Understanding the concept of “infinity” as the upper bound [in anything] translates first into imagining [anything] in the absence of an upper bound. We’re talking limitless-ness here, if that’s even a word. The term [infinitesimal] is used to describe the state of something being too large or too small to even measure. We humans have trouble understanding this concept which is why I think it’s time to pick the subject up and dust it off? From the first known accounts dating back to 400 B.C. philosophers, mathematicians, theologians, and physicists studied and wrote about the concept of “infinity”. They all grappled with tackling the measurement of a “property” that has virtually no end, something that is truly immeasurable. Stuff like this can frustrate a scientific endeavor. Einstein theorized that the universe is still expanding at an expanding rate. However, he added that there was no way to know it’s exact size and what, if anything, exists beyond it. Of course, nothing but empty darkness is still a thing right? Still today, Einstein’s theories remain the consensus among scientists.
Really everything we humans deal with daily is finite. Things like how much we can get done in one day, or eat in one meal or even how long we each live – all these things are finite. Here’s one simple example of wrestling with the difficulty of dealing with infinite properties: if you began counting all linear numbers beginning with 0, then 1, and 2, and 3 and so on you would die before you could ever reach the end of the real number sequence. Then suppose one could pass on the counting sequence to those that survived you, and passing this on and on through the generations, and the counting will still never cease after the end of the last person alive on Earth. That’s one way to describe the vastness of something with no known upper bound, or limit.
Perhaps infinity will one day be described as a condition completely dependent upon God; for me the concept of infinity is proof of the existence of a Creator behind everything we can see and imagine because infinity is easier to grapple with in the supernatural versus our earthbound physical presence; it is [contained within a set of things] beyond normal human comprehension. We don’t even have the ability to invent something not measurable, it’s beyond our pay grade. So let’s try something more user friendly, as opposed to math and physics “friendly”. Let’s substitute the word “Infinity” with “Eternity”. Now enter God, and I’m thinking that this whole idea may begin to resonate, especially with Christians. After all, our God isn’t bound by the natural world, he’s operating in the supernatural. Anyone who has read the bible is familiar with the concept of “eternity”. My understanding is that the terms, “eternal life”, are mentioned at least eight times in the Holy Bible.
Okay let’s say I bought into the thing you describe called “No End”, in other words “Eternal”, then you still lost me at “No Beginning and No End”. God alone had no beginning but I know I did. Either way, you and I can’t get to something [we can’t explain] without a thing called faith, and that appears to be “by design”. I guess God knew this so he had his only Son profess – “there will be no beginning and no end” to his reign. That doesn’t exist in our neighborhoods, you don’t have a beginning without an end, we all have an end date. Some “ends” are friendlier than other “ends”, but if we follow Jesus’ message we can never have an end which is kind of cool I think. Who wouldn’t love the thought of going beyond this life? That’s what Jesus is selling and still today. Notice that 2,000 years ago when he walked on the Earth to spread his message not that many people were buying. Though some did and it was written that his church would have no end, that church today is known as “Christianity”. [Note: the bible considers followers of Christ to be Christians without the use of any denominational nomenclature.] In the interest of moving on enough people did believe in him back then which began this Christian movement to which God had previously proclaimed would be without end. However, it appears that things haven’t changed all that much since the days the bible was written. Looking back to the days that Jesus walked the Earth kind of reminds me of what people are still like today. Most of us are following false idols be they billionaires, movie stars, rockers, or even politicians. The list of people and things known as false idols is almost endless. What’s never endless is where false idols will lead each of us, straight to an end date! 😉
In John 14 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Commentary: “The lord Jesus Christ is the universal point of access to God. There is no other entrance into heaven. If you want to know the Father, you must come to him through his Son. Jesus assured Thomas that if he knew the Son, he knew the Father.” Tony Evans
Want to defy the odds? Bestow the eternal, and enjoy an infinite life in the presence of our creator? There exists only one way – then get to know his Son, Jesus Christ.
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