Humanity lives in a profound paradox. We inhabit a visible, measurable world yet are surrounded by an invisible reality that most people never seriously consider. We look up at a universe of trillions of stars and planets separated by unimaginable distances—measured in light-years that stretch into the millions and billions—and somehow conclude that all of this simply is. Science and simple reason both testify that something cannot come from nothing. The existence of the physical universe points unmistakably to an invisible Creator. Yet for many, the temporal, visible world remains the only reality they will acknowledge.
That assumption carries a fatal flaw. If there is a Creator, then questions immediately follow: Who is He? What does He desire? Why did He create everything? And how can finite human beings discover the answers?
Scripture identifies this Creator as the eternal, triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He has not left Himself without witness. He communicates with humanity in three clear ways.
First, through the created order itself, which declares His power and divine nature.
Second, through the written Word—the Bible—which reveals His character, His purposes, and His plan for history. The Scriptures prove their supernatural origin through thousands of detailed prophecies written centuries in advance—something only an omniscient God could accomplish.
Third, and most personally, God the Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life and then died on the cross to atone for the sins of mankind. By paying the penalty we deserved, He made it possible for sinful people to enter into a personal, intimate relationship with the living God—both now and for eternity. Those who belong to Christ enter eternity cleansed of sin. Those who reject Him enter eternity still bearing their sin, separated from God forever.
This article focuses on a quiet but devastating problem: the diminishing reality of eternity in the minds and hearts of people. Every human being knows that life is temporary. We are born, we live a comparatively short span—often seventy-five to one hundred years—and then we die. Science tells us the universe itself is approximately sixteen billion years old and that everything in it is winding down. Stars burn out. Planets decay. The entire physical order is subject to death. Temporal visibility always ends in death.
Yet the Bible reveals that God is eternal. He has always existed in a perfect triune relationship. Relationship is the very heart of who God is, and it is why He created both the holy angels and, later, mankind. The angels were created perfect and sinless in His presence. After a portion of them rebelled, God created humanity in His own image—body, soul, and spirit. We are spiritual beings who will exist forever. Adam’s disobedience in the Garden introduced sin and death into the human race and into the created order. Nevertheless, because we bear God’s image, our existence does not end at the grave. We will live for eternity—either with God or separated from Him.
The Bible makes the choice starkly clear. There are only two possible destinations after death: eternal life in the presence of God, or eternal separation from Him. One is the greatest possible existence forever. The other is the worst.
Because we live in a world dominated by what we can see and touch, most people find it difficult to take eternity seriously. Invisible realities do not “register,” so they are pushed aside—often to the person’s eternal peril. In their place, a different god rises to prominence: money. For countless people, financial security and material success appear to offer the greatest possible life.
Consider a simple comparison. Imagine you alone win a one-billion-dollar lottery. The only catch is that you will not receive the money until some undisclosed future date. You must wait. How would that knowledge reshape your thinking? How much would you talk about it? What plans would you begin making? How would the anticipation color every ordinary day?
Now consider a far greater reality. You come to recognize that the God who created the universe has spoken through His Word and has sent His Son to die for you so that you might know Him personally—now and forever. You repent, confess your sins, and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. You know with certainty that when you die, you will be with Him. The fear of death, which grips so much of unredeemed humanity, loses its power.
How does that knowledge change a life? How much thought do you give to the Holy Spirit who now dwells within you? What adjustments do you begin making out of love and gratitude for the One who has secured your eternal future?
The contrast between these two examples is staggering. One involves a temporary fortune that may arrive too late or prove more burdensome than expected—history is filled with stories of lottery winners whose lives were ultimately worsened by sudden wealth. The other involves an eternal inheritance that cannot be lost, diminished, or corrupted. In both cases there is a period of waiting. But the difference in what awaits at the end of the wait is greater than the vast distances of the universe itself.
Do not allow the reality of eternity to diminish in your life. Let it flourish, blossom, deepen, and shape what’s truly important in life. That flourishing begins the moment a person is born again through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Think often about what eternity will mean. Read Randy Alcorn’s excellent book Heaven—it opens Scripture’s teaching on the subject in a way that both informs the mind and stirs the heart. This is why God created us in the first place: to enjoy a personal, intimate relationship with Him now and forever.
Those who belong to Christ are already called the Bride of Christ, waiting for the day He comes to take us home for the wedding celebration.
God’s entire plan can be summarized in eight words:
God wants a wife from sinful, redeemed humanity.
Maranatha, Lord Jesus!
David Cogburn