At first glance, the exercise of defining God might seem incredibly difficult, nigh impossible. But, thanks to Saint Anselm of Canterbury, it is actually a simple thing: God is that being than which there is none greater.

In this simple definition we see all the truth to which John the Baptist pointed us. We ask ourselves the question: what is a great-making property? I’d suggest, as have many throughout the centuries, that being uncreated is a great-making property. Jesus did not come into being, or begin to exist, as we all did. Instead, Jesus always has been.

For the Apostle John, part of what makes Jesus superior to all others is His eternality. While we are immortal, that is, we will live forever either with the Triune God or separated from the Triune God, we came into existence at some point in time. Jesus, to the contrary, is everlasting in both directions having always existed and will always exist. And this attribute is just one of many wonderful attributes of God that render God worthy of worship, honor, and praise.

What Now? 

What other great-making properties can you think of? Reflect on the truth that our God is worthy of worship merely because of God’s existence, whether or not God every engaged any action at all!

I have found that time is of interest to more people that I would have thought. Be bold in discussing time with those in your life. You may be surprised at their interest in eternality, whether the past exists, whether temporal becoming is real, and the like. This topic offers fruitful ground for sharing the Gospel.

Related Resources

Time and Eternity by William Lane Craig

God & Time: Four Views edited by Gregory E. Ganssie