The Great Beyond
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[2 Comments]Randy Alcorn is the bestselling author of Heaven (Tyndale) and founder/director of nonprofit Eternal Perspective Ministries. So who better to address seven questions from our readers on heaven. Here's what you asked—and how Randy answers.
1. When a believer dies, when does she go to heaven?
At death, the human spirit goes either to heaven or hell. Christ depicted Lazarus the beggar and the rich man conscious in heaven and hell immediately after they died (Luke 16:22-31). Jesus told the dying thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). The apostle Paul said to die is to be with Christ (Philippians 1:23), and to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).
These passages clearly invalidate the notion of "soul sleep," or a long period of unconsciousness between life on earth and life in heaven. Every reference in the Book of Revelation to humans talking and worshiping in heaven prior to the resurrection of the dead demonstrates we're conscious after death. Our spirit's departure from the body ends our existence on earth. The physical part of us "sleeps" until we're resurrected, while the spiritual part immediately relocates to a conscious existence in heaven (Daniel 12:2-3).
2. Will I know my husband and children in heaven? Will they know me? And why can't we be married in heaven?
Christ's disciples recognized him countless times after his resurrection: when he cooked breakfast for them on the shore (John 21:1-14); when he revealed himself to a skeptical Thomas (John 20:24-29); and when he appeared to 500 people at once (1 Corinthians 15:6). And at Christ's transfiguration, his disciples recognized Moses and Elijah, even though they couldn't have known what the two men looked like (Luke 9:29-33). If we can recognize those we've never seen, how much more will we recognize our family and friends?
Many people misunderstand Matthew 22:30: "At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven." The Bible doesn't teach no marriage in heaven, but one marriage, between Christ and us, his bride. Our marriage to Christ will satisfy more than even the most wonderful earthly marriage. Once that ultimate marriage begins at the Lamb's wedding feast, all human marriages will have served their noble purpose of foreshadowing this one great marriage.
The God who said, "It is not good for man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18), is both the giver and the blesser of our earthly relationships. My wife, Nanci, is my best friend and closest sister in Christ. I'm convinced we'll be closer in heaven, not more distant. Receiving a glorified body doesn't erase history; it culminates history. According to 1 Thessalonians 4, we'll be together with the Lord forever, so we'll doubtless pick right up in heaven with relationships from earth.
Related Topics:
Afterlife, Animals, Death, Heaven, Marriage
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Donald Matthews
This is a great article which I read several times and also I looked up the Bible references. Only by doing this did I obtain a full understanding of what Randy is trying to get across. What he says is backed up by the Bible but people do have different interpretations of the after life. I shall use this article for Bible Study at our Senior's Homes here in town. Thank you Randy...
flybabymom
Mr. Alcorn has obviously put a great deal of thought into his view of what happens when a person dies. But there is another view, strongly supported by many, many scriptures, which teaches that a person does not know anything after death until the resurrection. I Tim 6:16 tells us that God only has immortality (we do not naturally have an immortal soul). John 20:17 clearly states that Jesus did not ascend to Heaven at the time of His death, making it impossible for Him to meet the thief there that day. In John 11, in the story of the resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus calls death "sleep." Most people are not conscious during sleep. 1 Thess. 4:13 saints who died are referred to as sleeping, and the text goes on to say that they will be raised "at the last trump"--when Jesus returns in glory. 1 Cor. 15 tells us that we will "put on" immortality when Jesus returns. In 2 Tim 4: 6 - 8 Paul assures his friends that he is confident he will receive his crown when Jesus returns (not when he dies). This is only some of the New Testament witness on this subject and there is a wealth of information in the Old Testament, as well. The view of death as a sleep in no way diminishes the magnificence of the afterlife. Those who are living on earth at the time of Jesus' return will not have missed out on years in Heaven with their loved ones--they'll all go at the same time, receive the same joyous welcome! The party starts all at once! Anyway, thank you for publishing this thoughtful article. We do well to consider the life to come, and our present relationship with our Living Savior, the One Who died to make our salvation possible! _He_ will be our true and great reward.
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