Where Did God Come From?

“In the beginning God…” This opening line of the Bible continues to intrigue me.  Have you ever noticed that God never attempts to explain or defend His existence in the Scriptures?  I remember asking my mom when I was a kid, “Where did God come from?  Who made God?”

Perhaps like you, natural curiosity drove me to wonder. As humans, we understand beginnings from endings.  I was born on March 9, 1956 (beginning) and someday I will die (ending), as far as this life is concerned.

Ours is a walk of faith.  We believe in those things “not seen.”  Humans are driven to believe in something or Someone bigger and more powerful.  Innately, we “believe in” and seek after those things beyond us.  The Atheist says, “There is no God.”  The Agnostic says, “I’m not sure.  The jury is still out.”  The Humanist says, “I am a god!”  The Christian says, “In the beginning God…” On and on the philosophers of this world wax eloquently! 

I’m not a theologian, but this one thing I believe:  Creation necessitates a Creator and designs presuppose a Designer.  In my mind, to believe that a cosmic blast of some sort brought what we know into existence requires more faith than to believe “In the beginning God…”

We read the phrase, “In the beginning” at least twice in the Scriptures:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

Our God has no beginning and no ending.  He’s always been!  Jesus WAS before Bethlehem!  That little boy was Bethlehem’s Baby and eternity’s God!  There’s never been a time when Jesus wasn’t!  Do you understand?  I don’t either, but I believe it.  If our God were easy to understand, He wouldn’t be much of a God.

Genesis 1:1 and John 1:12 are best understood in the context of eternity.  Both are timeless.  The word “beginning” in both verses perhaps is best interpreted, “In eternity past…” Eternity suggests no beginning and no ending.   Those who love Jesus Christ and have trusted Him for their soul’s salvation will spend eternity with Him.  We will never die again. We will live forever! 

When I think about all this, my mind is taken to inexplicable heights.  But in my heart, I believe that “God has set eternity in the human heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).  In every human soul is a God-given awareness that there is “something more” than this transient world.  And with that awareness comes a hope that we can one day find a fulfillment not afforded by the “vanity” in this world.  This I believe!

The Rapture!

One of the cornerstone doctrines of our Faith is the Rapture of the Church.  This is when, according to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, Jesus Christ will “airlift” the redeemed from across the ages to be forever with Him.  The late Dan Ronsisvalle used to say, “It will not be an airplane ride, but a plain air ride!”  The Scriptures are clear.  This glorious event will take place “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51).  This is called the Church’s Blessed Hope. 

Yet as a kid, I feared the Rapture because of my unhealthy theology.  During my youth, a popularly acclaimed Christian film hit the church scene.  Most of my Christian acquaintances gave A Thief in the Night raving reviews, but I left the theater greatly disturbed.  I remember thinking, “I don’t have a chance.  I’m not as holy as those people who disappeared!  Certainly, I’m not good enough to go in the Rapture.”  I’m not blaming the producers of the film, but I viewed it through the lens of fear and law-based theology.

My fear of the Rapture continued for several years.  The blessed hope became the terrible tormentor.  The Scriptures tell us that “the trumpet will sound and the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). 

During my boyhood, my family lived seven miles south of Ashtabula Harbor.  Distant train whistles and ship foghorns penetrated the still summer nights and I can remember lying in bed crying – afraid that I missed the Rapture.   That’s how tormented I was.  It was wonderful when later I saw godly people and realized I had not been left behind.

Subsequently, a sermon on the “Catching Away” was the catalyst the Holy Spirit used to bring me under conviction and to saving grace!   It was Tuesday, August 4, 1970.  The late Donald Schorsch used as his text,  “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

He painted wonderful word pictures when he preached.  I “saw” Jesus stepping down on a cloud, as those who died in Christ rose from their graves.  Then we who were alive on earth joined them in the clouds.  I “saw” teeming masses of people “caught up.”  I “heard” the trumpet blast.  I was SO READY to give my life to Christ.  I couldn’t wait for him to quit preaching and to give the invitation to accept Christ.  That night, I became “Rapture-Ready!”

I still love to hear preaching on the Rapture.  It never grows old!   During difficult days, the Holy Spirit reminds me that Jesus is coming again!  “And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).  I’ll see you on the way up.  Get ready.  It could happen today!

John 3:16

You probably can quote it.  It’s been referred to as “the Gospel in a nutshell.”  I memorized John 3:16 during a boyhood Vacation Bible School:  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”  This verse alone, if acted upon, would be enough to lead one to salvation.  Its components bring life.  Allow me to dissect it for you.

