This is the weekly Q & A blog post by our Research Professor in Philosophy, Dr. William Lane Craig.

Question

Dear Dr. Craig,

I have some questions on the issue of eternity and God. I understand that you hold to the view of God as timeless "before" creation and in time ever since.

1. Is there any Scriptural reason to suppose that God was timeless before creation (or when creation did not exist)? I ask, because I think there are actually mention in Scripture of time "before creation", e.g. 1 Pet 1:20 - the Messiah who was known before the foundation of the world and loved before the foundation of the world (John 17:24) or wisdom existing before the creation of the world in Prov.8. Is there any reason to NOT suppose that the Bible see God as existing into eternal time past (i.e. that time existed before creation, possibly forever, with God)?

2. Alternatively is there any Scriptural reason to believe that since creation God is limited by time (i.e. not "simultaneously" in the past, present and future)? Or is it mainly a philosophical view only?

3. In your view, what about heaven as the permanent abode of God (from where Jesus is ruling on the right hand of the Father)? How does "a thousand years like one day" (2 Pet.3:8) fit into things? Is there only a difference between the perception of time by God and us, or an actual difference between heaven and the physical world/earth?

Chavoux

Namibia

Dr. William Lane Craig’s Response

Dr. William Lane Craig

Nice to hear from one of our African readers, Chavoux! I have dealt with your questions in my book Time and Eternity, which may not be readily accessible to you.

1. Is there any Scriptural reason to suppose that God was timeless before creation (or when creation did not exist)? Yes, indeed! Johannes Schmidt argues for a biblical doctrine of divine timelessness on the basis of creation texts like Genesis 1.1 and Proverbs 8.22-23.

Genesis 1.1 states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” According to James Barr, this absolute beginning, taken in conjunction with the expression “And there was evening and there was morning, one day” (v. 5), indicating the first day, may very well be intended to teach t