ETERNITY

ETERNITY (eternal, eternal life, everlasting): refers to the state of having no beginning and no ending with reference to the counting of time. God is eternal. He has no beginning or ending. Mankind is finite-we have a beginning and a mortal ending. However man was created a living, eternal soul and thus has no true ending. Before God created, there was no counting of time. In fact time is counted in relation to repeating cycles occuring within creation, ie: the dawn and setting of the sun, the phases of the moon, the seasons on Earth, etc. Mankind has created instruments and measures of time based on these cycles in order to "count time." With reference to the destruction of this present world and the creation of a new heaven (atmosphere) and Earth, time counting will not be necessary because God's eternal kingdom will have no end. Likewise the state of man upon leaving the mortal body will have no end. The Believer will forever dwell with God in the restored creation. The Unsaved Sinner who has rejected salvation through faith in Jesus Christ will forever be punished in a Lake of Fire according to the judgment of God (revelation 20:15)