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soleil10
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Many Christians believe that marriage is exclusively an earthly arrangement. It is temporal only. Traditional wedding vows have reflected this belief: “until death do us part.”
Ironically, this misconception of thousands of years is one element that stands at the root of the present demise of the family. It is also a substantial barrier preventing Christians from understanding the purpose of creation, the primary mission of Jesus and the purpose of his return. However, Jesus does appear to indicate that there is no marriage in Heaven and that we will be single and unattached “like the angels.”
It is rather paradoxical because most Christians, naturally, in their heart long to be with a departed spouse. Most have a deep hope to “meet again.” Most would feel deprived if they could not relish again, in heaven, the precious love they had shared with their spouse on earth.
Matthew 22:23-32
At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
This is the verse that many Christians cite. Jesus is speaking to a group of Sadducees. The Sadducees, unlike the Pharisees, did not believe in the resurrection. They were inquiring of Jesus to determine with whom a woman would be married in heaven if she had been married seven times on earth. Of course, their only motive was to try to confound Jesus.
Notice that Jesus never says that there is no marriage “in heaven.” He says that there is no marriage “at the resurrection!” This is a significant difference.
If you will examine Luke 20:27-38, you will find the same story. However Luke is a bit clearer. He writes, “We will be like the angels, for we will never die.” In other words, our similarity to the angels “in heaven” is not that we will be unmarried as the angels, but rather that we will never die. Matthew’s expression, however, seems to suggest that our similarity to angels “in heaven” is that we will be single as the angels. This is incorrect.
What, then, does Jesus mean when he says that we will not marry “at the resurrection”? The course of resurrection, as with the course of restoration, is the course of “re-creation.” The course of “re-creation” follows the same principle as the course of “creation.” Adam and Eve were to grow to perfection in the position of brother and sister.
To “eat from the tree of life” is the ideal of perfection and the prerequisite for fulfillment of the second blessing (multiply).
In the beginning, there would be no marriage until the conclusion of the creation process to the tree of life, that is, the first blessing.
Likewise, in the course of resurrection, there is no marriage until the conclusion of the process of resurrection: restoration to eat from the tree of life. Since God “blocked the way to the tree of life,” (Genesis 3:24) there has been “no marriage.” This is why no child could be born without the stain of sin. “All born of Adam” were without life.
Thus, there will be no true marriage until mankind can resurrect and reclaim the right to eat from the tree of life. This is the hope of the Second Coming, as stated in Revelation 2:7 and 22:14
What do you think ? Are you married for eternity or until physical death separates us ?
Ironically, this misconception of thousands of years is one element that stands at the root of the present demise of the family. It is also a substantial barrier preventing Christians from understanding the purpose of creation, the primary mission of Jesus and the purpose of his return. However, Jesus does appear to indicate that there is no marriage in Heaven and that we will be single and unattached “like the angels.”
It is rather paradoxical because most Christians, naturally, in their heart long to be with a departed spouse. Most have a deep hope to “meet again.” Most would feel deprived if they could not relish again, in heaven, the precious love they had shared with their spouse on earth.
Matthew 22:23-32
At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
This is the verse that many Christians cite. Jesus is speaking to a group of Sadducees. The Sadducees, unlike the Pharisees, did not believe in the resurrection. They were inquiring of Jesus to determine with whom a woman would be married in heaven if she had been married seven times on earth. Of course, their only motive was to try to confound Jesus.
Notice that Jesus never says that there is no marriage “in heaven.” He says that there is no marriage “at the resurrection!” This is a significant difference.
If you will examine Luke 20:27-38, you will find the same story. However Luke is a bit clearer. He writes, “We will be like the angels, for we will never die.” In other words, our similarity to the angels “in heaven” is not that we will be unmarried as the angels, but rather that we will never die. Matthew’s expression, however, seems to suggest that our similarity to angels “in heaven” is that we will be single as the angels. This is incorrect.
What, then, does Jesus mean when he says that we will not marry “at the resurrection”? The course of resurrection, as with the course of restoration, is the course of “re-creation.” The course of “re-creation” follows the same principle as the course of “creation.” Adam and Eve were to grow to perfection in the position of brother and sister.
To “eat from the tree of life” is the ideal of perfection and the prerequisite for fulfillment of the second blessing (multiply).
In the beginning, there would be no marriage until the conclusion of the creation process to the tree of life, that is, the first blessing.
Likewise, in the course of resurrection, there is no marriage until the conclusion of the process of resurrection: restoration to eat from the tree of life. Since God “blocked the way to the tree of life,” (Genesis 3:24) there has been “no marriage.” This is why no child could be born without the stain of sin. “All born of Adam” were without life.
Thus, there will be no true marriage until mankind can resurrect and reclaim the right to eat from the tree of life. This is the hope of the Second Coming, as stated in Revelation 2:7 and 22:14
What do you think ? Are you married for eternity or until physical death separates us ?
