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Time and Eternity in Christian Perspective and Theology

Christian theology understands time as a created dimension, distinct from God's eternal nature, yet intimately connected to human experience and divine purpose. The Bible frequently refers to "time" in various senses, from specific durations to appointed seasons [4]. For instance, Ecclesiastes speaks of "a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away" [1]. This highlights time as a sequence of events and opportunities within human life.

The concept of time is often measured by natural phenomena like years, months, weeks, days, and hours, with heavenly bodies appointed for this purpose from creation [4]. However, biblical writers also distinguish between general chronological periods ("times") and opportune moments or seasons ("seasons") [10]. This distinction is particularly relevant when discussing eschatological events, such as the second coming of Christ, the exact timing of which is unknown but for which believers are exhorted to be ready [2, 10].

Eternity, in contrast, is often described as God's inherent mode of existence, distinct from the temporal realm. God is referred to as "the King, eternal," or "King of the (eternal) ages" [11]. The divine attributes of love and righteousness are also characterized as "everlasting" [5, 6]. Adam Clarke, in his commentary on 2 Peter 3:8, explains that "all time is as nothing before him, because in the presence as in the nature of God all is eternity; therefore nothing is long, nothing short, before him" [12]. He further notes that "when the longest period of time has passed by, it is but as a moment or indivisible point in comparison of eternity" [12]. This perspective emphasizes God's transcendence over time, where "no lapse of ages impairs his purposes" [12].

The relationship between time and eternity is also crucial in understanding Christ's nature. John Gill, commenting on Hebrews 13:8, states that Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, and today, and for ever," indicating His eternal duration [14]. This suggests that Christ's existence extends beyond any temporal measurement, encompassing past, present, and future without change [14]. Similarly, the author of Hebrews declares of God, "But thou art the same... Thy years shall not fail," underscoring the unchangeable and eternal nature of God, in contrast to the created order which "shall be changed" [13].

Christian theology also speaks of "eternal life," which is not merely endless temporal existence but a quality of life found in knowing God and Christ [3]. This eternal life is revealed by Christ, given by God, and received through faith in Christ [3]. It is "in Christ" and "through Christ" that believers receive this gift [3].

The end of time, as understood in some theological perspectives, signifies a transition to a new state. The book of Revelation, for example, speaks of a point "that there should be time no longer," which is interpreted as an end to the "interval of time" or waiting period for martyrs [8]. This does not necessarily imply the annihilation of all duration but rather the cessation of the current temporal order as it is known, leading into a consummation of God's mystery [8]. The hope of believers is centered on Christ and the "eternal salvation" that is drawing nearer, prompting vigilance and dedication to Christian duties [7, 15]. Immortality, in this context, is not an inherent quality of the human soul but a gift from God, who alone possesses immortality in His own essence [9].

