Trinity and Humanity

Have you ever thought much at all about what we call Eternal Life? Do you really want to live forever? I was once asked whether I wanted to live forever by a well-meaning street evangelist. I replied, “Depends on what the life will be like.” That is a factor to consider is it not. I think most of us would answer, “Yes,” when asked the same question assuming that our eternal existence will be a happy and pleasant one.

But have you ever considered how this is possible? In his book, Space, Time, and Resurrection, T. F. Torrance reminds us that time is in creation… creation is not in time. In other words, time is a created thing and the Father, Son, and Spirit are not limited to nor confined to time. We often hear rightly that God is outside of time. That is true but we must also keep in mind that He has also entered into our space and time in the person of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, that brings me to the main and final point. In the Incarnation, humanity has been brought into full and objective union with the Triune God of Grace in Jesus. Jesus became a human just like us! Therefore, if God, who is outside of space and time, truly entered into the contingent world of creaturely being as a human, then necessarily all of humanity is taken up into his unbounded freedom from limitation in space and time.

You see, you and I will live forever, not because something magical will be done to make our bodies immune to disease, resistant to aging and wear and tear.

We will live forever because we have been brought into permanent and full union with He who is outside of time. There is no time for us now. Sure, the overlap between our present selves and our glorified selves needs time to function and relate to the world around us but someday time will be but a memory.

Here’s to living forever and getting to know each of you in eternity!

~Bill