“For God…”

This speaks of Divine Origin.  Our salvation was set into motion immediately after the fall of man, when Adam and Eve fell by was of transgression – when they disobeyed God.  The Bible tells us that the fall brought sin into the world and with sin came death.  But God orchestrated a plan to win lost mankind back to Himself!  Genesis 3:15 relays God’s prophetic intent. “And I will put enmity between you and the woman.  And between your seed and her seed.  He shall bruise you on the head.  And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

“So loved…”

This speaks of Divine Intensity.  God didn’t “just love,” He SO-O-O-O loved!  Do you sense the intensity of God’s resolve to win back lost mankind?

“The world…”

This speaks of the Divine Target.  You and I are the objects of God’s love.  He targeted us to be saved!  God’s plan was to not only win back this physical planet, but more wonderfully, each one of us.  Put your name inside this phrase and rejoice!  “For God so loved Roger Loomis…” Wow, what love!

“That He gave…”

This speaks of Divine Strategy.    God is a giver.  His nature is to give.  He would give His only Son on the cross to win back a lost and dying world.

“His only Son…”

This speaks of a Divine Person.  Jesus is the Son of God, the only One qualified to save us from sin.  He is God and He is the author of eternal life!       

“That whoever believes on Him…”

This speaks of the Divine prerequisite.  Many ask, “What must I do to have eternal life?”  And many are amazed that the Gospel is so simple.  Placing our faith in the precious blood of Jesus to forgive sin sounds too easy.  But it’s true! 

“Will not perish…”

This speaks of Divine protection.  Those who place their faith in Christ are delivered from eternal judgment.  Remember, God’s wrath toward sin was satisfied on the cross when our sinless Savior gave His life.  We escape His wrath and make heaven our home, not hell!

But have eternal life.”

This speaks of the Divine promise.  God promises eternal life for those who place their faith in Him.  He alone can save us!  And He alone has promised us a place in heaven after our life on earth is over.

Now you know why John 3:16 is so often quoted.  It outlines the essence of the Gospel!  Have you place your faith in Christ?

The Cornfield

After I came to Christ, my mother was the first to realize that something was different.  Following my conversion I worked late into one night alongside mom while she was canning tomatoes.  I said, “Mom, I went to the altar at camp and gave my heart to the Lord.”  She looked at me through loving eyes and replied, “I knew something happened.  I’m proud of you.”  And then she kissed me on the cheek.  Little did I know at the time, but mom’s days on earth were numbered.

Two summers later, my mother awakened one morning not feeling well and by evening was bowed low in pain.  A wrong diagnosis in the emergency room sent her back home, only to have her return the next day.  By the time the problem was properly diagnosed, gangrene had worked a destructive toll on key internal organs.  Infection brought on a raging fever.  It was too late for even the strongest antibiotics.

For eight weeks she reeled in pain, solaced only by massive doses of morphine.  Many comforted my family during this very trying time.  A few well-meaning believers assured me that God was going to heal my mother.  I held on to every word.  My faith was immature and my knowledge of God’s Word was limited, so I embraced every word as “gospel.”

I had learned that God heals and subsequently, I just knew that He was going to heal my mom.  After all, I reasoned, God would not take our mother away when we, her seven children, needed her the most.  On September 2,  I awakened to the news that mom had died.  Numbness set in and shock would not allow me to cry, that is, until I went out to meet a grieving household. 

I ran to the cornfield adjacent to our home.  Blinded by tears, I ran hard through the rows of corn.   The sharp cornstalks slashed my arms and legs.  I shook my fists toward heaven, cursed, cried loudly, cursed more and cried louder still.  Finally, exhaustion threw me to the ground and I caught a mouthful of dirt.  I yelled, “You promised you would heal her.  You lied to me.  I’ll never serve you again.”  I threw in a few more expletives for emphasis sake and quieted myself. 

The Holy Spirit then spoke tenderly and lovingly into my heart.  “You asked me to heal your mother, and I did.  She’s in my presence completely whole.”  It’s been 45 years since that sad day.  And frankly, I still haven’t seen anything good come from her death.  Sometimes life makes no sense.  Our beliefs and faith are challenged beyond understanding.  We are called upon to simply trust God. 

Asking “why” becomes futile.  We must eventually rest our case.  Job did!  All of us sooner or later face heartache and loss.  The Scriptures teach that it rains on both the just and the unjust.  In retrospect, I do not believe that sovereign God felt threatened that day, even though I voiced some rather harsh words.  Our loving Father saw my tortured heart and in tender mercy embraced me.  My life would never again be the same; but I still believe God cried with me in the cornfield that day!