some really challenging questions that are conveniently ignored.
I don't know if you're reading someone else's points here because it seems to me that you're new at this but it's a fun subject nonetheless.

The "Challanges" that you posted are ideas that you have in your mind so they're your challenges not my challenges.
Because again you're missing the point of the fish-bowl where we will have concepts and language barriers when trying to describe anything outside of our own experience in this universe.

I don't know if you've studied this enough to consider the following:

* What we perceive as "Time" may not be time at all. We are biological beings and the whole universe is in a constant state of change. This change may be perceived as time for us for many practical reasons including survival.
* If time does truly exist and flows like a river, you still have no idea what kind of physics you're dealing with outside of this universe to even call a concept like Time and label it "Time" as we experience it. So you need new language, concepts and physics.

So if we can't understand what Time is, how can you even ask a question about a frozen Creator interacting with a moving object like us? Especially since the Creator created what we perceive as time.
Have you really looked into the concept of time at all? Because i have seen several documentaries by very bright physicist and no one has any idea what Time is.
 

Blade

Well-known member
Nov 19, 2019
1,783
624
113
#14
An interesting philosophical concept to consider is the notion of God’s relationship to time. Many Christian are quick to claim that God is not subject to time. This view is known as atemporalism. At first glance, this view seems sound as it affirms God’s immutability, highlights God’s omniscience and seeks to exalt God as one who sits over the constraints of time.

However, there are some serious concerns with this view. First, if this view is correct, God exists in a constant state of stasis. Everything would be a frozen present to God. Thus, creation, redemption and recreation would all be simultaneous events for God. In fact, it would call into question the very concept of God creating the world ex nihilo. For, how could God create the universe which had not previously existed if, for God, there could never be a first moment of creation. Second, the biblical notion that God became flesh would also be called into question as, there would never be a moment for God when God was not Jesus of Nazareth. Finally, this notion would cause us to reconsider God’s interactions with humanity we see in Scripture that is replete with warnings, answered prayers, forgiveness, anger, love and other acts which indicate God is responding and interacting with humanity based on human actions in time. This view is also popular among Calvinists as they use this philosophical notion as justification for God‘s predetermination of the elect and damned based on his sovereign declaration rather than human response. It would only make sense that if everything is a frozen constant to God, then the moment of creation would also be the moment of salvation. God knowing everything prior to creation would have created the world in such a way as to have predetermined all outcomes.

A second view on God‘s relationship with time is temporalism. This view suggests that God exists in time. In the same way humans are subject to time, so is God. Yet for God, his past is infinite as well as his future. In some ways, this fits many of the Biblical descriptions of God’s interaction with time as he is referred to as one who is “from everlasting to everlasting,” “the first and the last,“ and “before all time and now and forever“ (Jude 25). This is not to say that God is subject to time, as if he is inferior to time itself. Rather, that time is part of God’s essence or being. Theologians from this view hold a range of different theological positions from Reformed theologians, Arminians and openness theologians.

A third view would argue that God is metatemporal. Similar to the temporal view, this view claims that God does exist in time. However, God does stand outside the human timeline. This view holds that there is created time and uncreated time. God stands outside the created timeline of the universe he made, but still exists in his own time which is part of his very essence. Thus, God does interact with humanity based on the flow of time and God, himself, along with his thoughts and actions do have a past, present and future. So the encounters with humanity along time are not merely anthropomorphic as atemporalists would argue, but are genuine responses to past and present actions.

What are your thoughts about God and time? I am interesting in discussing your thoughts and their implications on how we understand the teachings of Scripture.
Hi.. not you but so many *.ism's huh. So were all stuck in this time bubble, fallen world and were talking about time and God? Not sure why you didn't use more of the word for it would easily solve some of these views. The simple fact the word say God has always been has no beginning or end. Then He says thousand years is as one day and one day as a thousand years. That's not "time" as we know it here. The world some say has been around for billions if not longer and man lets just say a good six thousand years. Now add GOD who has always been. I see God saying "can't touch this" lol meaning we know nothing. Just the fact Christ, angels can be in one place then another faster then a blink of eye. No time no space. Fun to speculate but.. that's all it is.
 

PaulThomson

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2023
3,479
455
83
#15
Indeed this part is well put

“However, God works with creation within predetermined time markers but is in no way constrained by time”....
If God is not constrained by time, can God change the past? Has God ever changed the past?
 

PaulThomson

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2023
3,479
455
83
#16
Two thoughts:

God is not limited by time in either sense, but chooses to operate in the time frame He created.

As the Bible does not specify, we are left to speculate. Speculation is usually a waste of time. ;)
You speculate, "
God is not limited by time in either sense, but chooses to operate in the time frame He created."

And then you declaim speculation as a waste if time.

Funny!
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
14,177
5,727
113
#17
If God is not constrained by time, can God change the past? Has God ever changed the past?
God created time . He’s eternal without beginning or end . Time is part of creation it’s a measurement of the earths revolutions around the sun.