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I need help with something that is just, well, confusing me. I know that God created the universe and that the universe has to be finite. But how do we explain how God came to be? In the book "The Case for a Creator," in one part it says that God did not endure an infinite amount of time before the universe. But before the universe was made there was eternity. And since eternity means timelessness (?), since God is eternal that means he is a timeless entity? That we can also not apply our laws of this world to the one who created it? And that God also transcends time and space. Meaning that he is always there and is never changing? Is this an adequate answer? Is there anymore that could be added on?

Hey [Friend]:

Great to hear from you, and great questions! I'll answer below to see if I can help:

Yes, the universe is finite because it has a beginning and an end. The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics correctly states that the universe is running out of usable energy. If the universe was eternal, this wouldn't be true. Besides, the design of the universe points to a Designer.

God did not come to be. God always IS. That's what it means when Jesus said, "I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (Rev). It's also what the Father and Jesus meant when they both said, "I AM" (Ex. 3; Jn 4). They were saying that they are eternal; that they always ARE, not WAS and not WILL BE. God is the only being and only thing in this universe that was not created. He alone has the "power of being" (aseity). That is, only God is IN-dependent, IN-finite, and uncaused; everything and everyone else is DE-pendent, FI-nite, and caused - dependent on something to create and sustain it, has a finite life, and was created by someone greater than himself.

In fact, if anything now IS, then something must eternally BE; that is, whatever exists now (A), exists because someone created or birthed it (AA); and someone (AAA) created or birthed AA, etc., etc. until it reaches One who was uncaused and has the power to exist in and of Himself (God).

As weird as it is to think of it, God always was, always is, and always will be.

God did create time and space and does reign over them. He lives in what I call the "eternal now", where He sees all of time - past, present, and future - in the now. He does indeed transcend time and space. God is sovereign (in total control) over what He creates.

Hope that helps. Let me know, OK?

Blessings,

Arthur

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