Time
By Nathaniel DeRochie
January 1, 2015
What is Time? To some, time seems to drag on and on forever and ever. To others, time seems to be flying past like a loose kite caught in the wind. For some people, time is a gift that they cherish while it lasts. For others, time is work that must be struggled through day by day until it is gone. How can time be one thing, yet different to everyone?
Webster's New World Dictionary takes almost half a page describing the word time. That does not include all of the similar words or phrases like: times, many a time, time of day, or time after time. The first definition for time is “indefinite, unlimited duration in which things are considered as happening in the past, present, or future; every moment there has ever been or ever will be.” That definition raises some very important questions. How many moments have there been? How many moments will there be? What does that mean to me? I will try to answer these questions in the following paragraphs.
How many moments have there been? I believe that time began when the universe began. Time and space are so closely intertwined that it would be crazy to believe they started separately. In fact, Genesis 1:1 states that they were created together, along with the other basic element of the universe — matter. It says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” “In the beginning” clearly refers to the beginning of time itself. “God created the heaven” clearly refers to the creation of space. “. . . and the earth” refers to the creating of matter. The reason the different phrases and words are used to describe the creation of the universe is that the Hebrews did not have a word for universe. Using different words in that case is acceptable, because it refers to the same thing — the universe.
God then went on to create everything in the universe in six literal days (a unit of time). Although God created time, He exists outside of it. Man was created after time, leaving man in his physical form bound in time. God would come down very often to walk with Adam and Eve—the people whom He had made. This puts God, the One who exists outside of time, with man, His creations bound by the limits of time. Even though man was still immortal, he still experienced time. When God was not walking with them one time, they sinned. They directly defied God's orders, adding death to time. This shows that once there was time, but no death. Nowadays we place time and death together, when they are really two different things.
Ever since then, man has been born, has lived, and has died. He then is sent into the realm of infinite time known as eternity. This is different from God's eternity, because He is outside of time. I believe we will always exist in time, because time is good, and it was a part of the original creation. That answers the question of how many moments there will be and leads us to the last question.
What does this mean to me? Sadly, many people do not ask this question anymore. We only care about our time here on earth, and we pay no attention to the time after death. There are two, and only two, places to spend your infinite time after death: Heaven or the Lake of Fire. They were both created by God, the One outside of time, yet these places, like us, are bound in time. The difference in them is not the time (for they both last forever), but the conditions. The Lake of Fire is exactly what the name says—a lake of fire. Since you are dead, you will not die, but you will spend your infinite time in a place of constant suffering with no joy at all forever and ever. Then there is Heaven, which is bright and beautiful. It is the very abode of God, where there will be joy forevermore. It will be a glorious place to spend your infinite time.
So which do you prefer? More importantly, how do you get there? If you want to go to Heaven, stop trying to earn your salvation, because none of us can. We are ALL descendants of Adam, the first man, so we ALL possess his sinful nature that he brought upon himself. Whether it is one sinful action, one wrong word, or even one bad thought, God cannot allow us to spend our infinite time with Him in Heaven, for He is holy and sinless. We cannot save ourselves, so God made a way. All you need to do to spend your infinite time with God in Heaven is to listen and accept the following truths: the all-powerful God, not bound by time, became a man and stepped into time to take your place in death. Then He took back his own life by using His infinite power to rise from the dead. The God-man's name is Jesus of Nazareth. He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Promised One of Israel. He took your sin upon himself, so that all you need to do to spend your infinite time with Him is to accept His free gift of salvation. Acknowledge your sin, personally believe in His death and resurrection, and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and you will be saved from the eternal punishment of your sin (the Lake of Fire).
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me (Psalm 31:14-15).
—By Nathaniel DeRochie (Age: 15)
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