# How Will we relate to each other in Heaven



## satz (Jan 28, 2008)

Are there any verses that shed light on how God's elect will relate to each other in heaven? I know the biggest part of heaven is our relationship with God, but what part, if any, will our relationship to the other redeemed play?


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## Pergamum (Jan 28, 2008)

I'll get to give you Presbyterians a light ribbing! 



Seriously....


We will sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and feast and fellowship. 

In the OT when a patriarch died, the phraseology seems to be that he was"gathered to his people". When we died, there will be a grand reunion.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Jan 28, 2008)

satz said:


> Are there any verses that shed light on how God's elect will relate to each other in heaven? I know the biggest part of heaven is our relationship with God, but what part, if any, will our relationship to the other redeemed play?



I suppose our relationship with others is part of our relationship with God, so its a legitimate question to ask and one, that I must confess, am not able to answer.


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## Jerusalem Blade (Jan 28, 2008)

We will be together in the seats of honor at the great wedding feast of the Lamb, and will be welcomed and comforted by our Almighty Father, and after the celebrations, and orientation to the new order of things, we will settle down into the glory and wonder, and productive lives we will live together in the Kingdom of God. No dreams of Tolkien, or any other tales of grandeur and majesty and exquisite love will even approach the lives that _*we together*_ shall live in the presence of our Savior and King.

It does not yet appear what we shall be, but we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. (1 John 3:2)

We shall walk down the street with Him (He who cast forth the countless galaxies by the word of His power), as well with other of His men and women from the various ages.

We will recount our friendships with one another, and give thanks to those who helped us on the journey, and rejoice to be reunited with loved ones. 

I have the sense that generations of believers that lived together may be in proximity in the kingdom, for the Lord speaks of generations that shall be condemned together in the Judgment (Matt 12:41, 42; also Matt 11:20 ff.). I will no doubt be among my friends and co-laborers, the many bands of Jesus' men and women I have been part of as we fought and loved our way through the howling wilderness of this evil world en route to the Glorious City. Then shall we together give praise to our King, who aided us every step of the way. What a Savior! What a Friend!

Now some of my friends are in Africa, the Middle East, and other far-flung parts of the world. I suppose we'll do a lot of traveling in the kingdom to visit each other, and marvel at the spiritual reality of the humble folks we rubbed shoulders with. We'll have no end of opportunity to fellowship, to work the wondrous labors our hands and hearts will delight in as God's royal family. "The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints..." (Eph 1:18)


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## Dieter Schneider (Jan 28, 2008)

J C Ryle does not disappoint us, see 55. and 73.


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## Pergamum (Jan 28, 2008)

Jonathan Edwards describes heaven as an "World of love". If you can google that phrase and find the sermon, it is a very striking sermon.


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## Bygracealone (Jan 28, 2008)

Thomas Boston has some wonderful things to consider with regard to the eternal state. See his work "Human Nature in its Fourfold Estate," the chapter on the eternal state, section on the Kingdom of Heaven. Good stuff.

Abrakel, in the fourth volume of "The Christian's Reasonable Service" has one page dedicated to the question of whether or not the elect will know each other in the eternal state that is also edifying.


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## satz (Jan 28, 2008)

Bygracealone said:


> Thomas Boston has some wonderful things to consider with regard to the eternal state. See his work "Human Nature in its Fourfold Estate," the chapter on the eternal state, section on the Kingdom of Heaven. Good stuff.
> 
> Abrakel, in the fourth volume of "The Christian's Reasonable Service" has one page dedicated to the question of whether or not the elect will know each other in the eternal state that is also edifying.



Pastor Bradley,

Thanks!

I don't mean to be a hassle, but could you give maybe a short summuary of what these men said?


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## Me Died Blue (Jan 29, 2008)

The Ryle articles are good. One thing I've wondered at times is how this question specifically relates to the issue of present husbands and wives. If we agree with the conclusions of Ryle and others, we will, rather than getting "brainwashed" in a sense, recognize one another then in Heaven for who we truly were while on earth. 

At the same time, Jesus' words in Matthew 22:29-30 ("But Jesus answered them, 'You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.'") seem to indicate that the particular bond of marriage will be no more in Heaven.

It seems difficult to conceive of those two things both being the case in Heaven. If we will all remember each other and the experiences we had on earth, yet those who were married will no longer have that specific relationship, what could they "think" of one another at that point? Could it be the exact same as every other relationship with other saints at that point?


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