THE
NATURE OF
ETERNAL LIFE
God told
Moses His
name was "I
Am". Through
the prophet
Isaiah He
said that He
had declared
"The end
from the
beginning,
and from
ancient
times the
things that
are not yet
done,
saying, My
counsel
shall stand,
and I will
do all my
pleasure."
Isaiah
46:10.
The Greek
word,
Aionios,
translated
in English
as
"eternal",
is a
condition of
timelessness
and refers
to past,
present,
future, as
being an
uninterrupted
state of
perpetuity.
It is also
used to
identify the
most basic
nature of
God–eternal–Who
has "always
been, is
always
being, an
unchanging,
ageless-now".
Eternity has
no beginning
and no end.
We speak of
"eternal
life"
without
being awa re
of the
word’s full
meaning and
beauty. With
our limited
understanding
of time and
space–and
inadequate
vocabulary–we
have no
tools by
which we can
fully grasp
the meaning
of the word
"eternal".
The term,
"endless",
speaks of
something
that has a
point of
beginning
then
continues
uninterrupted
from that
moment on.
In
contrast,"time"
has a fixed
beginning
and a fixed
end.
"Immortal"
simply means
"not subject
to death".
But none of
these words
describe
"eternal".
Last month,
when I wrote
of God’s
capacity to
be plural
and singular
simultaneously,
I made a
point which
I need to
apply to
this topic
as well:
“There are
dimensions
in the
spiritual
realm for
which we
have no
parallel or
concept in
the
physical.
One of these
is God’s
capacity–as
the
sovereign,
self-existent
One–to
reveal
Himself
singularly
and/or in
plurality at
the same
time.”
Time is like
a line drawn
on the floor
with the
eras of
Adam,
Abraham,
Moses,
Jesus’
birth, our
present age,
the end of
the world,
etc.,
identified
at specific
spots. The
room around
the line
represents
"eternity".
If you were
to roll a
ball from
one end of
the line to
the other
you would
have a good
idea about
the movement
of time.
Eternity
surrounds
time but is
not
dependent on
it. Let me
explain: We
calculate
time by the
passing of
days, weeks,
months, and
years.
"Time" for
us is
determined
because the
earth is
25,000 miles
around and
is spinning
at the
approximate
rate of a
thousand
miles per
hour. This
fact gives
us a 24 hour
day. Simply,
time for us
is
determined
by the
physical
rotation of
the
earth–like
the rolling
of the ball.
What would
happen to
‘time’ if we
got off the
earth,
beyond its
rotation,
and into
outer space?
The answer:
Time as we
now know it
would cease
to be.
Science
relies on
methods
other than
the clock to
calculate
hours in
outer-space
exploration.
There, time
and space
blur into
one and the
measurement
of distance
is made in
"light
years". When
Scripture
says that
"God
declared the
end from the
beginning
and from
ancient
times things
that are
not yet
done",
Isaiah
46:10, it is
acknowledging
His ability
to see the
complete
line at one
time; in
effect, He
can walk
around it,
and make
changes as
He chooses.
His
observation
is not
dependent on
the rolling
of the ball;
instead God
sees it in
one precise,
comprehensive
view.
Suppose you
were to
erase the
line, what
effect would
that have on
the room
(eternity)
around it?
Ab solutely
none.
Eternity
will always
be. Time is
nothing more
than space
between two
points on
the floor.
But, for
humanity,
when the
"ball" hits
the far-end
of the line,
"Then comes
the end,
when Jesus
delivers the
kingdom to
God the
Father, when
He puts an
end to all
rule and all
authority
and power.
For He must
reign till
He has put
all enemies
under His
feet. The
last enemy
that will be
destroyed is
death. 1
Corinthians
15:24-27.
For, "The
day of the
Lord will
come as a
thief in the
night, in
which the
heavens will
pass away
with a great
noise, and
the elements
will melt
with fervent
heat; both
the earth
and the
works that
are in it
will be
burned up.
Therefore,
since all
these things
will be
dissolved,
what manner
of persons
ought you to
be in holy
conduct and
godliness,
looking for
and
hastening
the coming
of the day
of God,
because of
which the
heavens will
be
dissolved,
being on
fire, and
the elements
will melt
with fervent
heat?
Nevertheless
we,
according to
His promise,
look for new
heavens and
a new earth
in which
righteousness
dwells." 2
Peter
3:10-13. I
must also
give you
this
caution: I
would be
doing severe
injustice to
God, to
Scripture,
and to
humanity,
were I to
leave the
impression
that time–as
a mere line
on the
floor–is
unimportant
and
insignificant.
