What is the definition of ETERNITY, FOREVER, and LIFE?

Question

For the past few days, i have been going crazy thinking about such things. I can't help it, and im going crazy thinking about it. What is life, is it real? I can understand that being here, in the physical form, is real. I've lived in the physical state for 23 years. When i die, what happens? Does the universe go on forever? Do we become some sort of energy for the purpose of life to go on? How did all this start? If life goes on and on and on FOREVER, and for ETERNITY, what the HECK does that mean? Who created ETERNITY? If there is a god, who created him? And who created the creator of god? Its hard to exaplin what im trying to say, but am i going crazy?
Do i need theraphy? lol HELP!!!

Answer 1

I'm going to set a disclaimer here, I tend to get rather analytical, but I'm going to try to behave myself.

The meaning of LIFE is to serve God. Things are created for the purpose of their creator. If I make a clay pot, I make it to be used as a pot, or maybe as an ornament to decorate my house. But in any event, the pot is made for the purpose that I decide when I make it. When people are created, we are created for the purpose that our Maker, God, created us. God created us to serve and enjoy Him forever. One of the previous posters referred to this as being a slave. The truth is that we are all slaves. You can be a slave to Satan, and in turn also be a slave to sin that destroys you, or alternately you can be a slave to God, who wants for you to have as much freedom as you should have, and be able to worship him and enjoy the world he has made for us. God loved us so much that he came down to earth as a man and took the penalty for our evil deeds. The ones that had been done and will be done. In return, all we need to do is submit to his authority. Ultimately everyone will submit to God in the end, the only question is will it be voluntary.

FOREVER and ETERNITY are going to be two different things. FOREVER would mean a concept something like a ray in math. It has a beginning, and keeps going infinitely in one direction. From this point in time, we could establish forever as everything that happens after this point. There of course is no end of time as in storybooks, time will continue to progress because time is not a matter of physical property, nor of spiritual or philosophical property. It is merely a measurement between events.
ETERNITY on the other hand, is more like a line. It goes infinitely in both directions. There is no beginning, there is no end, no matter how far you follow a true line, there will be no tip to it. God is like this. It is hard for us to grasp the concept of eternally backward in time, because we have a beginning, and thus it's hard to conceive a God so infinite that he would not have a start.
However, let's consider this. God created the universe. This was the first event. Before that moment, there was no time, not because the concept of measuring events had not yet existed, but because there had been no events to measure yet.

There are many other theories on how God exists eternally, they are not any less valid than mine, I am merely stating mine. I think that is best left for another question though.

Regardless of our state spiritually, we will continue to exist after we die. The soul is intended to go with a body though, we don't become disembodied spirits that float around as ghosts. God gives people new bodies. For those who have submitted to him, he gives them glorified bodies. Hollywood tells us that heaven is sitting on a cloud and learning to play the harp while wearing cardboard wings. God tells us something very different. The heaven described in the Bible is a powerful image. It is party central. Incidentally, there will be alcohol in heaven too, though I don't think we'll be getting smashed in heaven. We will have perfect and invincible bodies. Our minds will not be plagued with depression and anxiety, they will also be perfect. This is what awaits those who chose to let Christ free them from their sins by accepting him as their personal Lord and Savior. We are counted his slaves in a sense here on earth, but not like a cotton picking slave. More like a child that has not yet received their inheritance. There is still much for us to learn before we receive the prize at the end of the race.

Then there are those who do not submit. They will stand before God's throne of judgment, and they will bow before him because they have to, not because they want to. His overwhelming perfection will drive them to submission by force. These too will be given bodies in accordance with their wishes. They chose to serve themselves and sin, and their consequences shall come with their decision. The bodies they receive will be designed not for glory though, but for punishment. They will be eternally punished because they rejected God's authority. God's wrath and justice will be displayed upon them forever. They will never die, nor will any feeling be lost in their new bodies which will also be indestructable. They will be suffering forever.

Romans 1 tells us that God gives them over to their desires. It's not because God wishes for them to be punished. 1 Peter 3 tells us that God wishes for no one to go to hell. He would desire for all people to be saved. However, it is their choice which he honors. If they refuse his mercy, his justice is still perfect, and they will be judged according to it.

Grab a copy of the Bible and find the book of Romans. It is an excellent place to start looking for what God has in store for us. My prayers will be with you, and you can feel free to e-mail me at any time. May God bless you and teach you his ways.

Answer 2

I offer the geometric analogy: Eternity transcends Space and Time, the way a Line transcends a Point, a Plane transcends a Line, Space transcends a Plane, and Space-Time transcends Space. Now is the point at which Time touches Eternity.
We have limited knowledge about this; we don't even understand Time. Most scientists think the universe we live in probably had a beginning and will end, but we can't prove it. I don't think you're going crazy, but you may have to come to terms with not understanding everything. There's no harm in trying to figure it out, though.
As for who created God; if he was created, he's not God. God is the self-existent being. Any derivative being is not God.

Answer 3

Think of it as a circle or a triangle that was no beginning or end to speak of , only an eternal now. that you move from one now to another one in.
Seek an you shall find , knock on the door and it shall open ,ask and you will be answered.
A personal journey that only you can walk.
Guide post 1: your soul was made by the creator of all things from its own body and unto it shall it return.
Guide post 2 :GOD is called by many names . The self made one, the ancient of days , the Creator of all things.and as many names as their are stars in the sky and grains of sand in the oceans.
THE CREATOR made time . what ever that is.we have just made a means of measuring the passage of movement through space.

Answer 4

It's understandable for us to feel this way. Nobody knows what will happen after we die. What we do know is we are here for a short time, and until it comes to that day, we decide how we want to live our lives. If we decide on being good then it can only lead to something good. If we decide on being bad and doing bad things then only something bad can come out of it. What else explains how you feel when you do either one except for your feelings. When you help someone, you feel a reward inside that you cannot explain. When you hurt someone, your conscience haunts you, and you feel bad if you have any remorse. Thus, my conclusion is, to understand eternity, understand who you want to be in this world.

Answer 5

42...

ok, i'm obviously kidding (hitchhikers guide to the galaxy if you don't get te refrence.)

are you a philosophy major?

right, well no one really knows...

best i can say is this, relate the story of a certain St. Augustine.

Augustine was walking along the beach contemplating much along the same lines of metaphysical thoughts when he saw a young child running to the waves with a small shell, scooping up some sea water and running it to a hole he had made in the ground, St. Augestine asked the child what he was doing and the child responded "Putting the ocean in my hole" The Saint chuckled and explained how that was impossible and the child responded "well it is easier for me to put the ocean in this hole than for you to fit all of that you are trying to understand in your head."

Answer 6

The first thing that comes to mind when you say Eternity is Allah. This is the only eternal.

Answer 7

eternity is basically the way of the universe.......i suppose
life is just dust in the wind...........i think
i gues life is perception, which probably doesnt last too long,

and i really dont believe in any creator

hell, maybe we both need therapy

nah, id rather be crazy than sane any day....more interesting

dont listen to the servant of jesus christ either((((((answer above mine))))))))
if you want to know why consider his name
he is........ a ............ slave. (or servant)
do you want to be a slave???????
i dont

Answer 8

The Definition Of Eternity

Answer 9

That whole block you wrote means you are ready to Kneel before god and accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior.

Answer 10

Don't go crazy, Go for God!!!! Get on your knees and ask Jesus to come into your heart!