Sources

  1. Ecclesiastes “a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; -- Ecclesiastes 3:6”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Second Coming of Christ, The — Time of, unknown -- Mt 24:36; Mr 13:32. Called the Times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. -- Ac 3:19. Times of restitution of all things. -- Ac 3:21; Ro 8:21. Last time. -- 1Pe 1:5. Appearing of Jesus Christ. -- 1Pe 1:7. Revelation of Jesus Christ. -- 1Pe 1:13. Glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour. -- Tit 2:13. Coming of the day of God. -- 2Pe 3:12. Day of our Lord Jesus Christ. -- 1Co 1:8. Foretold by Prophets. -- Da 7:13; Jude 1:14. Himself. -- Mt 25:31; Joh 14:3. Apostles. -- Ac 3:20; 1Ti 6:14. Angels. -- A”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Life, Eternal — Christ is -- 1Jo 1:2; 5:20. Revealed by Christ -- Joh 6:68; 2Ti 1:10. To know God and Christ is -- Joh 17:3. Given By God. -- Ps 133:3; Ro 6:23. By Christ. -- Joh 6:27; 10:28. In Christ. -- 1Jo 5:11. Through Christ. -- Ro 5:21; 6:23. To all given to Christ. -- Joh 17:2. To those who believe in God. -- Joh 5:24. To those who believe in Christ. -- Joh 3:15,16; 6:40,47. To those who hate life for Christ. -- Joh 12:25. In answer to prayer. -- Ps 21:4. Revealed in the Scriptures -- Joh 5:39. Results from Drinking the water of life. -- Joh 4:14. Eating the ”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Time — The duration of the world -- Job 22:16; Re 10:6. The measure of the continuance of anything -- Jdj 18:31. An appointed season -- Ne 2:6; Ec 3:1,17. Computed by Years. -- Ge 15:13; 2Sa 21:1; Da 9:2. Months. -- Nu 10:10; 1Ch 27:1; Job 3:6. Weeks. -- Da 10:2; Lu 18:12. Days. -- Ge 8:3; Job 1:4; Lu 11:3. Hours, after the captivity. -- Da 5:5; Joh 11:9. Moments -- Ex 33:5; Lu 4:5; 1Co 15:52. The heavenly bodies, appointed as a means for computing -- Ge 1:14. The sun-dial early invented for pointing out -- 2Ki 20:9-11. Eras from which, computed Nativity of the patri”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love of God, The — Is a part of his character -- 2Co 13:11; 1Jo 4:8. Christ, the especial object of -- Joh 15:9; 17:26. Christ abides in -- Joh 15:10. Described as Sovereign. -- De 7:8; 10:15. Great. -- Eph 2:4. Abiding. -- Zep 3:17. Unfailing. -- Isa 49:15,16. Unalienable. -- Ro 8:39. Constraining. -- Ho 11:4. Everlasting. -- Jer 31:3. Irrespective of merit -- De 7:7; Job 7:17. Manifested towards Perishing sinners. -- Joh 3:16; Tit 3:4. His saints. -- Joh 16:27; 17:23; 2Th 2:16; 1Jo 4:16. The destitute. -- De 10:18. The cheerful giver. -- 2Co 9:7. Exhibited in The g”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness of God, The — Is part of his character -- Ps 7:9; 116:5; 119:137. Described as Very high. -- Ps 71:19. Abundant. -- Ps 48:10. Beyond computation. -- Ps 71:15. Everlasting. -- Ps 119:142. Enduring for ever. -- Ps 111:3. The habitation of his throne. -- Ps 97:2. Christ acknowledged -- Joh 17:25. Christ committed his cause to -- 1Pe 2:23. Angels acknowledge -- Re 16:5. Exhibited in His testimonies. -- Ps 119:138,144. His commandments. -- De 4:8; Ps 119:172. His judgments. -- Ps 19:9; 119:7,62. His word. -- Ps 119:123. His ways. -- Ps 145:17. His acts. -- J”
  7. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Hope — One of the three main elements of Christian character (1 Cor. 13:13). It is joined to faith and love, and is opposed to seeing or possessing (Rom. 8:24; 1 John 3:2). "Hope is an essential and fundamental element of Christian life, so essential indeed, that, like faith and love, it can itself designate the essence of Christianity (1 Pet. 3:15; Heb. 10:23). In it the whole glory of the Christian vocation is centred (Eph. 1:18; 4:4)." Unbelievers are without this hope (Eph. 2:12; 1 Thess. 4:13). Christ is the actual object of the believer's hope, because it is in”
  8. Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 10:6: liveth for ever and ever--Greek, "liveth unto the ages of the ages" (compare Dan 12:7). created heaven . . . earth . . . sea, &c.--This detailed designation of God as the Creator, is appropriate to the subject of the angel's oath, namely, the consummating of the mystery of God (Rev 10:7), which can surely be brought to pass by the same Almighty power that created all things, and by none else. that there should be time no longer--Greek, "that time (that is, an interval of time) no longer shall be." The martyrs shall have no longer a time to wait”
  9. 1 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Timothy 6:16: Who only hath immortality--in His own essence, not merely at the will of another, as all other immortal beings [JUSTIN MARTYR, QuÃ&brvbrst. ad Orthod., 61]. As He hath immortality, so will He give it to us who believe; to be out of Him is death. It is mere heathen philosophy that attributes to the soul indestructibility in itself, which is to be attributed solely to God's gift. As He hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself (Joh 5:26). The term used in the New Testament for "immortal," which does not occur, is "incor”
  10. 1 Thessalonians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Thessalonians 5 (introduction): THE SUDDENNESS OF CHRIST'S COMING A MOTIVE FOR WATCHFULNESS; VARIOUS PRECEPTS: PRAYER FOR THEIR BEING FOUND BLAMELESS, BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT, AT CHRIST'S COMING: CONCLUSION. (1Th. 5:1-28) times--the general and indefinite term for chronological periods. seasons--the opportune times (Dan 7:12; Act 1:7). Time denotes quantity; season, quality. Seasons are parts of times. ye have no need--those who watch do not need to be told when the hour will come, for they are always ready [BENGEL]. cometh--present: expressing its speedy a”
  11. 1 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Timothy 1:17: A suitable conclusion to the beautifully simple enunciation of the Gospel, of which his own history is a living sample or pattern. It is from the experimental sense of grace that the doxology flows [BENGEL]. the King, eternal--literally, "King of the (eternal) ages." The Septuagint translates Exo 15:18, "The Lord shall reign for ages and beyond them." Psa 145:13, Margin, "Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom," literally, "a kingdom of all ages." The "life everlasting" (Ti1 1:16) suggested here "the King eternal," or everlasting. It answers also t”
  12. 2 Peter (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Peter 3:8: Be not ignorant - Though they are wilfully ignorant, neglect not ye the means of instruction. One day is with the Lord as a thousand years - That is: All time is as nothing before him, because in the presence as in the nature of God all is eternity; therefore nothing is long, nothing short, before him; no lapse of ages impairs his purposes, nor need he wait to find convenience to execute those purposes. And when the longest period of time has passed by, it is but as a moment or indivisible point in comparison of eternity. This thought is well expressed by Plutarch, ”
  13. Hebrews (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Hebrews 1:12: And they shall be changed - Not destroyed ultimately, or annihilated. They shall be changed and renewed. But thou art the same - These words can be said of no being but God; all others are changeable or perishable, because temporal; only that which is eternal can continue essentially, and, speaking after the manner of men, formally the same. Thy years shall not fail - There is in the Divine duration no circle to be run, no space to be measured, no time to be reckoned. All is eternity - infinite and onward.”
  14. Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 13:8: Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever. Who is the substance of the word spoken by the above mentioned rulers, the author and object of their faith, and the end in which their conversation terminated. These words may be expressive of the duration of Christ: he was "yesterday", which does not design the day immediately foregoing, nor some little time past, but ancient times, formerly, of old; and though it does not extend to eternity, which is true of Christ, yet may be carried further than to the days of his flesh here on earth, even to the whole O”
  15. Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 13:11: And that, knowing the time - Dr. Taylor has given a judicious paraphrase of this and the following verses: "And all the duties of a virtuous and holy life we should the more carefully and zealously perform, considering the nature and shortness of the present season of life; which will convince us that it is now high time to rouse and shake off sleep, and apply with vigilance and vigor to the duties of our Christian life; for that eternal salvation, which is the object of our Christian faith and hope, and the great motive of our religion, is every day nearer to us t”
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