Not so!
"Christ
Jesus ...
made Himself
of no
reputation,
taking the
form of a
bondservant,
and coming
in the
likeness of
men. And
being found
in
appearance
as a man, He
humbled
Himself and
became
obedient to
the point of
death, even
the death of
the cross."
Philippians
2:5-9. He
did this
because time
and the
people
locked in it
were vital
to Him.
While I
totally
believe the
Genesis
account of
creation I
am also
aware that
the sun was
not created
until the
4th day; the
"days"
preceding
the sun’s
appearance
were not 24
hour
periods. How
long were
they? Who
knows? David
said, "For a
thousand
years in
Your sight
are like
yesterday
when it is
past, and
like a watch
in the
night."
Psalm 90:4.
Peter quoted
this verse
when he
said,
"Beloved, do
not forget
this one
thing, that
with the
Lord one day
is as a
thousand
years, and a
thousand
years as one
day." 2
Peter 3:8.
The New
Testament
refers to
the era
"before the
foundation
of the
world"
(i.e.,
before the
beginning of
time). John
17:24,
Ephesians
1:4, I Peter
1:20. Paul
declared
that God’s
purpose in
choosing,
calling, and
saving us
was "Not
according to
our works,
but
according to
His own
purpose and
grace which
was given to
us in Christ
Jesus before
time began".
2 Timothy
1:8-10.
God has told
us much in
Scripture
but He has
not told us
everything."The
secret
things
belong to
the Lord our
God, but
those things
which are
revealed
belong to us
and to our
children
forever."
Deuteronomy
29:29. If we
lack
understanding
on any point
we should
remember,
"God gives
wisdom to
the wise and
knowledge to
those who
have
understanding.
He reveals
deep and
secret
things; He
knows what
is in the
darkness,
And light
dwells with
Him." Daniel
2:21-23 .
The Apostle
James tells
us, "If any
of you lacks
wisdom , let
him ask of
God, who
gives to all
liberally
and without
reproach,
and it will
be given to
him. But let
him ask in
faith ..."
James 1:5-6.
We put
ourselves in
a dangerous
position
when we
claim to
know more
than
Scripture
tells us or
when we fail
to ask for
wisdom when
Scripture is
silent.
Our lack of
understanding
is true in
regards to
the eternal
life that
has been
imparted to
us; this new
life has
neither
beginning
nor ending
but is a
constant
state of
"now".
Scripture
says that
"Melchizedek,
king of
Salem, who
had "neither
beginning of
days nor end
of life, was
made like
the Son of
God."
Hebrews
7:1-3.
Though
Melchizedek
appeared in
the time of
Abraham, he
did not
originate in
that time;
nor was he
limited to
it. Instead,
he was a
citizen of
the eternal
realm and
only a
visitor into
Abraham’s
earth-time.
Mentally–if
you erase
the line on
the
floor–and
imagine
yourself
standing in
the openness
of the room
you will
begin to see
the point.
Do I fully
comprehend
this
principle?
Not at all.
Nor do I
expect you
to.
Together, we
have entered
a realm
beyond the
reach of
ordinary
reason,
ordinary
religion,
and ordinary
rationality.
In this
zone, faith
as an
authentic
spiritual
force, must
be our
guide.
Synthetic
faith–that
is, one
existing
only as a
moral persu
asion,
religious
direction,
etc–will be
of no
benefit. And
our
dependence
for the
revelation-power
of faith is
the Holy
Spirit.
Faith must
retain its
interaction
with our
physical
dimension of
time and
space while
it maintains
a complete,
uninterrupted
union with
the Eternal
Dimension
from whence
it came.
"For by
grace you
have been
saved
through
faith, and
that not of
yourselves;
it is the
gift of God
... which
God prepared
beforehand
that we
should walk
in them."
Ephesians
2:8-10. The
"beforehand"
refers to
that period
before the
"foundation
of the
world." In
other words,
this took
place before
the earth
began
rolling on
its course
of time.
Notice that
reference in
these
verses:
Paul said to
Timothy: "
... God, who
has saved us
and called
us with a
holy
calling, not
according to
our works,
but
according to
His own
purpose and
grace which
was given to
us in Christ
Jesus before
time began."
2 Timothy
1:8-10.
Paul said to
Titus: " ...
In hope of
eternal life
which God,
who cannot
lie,
promised
before time
began."
Titus 1:2-3.
Jesus said
to the
Father: "As
You have
given Him
authority
over all
flesh, that
He should
give eternal
life to as
many as You
have given
Him. And
this is
eternal
life, that
they may
know You,
the only
true God,
and Jesus
Christ whom
You have
sent." John
17:2,3.
