Putting together a bunch of different passages and thoughts in my mind, I've come to realize that I don't think heaven will be spending eternity with your spouse. That is, your current spouse here on earth, and you..., I just don't see as being 'married' in heaven.
My proof texts: the Pharisees challenge Jesus as to who the lady that had 7 dead husbands would be married to after the resurrection. Jesus said that they are not given in marriage after death. The question they presented was a good question, even though they were looking to stump Jesus, He just gave them the truthful answer. They said, Hey, she has 7 husbands which one will she spend eternity with if the resurrection is real? Jesus just told them that it doesn't work in Heaven the way it works down here. The question was mute because of the setup that will be in Heaven.
Romans 7:2 also says that a woman is bound to her husband as long as he liveth. When he dies, she is no longer bound by law to him. So, to me, it sounds like a marriage ends at the death of a spouse. A person can only be married to ONE person at a time, sorry Joe and Brigham, and if the first spouse dies, then the marriage is over and the person is able to marry again. If the marriage ends at death, then why would we suspect it to start up again in Heaven?
I love Sarah. She is my flesh. I truly can't imagine ever being separated from her. I am not going to take the time in this post to emphasize the way that a husband is to love his wife - but that is true and is a direct commandment from God. But at the same time, when the Bible says to look at the eternal and not the temporal, I don't think it refers to spending time with your wife in eternity, but rather working together as one flesh in this world for the things of eternal value.
Anyway, Just a thought...
9 comments:
I have always taken the passage to mean that people won't get married in heaven. So we are not going to be meeting people in heaven and then marrying them. Based on passages like Luke 16, it seems as though we will have the memory of our time on earth. So would you say that I will remember that I was married to my wife Erika, however we won't have any other union but the memory?
Good question - It does seem like there will be memories of the life on earth. And it seems that the man in hell even kept his affection towards his family (he wanted them to get the message, not just the whole world). But at the same time, I don't know if we can use that as a direct correlation. His experiences will be quite different than the experiences that are going to be had in Heaven.
I will chime in, although knowing nothing yet as I ought to know...
I think part of the torment of hell is the memory - the regret that will be there from every single moment of goodness and grace that God showed an individual, the reality of eternity in this place vs. the correspondingly insignificant moments spent on earth pacifying their fleshly desires etc. Remembering every witness, every tract, every message preached etc...
Heaven though, the tears will be wiped away, no more death neither sorrow, nor crying or pain FOR THE FORMER THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY...
Luke 16 says the rich man remembered Lazarus, not vice versa - Abraham was the one that responded to him... What joy would Lazarus have in remembering the treatment shown to him and dogs licking his sores. Not every Christian has a beautiful marriage to cherish as we have been blessed with.
I like the response from Michael about understanding there being no new marriages (outside of the Marriage supper of the lamb!) and that fits as well but if the memory and union continue then the question asked of Christ was not reconciled in His response.
I dont like to be with Andy on this because I also cant fathom this love I feel for Steph not being as eternal as my soul and my love for Jesus but I am certain we will have no regrets in heaven because eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, NEITHER HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN what God hath prepared.
That is my relief and the reason I will cherish every moment I can with my wife (of 11 years tomorrrow!) on this earth and then trust God for eternity to be even far greater.
Every Christians love for God will be so fully perfect (ALL heart, soul, mind and strength) that there will likely be no place for affection given elsewhere - only amazing, unified, perfect worship of our Saviour.
OPTION #2
Or we could start a new doctrine of soul melding... since we are one flesh - then perhaps our souls... ok, I wont go there (someone else probably already teaches that and I'd hate to plagiarize), I will leave the heresy to Andy's weblinks!
Speaking of weblinks, I notice the number of hits have been down of late...
Anyway, good thoughts Aaron...
My theology is probably based on my feelings for Erika rather than Bible - however I am not absolutely sold on the idea that we will not have some sort of relationship.
Ecc 9:9: Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
I was going to post that on Aaron's blog today, but didn't want to put any kind of negative spin on it.
David was comforted in the death of his baby by saying that he will go to him. He was saying that he anticipated a reunion in eternity it seems.
Are there any other instances like this you can think of? I would like to be wrong on my thoughts regarding this obviously.
The appearance of Moses and Elijah - they were recognized easily at the mount of transfiguration which would tell me that their identity from the earthly life was not lost once they passed into eternity.
My other thought was the way that Jesus never gave a clear answer to His oppostition because they were not willing to recieve it in faith but were simply looking to make Him stumble.
More that this is that the great love that we have for Christ is based obviously on who He is, what He did here on earth and how He transformed our lives and eternal destinations. I can't fathom these things wonderful memories and experiences being wiped away for eternity - only that somehow God will allow us to retain the good and either wipe away the bad memories or perhaps better yet, understand His ways and thoughts so perfectly that nothing would be remembered as bad but all part of God's perfect plan.
Comment on Ecc. 9:9
Most vain actions and references are not spoken of in such positive light elsewhere or as pictures of something as beautiful as the relationship between Christ and the church. If so I could justify watching TV a little easier :)
A marriage can be vain if the emphasis of that marriage is on each other and fulfilling personal desires rather that God's desires -thats for certain. Marriage though as we all agree is not vain in and of itself.
That verse seems to point more to a vainly lived life than marriage as a vain thing. Prior to 2002, our marriage was vain in nature - I lived joyfully with my wife but in a vain life.
By no means do I consider the marriage to be vain, nor do I think the verse says it...
It is saying that this life is vain - under the sun - but what is done in this life under the Son is obviously not vain.
Yesterday, after I had posted my blog post, I listened to a message on the family by Joe Cammilleri. It's out and about on the Internet (at JamesKnox.com for example), and he made a few good points on the family & having the right emphasis. I think it's worth a listen.
... you didn't finish the thought in Proverbs 5 on your blog? how come :) Be thou ravished always with her love!
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