Eternity of God
The sermon emphasizes the eternal and timeless nature of God's existence, with no beginning or end.
Edward Payson delves into the eternal nature of God, challenging the congregation to grasp the concept of a Being without a beginning or end. He emphasizes that God's existence transcends human comprehension, existing for eternity past and future, with no limit to His being. Payson highlights that the duration of God's existence is the measure of our own immortality, as we are all as eternal as Jehovah Himself.
Text
Try for a moment, to conceive of a Being without a beginning; a Being who does not become older as ages roll away. Fly back, in imagination, millions of millions of millions of years, till reason is confounded, and fancy wearied in the flight. God then existed, and, what may at first appear paradoxical, he had then existed as long as he has now; you would then be no nearer the beginning of his existence than you are now, for it has no beginning, and you cannot approach to that which does not exist. Nor will his being ever come to an end.
Add together ages of ages; multiply them by the leaves on the trees, the sand on the sea-shore, and the dust of the earth, still you will be no nearer the termination of Jehovah's existence, than when you first began your calculation.
And let us remember that the duration of his existence is the only measure of our own. As it respects futurity, we are all as immortal as Jehovah himself.
Sermon Outline
- The Eternity of God
- God has no beginning
- God's existence is timeless
- God's existence is infinite
Key Quotes
“Fly back, in imagination, millions of millions of millions of years, till reason is confounded, and fancy wearied in the flight.” — Edward Payson
“Add together ages of ages; multiply them by the leaves on the trees, the sand on the sea-shore, and the dust of the earth, still you will be no nearer the termination of Jehovah's existence, than when you first began your calculation.” — Edward Payson
“As it respects futurity, we are all as immortal as Jehovah himself.” — Edward Payson
Application Points
- We should strive to understand and appreciate the eternal nature of God's existence.
- Our own existence is also eternal, in the sense that we will live on forever in the presence of God.
- This understanding of God's eternity should give us hope and comfort in our own lives.