His
eternal-oneness
with God
fulfills
Jesus’
prayer in
John
17:21-23:
"That they
all may be
one, as You,
Father, are
in Me, and I
in You ;
that they
also may be
one in Us,
that the
world may
believe that
You sent Me
... I in
them, and
You in Me;
that they
may be made
perfect in
one, and
that the
world may
know that
You have
sent Me, and
have loved
them as You
have loved
Me."
Salvation is
completed
for us when
"eternal
life"–which
has been
infused into
us by
God–finally
coalesces
with His own
eternal
Self. In
that day we
will no
longer live
in a
time-sequence
as we do
now, like a
stone
rolling
toward its
conclusion,
but will
have become
integrated
into God’s
eternal
nature. In
that
incredible
future-event,
time, space,
past,
present,
future, not
only
disappear
into the
aionios of
His oneness,
but we will
have become
"like Him,
for we shall
see Him as
He is." I
John 3:2.
Paul
explained
this
consummation
when he
wrote, "For
as in Adam
all die,
even so in
Christ all
shall be
made alive.
But each one
in his own
order:
Christ the
first
fruits,
afterward
those who
are Christ's
at His
coming. Then
comes the
end, when He
delivers the
kingdom to
God the
Father, when
He puts an
end to all
rule and all
authority
and power.
For He must
reign till
He has put
all enemies
under His
feet. The
last enemy
that will be
destroyed is
death. For
He has put
all20things
under His
feet. But
when He says
all things
are put
under Him,
it is
evident that
He who put
all things
under Him is
excepted.
Now when all
things are
made subject
to Him, then
the Son
Himself will
also be
subject to
Him who put
all things
under Him,
that God may
be all in
all." 1
Corinthians
15:22-28.
The
implications
in this
Scripture
are
staggering.
Years ago,
before
speaking at
the funeral
for my
wonderful
father-in-law,
I wrote
these lines
about his
entrance
into Heaven:
"Amazement
floods his
soul,
All that was
lost is
recovered,
All that was
broken is
whole;
The full
restoration
has
happened,
Eternity
has=2
0swallowed
time,
For ‘home’
in the
sage-fields
of Heaven,
Is as much
before as
behind."
Eternity may
be beyond
our
comprehension--but
not beyond
our
experiencing
it. Einstein
said: “The
distinction
between
past,
present, and
future, is
only a
stubbornly
persistent
illusion.”
And Solomon
said: “That
which is has
already
been, And
what is to
be has
already
been; And
God requires
an account
of what is
past.”=2
0Ecclesiastes
3:16. Amen!
___ Charles
Carrin
"HERE AM I.
SEND ME!"
Isaiah 6:8.
"How shall
they preach
unless they
are
sent?"---"
The Lord
told Samuel,
I will send
you a man."—
"So being
sent out by
the Holy
Spirit, they
went down to
Selucia."
Romans
10:15. I
Samuel 9:16.
Acts 13:4.
When I was
18 years
old, still
in High
School, I
experienced
God's call
to the
ministry.
That
tremendous
moment came
as suddenly
as a flash
of
lightning--and
to me it was
as
devastating.
In a
moment's
time my
plans for
the future
were
shattered,
re-directed
into a
course I did
not want.
That
experience
was so
overwhelming
that 60
years later,
I can go
back to the
exact spot
in Miami,
Florida,
where it
occurred. On
one step, I
was not
called to
preach; on
the next
step, I was.
God had
given no
fore-warning
of His
intentions
for my life.
A short time
before, I
had been
saved,
united with
the church,
began
serving Him,
but pastoral
ministry was
not part of
my plan. For
two weeks
after the
call came, I
wept, I
prayed, I
begged, even
threatened.
In frantic
prayer, I
told the
Lord, "You
do not know
me as well
as You
think. I am
not the
right
choice!"
Genuinely, I
knew I was
not capable
of the
ministry. In
a final
attempt to
escape, I
volunteered
for my
brother Van
to go. (Van
never knew
that.) God
was
unrelenting.
If I
refused, it
meant the
loss of
fellowship
with Him and
His approval
upon my
life. Like
it or not, I
was being
"sent" to
the nations.
Luke 24:47.
My option
was to
surrender
totally--or
go
stubbornly--but
I still had
to go.
Finally,
I20fell in a
spiritual-heap
and agreed
to try.
Immediately,
the Lord put
me into
full-time
ministry.This
may shock
you, but I
cooperated
with God's
plan for
nearly
thirty years
without
surrendering
to it.
