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[Craig]

 I was just reading "Is Everlasting Scriptural?" and something profound jumped out at me. At least I think it is. This is what I read :

"Comment: The concept of "eternity" is foreign to the Holy Scriptures. There is virtually nothing that is outside of the time periods known as aions. There are just a couple of hints regarding life beyond the ages of time. Luke speaks of things pertaining to the Kingdom, not coming to an end. And Paul tells us that in resurrection we will have "incorruption" and "immortality" signifying "deathlessness," but neither word has to do with time itself. Paul also speaks of a time in which God will be "ALL in all." That is the extent to which the Scriptures even hint of eternity or anything beyond the ages of time."

What came to me as I read was - "God exists OUTSIDE of TIME". Once a new Heaven and earth are established - time ceases to exist!!! The corporeal is exempt from time. I'm concluding that there can be NO SUCH thing as endless time because time will cease to exist at some point in the future.

Aion, aionious, aioniou, eons all MUST relate to a period of time, because it's impossible to have endless time if time ceases to exist .

This is astounding to me. Am I missing something?  Maybe you explained this already and I missed it, but when I realized this, it floored me.

There is no such thing as eternal.  It's a figment of our finite minds which are goverened by finite time.


Dear Jeffrey:

I am not so sure that time ever ceases to exist. The "eons" of time cease to exist, but time itself may never cease. I have seen lately that dictionaries totally contradict their own definitions of eternal and eternity.  I will write a new paper in the near future entitled "RETHINKING ETERNITY" [Does time cease at the consummation of the eons?].

God be with you,

Ray

[Craig]

Dear Jeffrey:
I don't have time to write my paper now, but I would not have made the statement that I made to you unless I had given it considerably more thought with reference to the Scriptures than you have done. That's not meant as a put-down, just a fact.  There are Scriptures that speak of a few things that suggest the necessity of "time."
God be with you,
Ray
 

    You don't need to respond to this, but I wanted to leave you with one last thought.
     
    Rev 21:22-25
     
    22I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.

    The very things by which we measure time become unnecessary.  Without the sun we would need a new way to evaluate the passing of  time.

    Change is a direct result of the existence of time.  That which doesn't change is time-less.  God is unchanging and we will be like Him.  Logically, what possible use would there be for "time"?  Time, like evil is a created thing (to which you opened my eyes).  Each has a purpose.  I have this feeling that when a new Heaven and earth is created by God, just as evil will cease to exist (it no longer has a purpose), time will follow suit and I just can't get away from the notion that the idea of "eternity/eternal" is part of this.

    No oceans on the new earth (Rev 21:1) mean no tides, but then there's no moon.  It too has served it's purpose for God's good pleasure, but is no longer necessary.

    What makes this most compelling for me is that I don't think it's coming "from" me.

    All the effort you and your friends have put into your work, all the time you spend on your knees, all the sleepless nights.  It's all for the express purpose of impacting people like me.  I'm running into others in such unexpected places, even those who don't know about the work God has given all of you and we puzzle over the changes we're experiencing.  I think God is very busy - and for you guys doing what He asks of you - I am eternally grateful ;o)