VirginiaHuguenot
Puritanboard Librarian
http://www.puritanboard.com/f15/how-will-we-relate-each-other-heaven-28811/
In response to this older thread, I thought I would post a few of the comments alluded to, and perhaps some others, for Mark and the encouragement of us all.
To begin with, here is A'Brakel.
Wilhelmus a'Brakel, The Christian's Reasonable Service, Vol. 4. pp. 360-361:
In response to this older thread, I thought I would post a few of the comments alluded to, and perhaps some others, for Mark and the encouragement of us all.
To begin with, here is A'Brakel.
Wilhelmus a'Brakel, The Christian's Reasonable Service, Vol. 4. pp. 360-361:
The Saints Will Recognize each Other in Heaven
Question: Will there be mutual recognition in heaven?
Answer: Even though such knowledge will not be what it is here (it being associated with a physical relationship and affections), we nevertheless believe that ministers will know their members, members their minister, the husband his wife, the wife her husband, parents their children, and children their parents. Relatives and acquaintances will know each other. Furthermore, all men of renown in the Bible, and all who excel in glory will be known by all. All who are in heaven will mutually know each other by divine revelation and through the eternal fellowship they will have with each other. No one will be a stranger to each other or be considered as such by anyone, for there will be no loss of memory. Ignorance is a weakness, and there will be no imperfection. Mutual fellowship will be perfect there; it will not be engaged in ignorantly, but knowledgeably. I believe that they shall recount to each other the ways in which the Lord had led them. They shall then praise and magnify the perfections of God which manifested themselves at each step of the way. They shall thus not be occupied with the immediate beholding of God only, without thinking of each other. Rather, as glorified men they shall fellowship together, unitedly glorifying God. The disciples knew Moses and Elijah when they were on the holy mountain (Mat. 17:3). The poor will know their benefactors when "they may receive you into everlasting habitations" (Luke 16:9). The absence of relatives will not engender sorrow since all physical relationships and affections cease there. The righteousness of God will give as much reason for joy and rendering of glory to God as His goodness.
That they shall have the ability to speak is evident from the fact that inability to speak is an imperfection. How else would they be able to sing praises? Moses and Elijah spoke with Christ, its purpose being to render glory to God. We believe, however, that the difference between languages will cease, this being a consequence of sin. However, which language will be spoken there is not known. It may possibly be the language that Adam spoke, which up to the moment when the languages were confused (a period of nearly two thousand years) was the only language -- the Hebrew language. Perhaps it will be a language enabling the saints to express the essence of heavenly matters better than any earthly language, which is generally derived from temporal matters. Whatever the language will be, however, it will be the glorification of God.