Where in the Bible Does It Say That You Will See Your Loved One Again When You Die
W henever I pass through the historical accounts of the Kings of Judah and Israel in the Bible, I am always amazed at that betoken in Judah's history when the Book of the Law (or Torah ) had been cached and forgotten in the Land (ii Kings 22).
Unfortunately, the situation is not much different in our time. I am equally amazed at the high rate of biblical illiteracy in the American church today. Although the Bible is inside reach of every American, it is virtually cached in many homes and churches. Nevertheless, it is because of biblical illiteracy and a few peripheral factors that nosotros accept misunderstandings over many aspects of our faith.
I want to take a moment to accost only one specific aspect of our faith that is sorely misunderstood. Does the Bible say that we will know anybody from our former lives once we are in heaven? This is of import because it affects our hope for the future. Will I recognize my married woman, Amber, every bit only another sister in Christ, or volition I recall that she was my married woman in my quondam life? Will I recognize that my sister, Chelsea, is not merely my sis in Christ but my sister past blood in my sometime life? Many Christians are wrestling with this because nosotros all wonder if we will go to genuinely exist reunited in sky with those of our former lives. Answers vary depending on who y'all enquire. Misunderstandings over the afterlife are non by-products of biblical illiteracy alone; it'southward as well considering the afterlife is NOT being preached anymore. In fact, heaven is ignored near as much as hell in many pulpits.
Misunderstandings over the afterlife are not by-products of biblical illiteracy alone; it'due south also because the afterlife is NOT being preached anymore. In fact, heaven is ignored almost as much every bit hell in many pulpits.
I firmly believe Scripture teaches that we will be able to recognize those nosotros knew in this life once in heaven. Nonetheless, at that place are also sincere, built-in-again believers in Christ who know the Bible well and would disagree with me, not because of biblical illiteracy or ignorance, but because they fright robbing God of His glory. Therefore, my purpose here is to lovingly reason from Scripture against that notion past articulating three objections from the opposing side and so answering them from Scripture.
The get-go objection is that if we knew anybody in heaven, nosotros would know our former spouses, which contradicts Jesus in Matthew 22:30 maxim that "in the resurrection [we] neither marry nor are given in wedlock, but are like angels in heaven" (ESV). Therefore, God volition have to permanently remove the distraction of recognizing our former spouses from retention. In response to this, let me showtime acknowledge the truth that our marriage covenants (even the happiest of marriages) are declared to be absolved upon death elsewhere in Scripture. Outset Corinthians vii:39 states that a "wife is jump to her husband as long as he lives. Only if her husband dies, she is gratis to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord" (run into besides Rom. vii:2). Yet, proverb anything more than this involves inserting an idea into Scripture that is non in that location. Conspicuously, the purpose for wedlock covenants will end. In Ephesians v marriage is a film of our Lord'due south dearest for His Redeemed. This picture becomes unnecessary once Christ's Helpmate is with Him in glory. Furthermore, procreation will not be necessary either.
None of this indicates a divine memory wipe! I see no indication in Scripture that Adam will not recognize Eve. I cannot notice where God'southward Give-and-take says Abraham volition non know who Sarah was. Without sin natures, these relationships are guaranteed to be improved in the Kingdom. I have no uncertainty that Jacob, Rachel, and Leah now have power from on high to love each other with a pure and holy love; with spousal relationship obsolete they are no longer burdened 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 incommunicable with Paradise restored.
This argue really involves whether the saints retain their personal identities in the afterlife. Consequently, the second objection from the opposing side speculates that we should be so consumed with coming together the Lord Jesus that we 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 later expiry. King Saul was able to recognize Samuel by unlawfully consulting the medium at Endor (i Sam. 28:three-25). Male monarch David no longer mourned the loss of his babe son knowing that they would i twenty-four hours exist reunited. After his kid died, David said, "I shall go to him, but he will not return to me" (2 Sam. 12:23). This is especially comforting to me because Amber and I had a miscarriage 6 years ago. Thankfully, Scripture is chock-total of examples of saints being recognized later death. The pinnacle of examples would be that Jesus Himself was recognizable after 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 upwards together with them [those who died before us]" at the Rapture (i Thess. iv:17).
Does retaining personal, recognizable identities somehow rob God of His glory? No! Beginning, in our glorified bodies, our ability to idolize someone else over God volition be impossible. Second, consider that for eternity God Himself will memorialize men like the apostles and the twelve sons of State of israel past inscribing their names on the gates and foundations of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:12-14). Also, Jesus clearly alleged that many volition "come from east and west, [to] recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of sky " (Matt. 8:eleven, HCSB). Without being robbed of celebrity, God volition advantage faithful saints like the patriarchs and the apostles with the privilege of fellowshipping with the whole host of heaven while they in no way will commit idolatry against the Lord.
The last objection to my position is the thought of a divine retentiveness wipe itself. The opposing side cannot envision God wiping away every tear from our optics in heaven (Rev. 21:4) without kickoff 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, nosotros shouldn't expect to remember this life, or anyone in it, at all . In answering this objection, we would exist more at risk of robbing God of glory if we did non remember what He redeemed us from! Jesus Himself retained the markings of crucifixion in His body, after the resurrection (John 20:27)! I believe we will accept the ability to know what we were redeemed from in our sometime lives while having the ability to not call back information technology in a way that causes grief. This mirrors how God does not wipe His retentivity and forget His great story of redemption, nonetheless He has the ability to "call back [our] sins no more than" (Heb. 8:12, ESV). Besides, Scripture indicates that existence forgotten by losing our personal identities is a punishment that God inflicts on the wicked of hell and non the saints of heaven. Psalm nine:5-6 says, God has "blotted out their names forever and always . . . the very memory of them [the wicked] has perished." Indeed, it seems the but people we won't remember in heaven are those who are in hell. It'south quite possible that we will know they are in that location, but we volition have the power to forget them in righteousness. Notice that in the story of Lazarus, Abraham, and the rich man, we are non told the name of the rich homo (Luke 16:nineteen-31). Could it be that information technology'southward because his proper name is blotted out?
In closing, my hope with this article is that no one in Christ'due south church building has their joy stolen from them by misunderstanding Scripture. I said in my final article that God is relational, and He created us to be relational beings. Information technology is much more in harmony with Scripture for the saints to view life after decease as a blessed reunion where our relationships with God and with each other are perfected, something we can all await forrad to.
Source: https://www.foi.org/2019/07/03/will-we-recognize-our-loved-ones-in-heaven/
0 Response to "Where in the Bible Does It Say That You Will See Your Loved One Again When You Die"
Post a Comment