Want Us to Live Again as Families in Heaven
Due west henever I laissez passer through the historical accounts of the Kings of Judah and Israel in the Bible, I am e'er amazed at that point in Judah's history when the Volume of the Police (or Torah ) had been cached and forgotten in the Land (two Kings 22).
Unfortunately, the situation is not much dissimilar in our time. I am equally amazed at the high rate of biblical illiteracy in the American church today. Although the Bible is within reach of every American, information technology is virtually buried in many homes and churches. Nevertheless, it is because of biblical illiteracy and a few peripheral factors that we accept misunderstandings over many aspects of our faith.
I want to take a moment to address just i specific attribute of our faith that is sorely misunderstood. Does the Bible say that we will know everyone from our former lives in one case we are in heaven? This is important considering information technology affects our hope for the time to come. Volition I recognize my wife, Amber, as only another sister in Christ, or volition I recollect that she was my married woman in my former life? Will I recognize that my sister, Chelsea, is not just my sis in Christ but my sis by blood in my former life? Many Christians are wrestling with this because we all wonder if we will get to genuinely be reunited in heaven with those of our former lives. Answers vary depending on who you inquire. Misunderstandings over the afterlife are not by-products of biblical illiteracy alone; it'due south likewise because the afterlife is Non being preached anymore. In fact, heaven is ignored virtually as much as hell in many pulpits.
Misunderstandings over the afterlife are not by-products of biblical illiteracy alone; it's also because the afterlife is NOT beingness preached anymore. In fact, heaven is ignored virtually every bit much as hell in many pulpits.
I firmly believe Scripture teaches that we will exist able to recognize those we knew in this life once in heaven. Notwithstanding, at that place are too sincere, born-once again believers in Christ who know the Bible well and would disagree with me, not because of biblical illiteracy or ignorance, but because they fear robbing God of His glory. Therefore, my purpose here is to lovingly reason from Scripture against that notion by articulating iii objections from the opposing side and then answering them from Scripture.
The first objection is that if we knew everyone in heaven, nosotros would know our old spouses, which contradicts Jesus in Matthew 22:30 saying that "in the resurrection [we] neither ally nor are given in wedlock, merely are like angels in heaven" (ESV). Therefore, God volition have to permanently remove the distraction of recognizing our erstwhile spouses from retention. In response to this, let me commencement admit the truth that our matrimony covenants (even the happiest of marriages) are declared to be absolved upon death elsewhere in Scripture. First Corinthians 7:39 states that a "married woman is bound to her hubby as long every bit he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to exist married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord" (see as well Rom. 7:2). However, saying anything more than than this involves inserting an idea into Scripture that is non at that place. Conspicuously, the purpose for marriage covenants volition end. In Ephesians v union is a picture of our Lord's love for His Redeemed. This picture becomes unnecessary once Christ's Bride is with Him in glory. Furthermore, procreation will non be necessary either.
None of this indicates a divine retention wipe! I come across no indication in Scripture that Adam will not recognize Eve. I cannot observe where God'south Word says Abraham volition not know who Sarah was. Without sin natures, these relationships are guaranteed to be improved in the Kingdom. I have no incertitude that Jacob, Rachel, and Leah now have ability from on high to honey each other with a pure and holy love; with marriage obsolete they are no longer encumbered with jealousy, bitterness, and resentment. If Adam and Eve could recognize each other prior to the Fall without diminishing God or sinning, I see no reason to believe that this is impossible with Paradise restored.
This debate really involves whether the saints retain their personal identities in the afterlife. Consequently, the second objection from the opposing side speculates that nosotros should be and so consumed with meeting the Lord Jesus that nosotros are incorrect in hoping to recognize anyone from our former lives because it robs God of His glory. My initial reaction to this objection is that Scripture itself indicates that personal identities are retained after expiry. King Saul was able to recognize Samuel by unlawfully consulting the medium at Endor (1 Sam. 28:iii-25). King David no longer mourned the loss of his baby son knowing that they would ane 24-hour interval be reunited. Subsequently his kid died, David said, "I shall go to him, merely he will not return to me" (ii Sam. 12:23). This is especially comforting to me because Amber and I had a miscarriage six years ago. Thankfully, Scripture is chock-full of examples of saints being recognized after death. The pinnacle of examples would be that Jesus Himself was recognizable later His resurrection. Consider that Elijah and Moses were recognized at Jesus' transfiguration (Matt. 17). Furthermore, Paul comforted the Thessalonians with the hope of being "caught upwardly together with them [those who died earlier us]" at the Rapture (one Thess. iv:17).
Does retaining personal, recognizable identities somehow rob God of His glory? No! Get-go, in our glorified bodies, our ability to idolize someone else over God will be impossible. Second, consider that for eternity God Himself will memorialize men similar the apostles and the twelve sons of State of israel by inscribing their names on the gates and foundations of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:12-xiv). Too, Jesus clearly declared that many volition "come up from east and west, [to] recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven " (Matt. 8:11, HCSB). Without being robbed of glory, God will reward true-blue saints like the patriarchs and the apostles with the privilege of fellowshipping with the whole host of heaven while they in no style will commit idolatry against the Lord.
The terminal objection to my position is the thought of a divine retentivity wipe itself. The opposing side cannot envision God wiping away every tear from our optics in sky (Rev. 21:4) without first preventing us from remembering the sins, pains, and sorrows of this life, and since our earthly relationships in this life inevitably involved sin and pain, we shouldn't wait to remember this life, or anyone in it, at all . In answering this objection, we would be more at risk of robbing God of glory if nosotros did not recall what He redeemed us from! Jesus Himself retained the markings of crucifixion in His trunk, after the resurrection (John 20:27)! I believe we will accept the power to know what we were redeemed from in our former lives while having the power to not remember information technology in a way that causes grief. This mirrors how God does not wipe His memory and forget His great story of redemption, still He has the power to "recall [our] sins no more than" (Heb. viii:12, ESV). Also, Scripture indicates that being forgotten by losing our personal identities is a punishment that God inflicts on the wicked of hell and not the saints of heaven. Psalm 9:5-6 says, God has "blotted out their names forever and ever . . . the very retentiveness of them [the wicked] has perished." Indeed, it seems the only people nosotros won't remember in heaven are those who are in hell. Information technology's quite possible that nosotros will know they are at that place, but we will have the power to forget them in righteousness. Observe that in the story of Lazarus, Abraham, and the rich man, we are non told the name of the rich human being (Luke xvi:19-31). Could it exist that it'southward because his name is blotted out?
In closing, my hope with this commodity is that no one in Christ's church has their joy stolen from them past misunderstanding Scripture. I said in my concluding article that God is relational, and He created us to be relational beings. It is much more in harmony with Scripture for the saints to view life after death as a blest reunion where our relationships with God and with each other are perfected, something nosotros can all look forrard to.
Source: https://www.foi.org/2019/07/03/will-we-recognize-our-loved-ones-in-heaven/
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