Since stars and even galaxies have a life cycle, what can eternal life mean? Does "the new heavens and earth" mean all the laws of physics are eternally altered?
Eternal life means perfect loving union with God. God has no life cycle.
Showing posts with label Eternal Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eternal Life. Show all posts
Sunday, 10 August 2014
Sunday, 11 November 2012
The distinction between Eternal and Everlasting Life
I was very interested in your recent article in the Franciscan magazine and am confused as to the distinction between eternal life, as an attribute of the deity, and everlasting life, as referring to human beings. I can't help feeling that most Christians without a theological training, would not make such a distinction.
Response (from Nicholas): I haven’t read John’s article, but it seems to me that one clear distinction is that God’s eternal life has no beginning and no end and is an inherent attribute of God, whereas our everlasting life still begins at our birth and is something granted to us by God rather than something which we inherently possess.
John adds: In addition to what Nicholas has said about beginnings, I would like to add that all creaturely experience of time is characterised by change (as Augustine emphasised). Everlasting life will have this character, as through unending salvific process we enter ever more fully into exploration of the riches of the divine nature progressively revealed to us. The life of God, though it involves in some respects a changing relationship with creatures as they change, has also an eternal timeless dimension, for example the steadfast love of the Creator for creatures, from everlasting to everlasting.
Response (from Nicholas): I haven’t read John’s article, but it seems to me that one clear distinction is that God’s eternal life has no beginning and no end and is an inherent attribute of God, whereas our everlasting life still begins at our birth and is something granted to us by God rather than something which we inherently possess.
John adds: In addition to what Nicholas has said about beginnings, I would like to add that all creaturely experience of time is characterised by change (as Augustine emphasised). Everlasting life will have this character, as through unending salvific process we enter ever more fully into exploration of the riches of the divine nature progressively revealed to us. The life of God, though it involves in some respects a changing relationship with creatures as they change, has also an eternal timeless dimension, for example the steadfast love of the Creator for creatures, from everlasting to everlasting.
Sunday, 7 October 2012
How can God justify sending finite sinners to infinite punishment
How can God justify
sending finite sinners to infinite punishment in hell especially those
who have never heard about Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection? Why
wouldn't God just let them cease to exist instead of experiencing
eternal punishment?
Response:God offers us the free gift or Eternal Life is life in perfect loving union with God. No-one deserves this and it is not compulsory.
Because this is an infinite good which surpasses our understanding, to miss this is necessarily and infinite loss. This is what "eternal punishment" seems to mean.
It has always been Christian teaching that those who have never heard about Jesus are not beyond God's loving redemption. Exactly how this all works is of course a mystery - we don't even know what makes up 97% of the mass of the Universe and there is no reason why we should know how God works beyond time.
Response:God offers us the free gift or Eternal Life is life in perfect loving union with God. No-one deserves this and it is not compulsory.
Because this is an infinite good which surpasses our understanding, to miss this is necessarily and infinite loss. This is what "eternal punishment" seems to mean.
It has always been Christian teaching that those who have never heard about Jesus are not beyond God's loving redemption. Exactly how this all works is of course a mystery - we don't even know what makes up 97% of the mass of the Universe and there is no reason why we should know how God works beyond time.
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