Don Stewart :: Was God Alone before He Created the Universe?

Was God Alone before He Created the Universe?

The Attributes of God That Belong to Him Alone – Question 2

If there is only one God, as the Bible teaches, then how could He have any fellowship, or any personal relationship, before humanity was created? Was God alone for all eternity before He created angels and human beings? If so, was He needy?

The answer is found in what the Bible says about the very nature of God’s Divine unity, the doctrine of the Trinity.

1. God Has Never Been Alone: The Trinity Has Always Existed

The doctrine of the Trinity recognizes that the one God has existed for all eternity in three eternal Persons or centers of consciousness. They are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Although they are of the same essence, they are distinct in their Person. The Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Spirit.

2. Each Member Is Conscious of Other Two

Each member of the Godhead is supremely conscious of the other two. Therefore, there was an eternal fellowship within the Godhead before any finite creatures were created. God never existed in solitary aloneness. Rather we find that here was a blessed communion between the three members of the Trinity in eternity past.

When Jesus prayed to His Father on the night that He was betrayed He spoke of the love the Father had with Him before the world was formed.

“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24 ESV)

This shows that Jesus was conscious of God the Father. Before the world was created, God the Father and God the Son shared their glory. Jesus said,

“And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” (John 17:5 NKJV)

This tells us that the Father and Son have always been aware of each other. This being the case, they had no need to love anyone else.

3. God Has No Needs

Consequently, there was no need, therefore, for the God of the Bible to create humanity. There was communication, love, and fellowship between the members of the Trinity before creation of humankind. God, being complete in Himself, has no needs whatsoever. Thus, since He is complete in Himself there was no compelling reason for Him to create humankind. Consequently, for whatever purpose or purpose He created the human race it was not to meet some need or something lacking in His character.

In sum, God was certainly not alone when He created the universe.

Summary – Question 2
Was God Alone before He Created the Universe?

If God was the Creator of all things does this mean that He was alone before the world was created? If alone, would this not mean there was something lacking with Him? Perhaps He created humanity to meet the needs He had?

Such is not the case. Before any finite creatures were created, God did exist. Although God is a unity, He is a compound unity made up of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each member of the Trinity is a distinct Person or a distinct center of consciousness. While they are of the same essence there are personal distinctions between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is the doctrine of the Trinity.

From Scripture, we also discover that each member of the Trinity is always conscious of the other two. Therefore, God was never alone. There was love and communication within the members of the Godhead before humanity was created.

Consequently, there was no need on his part to create the human race. God did not need anything. Therefore, the reason for the creation of humankind cannot be found in something lacking in the nature of God.