Strangely,
all that
time I
thought He
was
satisfied;
my ministry
seemed
sufficient
to me. Even
with my
rebellion,
God was
wonderfully
gracious,
abundantly
blessing me
and my
congregations.
That long,
confusing,
struggle
finally came
to an end on
November 23,
1977, in the
Atlanta
Federal
Penitentiary
when a
prisoner
whom I had
gone there
to counsel
laid-hands
on me and I
was "filled
with the
Holy
Spirit."
That was the
most
phenomenal,
historic,
revelatory
day of my
life.
Baptism-in-the-Spirit
had been
God's plan
for me from
the
beginning.
It was never
His
intention
that I
minister
from my own
self effort,
deficiency,
and fear.
Never. But I
did not know
that–nor did
any of my
religious
peers tell
me.
Thirty years
after the
call came, I
was still
learning
important
facts about
the Word.
One vital
truth is
this: If we
miss what is
plainly
written in
Scripture,
it is our
fault. Not
God's. He
provides; we
are to
partake. He
summons; we
are to
surrender.
He equips;
we are to
increase.
There is no
shortage of
His grace
and all our
arguments
ultimately
perish like
feathers in
the fire.
God does not
excuse us if
we fail to
believe what
is plainly
written in
Scripture.
Some of you
are
struggling
with God's
call in your
own life. In
your mind,
your
inadequacy
looms larger
than His
provision.
Isaiah felt
that way. So
did Moses.
And
Jeremiah.
Elisha
wanted a
"double
portion" of
Elijah's
anointing
before he
went. These
men, and
others,
called by
God, were
overwhelmed
by their
inadequacy.
Jonah fled
the other
way and
ended up in
the "belly
of Hell".
Hear me
carefully:
Your sense
of weakness
is good. God
intends that
it drive you
into a
deeper
dependance
on Him. For
those
willing to
surrender
their
prejudice,
pride,
preconceptions,
a burst of
holy,
glorious
light awaits
at the end
of that dark
tunnel.
Why am I
writing
this? I want
to encourage
younger
preachers.
That is part
of my
"calling." I
understand
their
frustration
and fear. I
too, have
swam through
bloody seas
of grief.
But I have
also been on
the High
Peaks of
Glory. From
where I now
stand, I see
men and
women below,
beginning
their climb
up God's
"mountain of
ministry."
As He
instructs, I
am to "cast
my mantle"
over as many
as I
can--hopefully,
I will still
be doing
that when I
am ninety
years old.
The choice
of who
receives the
mantle will
be His, not
mine. He has
already
brought many
my way. More
are to come.
I tell all
of them, God
is not
interested
in your
cooperation.
He is not
looking for
those
willing to
participate.
He wants
total
surrender.
You must
concede.
Abdicate.
Give up.
Anything
short of
that is only
an exercise
in futility.
If you want
the Holy
Spirit's
power--real
power--you
can have it.
God will use
you to shake
the nations.
But know
this: God
will not
share His
Presence
with your
pride. If
you choose
denominational
doctrine
over His
truth, you
can have it.
If prejudice
is more
important
than power,
you can have
that too. If
human
applause is
more sought
than God's
acceptance,
that can be
your's. But
making wrong
choices is
the most
costly
blunder of
your life.
Don't do it!
Remember, He
told the
prophet
Samuel,
"Tomorrow
... I will
send you a
man whom you
shall anoint
Commander
over my
people
Israel."
That man,
Saul, came.
But!,
later=2 0God
rejected him
because of
his
arrogance
and
self-will.
As in
Elisha's
day,
Elijah's
mantle is
falling. II
Kings
2:8-15. Many
have already
taken hold
of it and
are
preaching in
the "power
and
demonstration
of the Holy
Spirit." I
Corinthians
2:1-5.
Others are
wasting
their years,
idly
quarreling
over pet
doctrines,
and
"striving
about words
to no
profit." II
Timothy
2:14. Don't
be one of
them! Lay
down "every
weight and
the sin
which so
easily
besets you
and run with
patience the
race that is
set before
you."
Hebrews
12:1. But
run!
The day of
religious
idleness is
gone. When
God calls,
your
response
must be,
"Here am I.
Send me."
The wind of
the Holy
Spirit will
blow
mightily
upon you, in
you, through
you. Rivers
lie before
you which
only the
power of God
can open.
But you can
become one
of those
who, like
Elisha,
strikes the
Jordan and
sees it
part. II
Kings 2:14.
Do it! _ CC
My book, The
Edge Of
Glory, has
been
republished
in Japan and
is now
available in
Japanese.
Contact us
if you wish
additional
information.
CC
