i think its possible and sometime sounds great
but I also think I don't want to hang out with same person for eternity - AACK!
hahaha

also what a bout folks with multiple wives o husbands or those with none?

I think it would be great if we can be singles when we want to be and just "hang" without an eternal commitment - hahahahaha

Is that so WRONG?

Good questions, Riche. The answers? We'll find out when we get there, but for now... I got nothing.

Really, questions about the social order in heaven are fascinating to me, especially since I haven't quite worked out the social order on earth yet.

What about the relationships that are already formed and carried over into eternity? I can understand how marriage is only for this world and not the next. If there is no marriage in heaven, I am confident there must be no need for marriage in that state.

What's difficult to envision is how things get worked out for eternity, whether one-time couples continue as special items without being wed to each other (hand-in-hand forever?), or if they shake hands and say, "Thank you for a lovely life on earth together. See you around!" And how would we relate to our parents/children?

So many unanswered questions that will have to wait for Day One. If God takes something away from us, it's because He's got something better to replace it.

I don't know about y'all, but after living a life where I didn't feel complete without a man, begged God for a man, finally got that man, lived this life with him and kind of "been there done that", I'm REALLY looking forward to an eternity of just ME AND GOD.

Don't get me wrong, I have a very happy marriage and a lovely family. My life is wonderful. But I don't want to be committed to anyone up there other than my Lord.

My whole life was built up around the idea that it was bad to be alone, that I wasn't complete without someone, that I needed to be loved and cherished by someone. But...now that I've grown SO CLOSE to God recently, all I want is Him. More of Him. Only Him. All the time. For the rest of time.

If God gives me companions up there, great! Do I want a lover, however? No. Only Jesus. I am looking forward to learning all about Him. I honestly don't believe I'll have time for a "husband." I would hope the only one I'll ever have to submit to for the rest of eternity is CHRIST.

I'm not ungrateful for the love I share with my hubby, don't get me wrong. It's a beautiful thing. But now, my desires have shifted. GOD is enough for me. I get so TIRED of the real world interrupting my time with God. If I could, I'd be in constant communion with Him, 24/7. That's what I want for my eternity.

Maybe once we get up there it'll be different. I know I won't have selfish thoughts there. Perhaps the joy and elation of just being in Heaven will overshadow what I feel now.

But I honestly believe that from day one, marriage between a man and woman are a shadow of the union between Christ and the Church. Adam was put to sleep and the woman was taken from his side. Christ died for three days and the Church was "taken" from His side when blood and water spilled. The two were considered one flesh -- we will share in His divine nature when we're glorified. One in Spirit, not as gods, but as a Bride and a Bridegroom.

I only want Christ. No man to take care of, just Christ to take care of me.

~~Becka

An answer to your question is found here:

http://www.odenhetrick.com

Pastor Hetrick has made many numerous trips to heaven and he describes companionship. When we get to heaven, we will all fall under the authority of God alone. We shall be one with Him, forever.

Fair use for Educational and Discussion Purposes

The Word of God has a very clear answer to the question IMO:

"For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven."

These are one of the scriptures where our frail minds have difficulty in grasping because we're humans and marriage is part of our 'blueprint.'

Marriage is just a figure or a shadow or an image of the real thing - Christ's eternal unity with the Church... our eternal unity with Him, with God.

Great questions Rich E. I am reminded that 70% of the earths surface is water, and we are told that in the new earth there are no seas. For those who have a great love for oceans & seas they will have to trust God for what might replace the love of such.

The same could hold true for intimate relations between men and women. Now given that marriage was given to men as a foreshadow of our future relationship with the Lord, suffice to say that marriage was not necessary to populate the earth. It's secondary function was as a spiritual discipline for the flesh.

Now if with glorified bodies, given that we can no longer propigate, does that exclude sexual relations??? And if so, I will then have to trust God for something better. Perhaps our intimicies with the Lord, as His bride, will so overshadow and replace the intimicies we knew on earth. In the end, whatever the Lord has for us, it truly will be glorious beyond our imaginations.

Love & blessings...Tender Reed

We are always hesitant to bring the "animal" nature of man into such a discussion. We are told that the fallen angels mated with human females creating the Nephilim so it would reason that the angels had more capabilities than just an expression of agape love.

We are not told if our immortal bodies will maintain the same procreative functions that we have now but God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and I believe this was while they still had their immortal bodies before the fall.

Jesus said we would not be married or given in marriage in heaven. If you go on to read the end of that verse He says "but we will be like the angels" and as I stated above the angels have procreative functionality.

Agreed, Donna. What happened with the fallen angels was judged severely and is not a good model.

I certainly don't know all the surprises awaiting us in the glorified body. Others may claim to have some understanding, but the only thing I will rely upon is what is revealed in Scripture, which is limited.

All we can really be certain about is that what God designs will be flawless. If there is no marriage (and we're told there isn't), then there won't be any frustration or longing for marriage. If there is some sort of Best Friend Forever in heaven, then I'm sure we won't consider it a burden but a delight.

I do believe there will be many close friendships, lots of chances for fellowship and no feelings of neglect or being slighted. As for what form it may take, I will not venture an opinion. I'm eager to find out, though, and it's interesting to speculate on the matter.

Now, back to the discussion.

All we can really be certain about is that what God designs will be flawless. If there is no marriage (and we're told there isn't), then there won't be any frustration or longing for marriage. If there is some sort of Best Friend Forever in heaven, then I'm sure we won't consider it a burden but a delight.

DavidR, we had a discussion awhile back about angels, and how it seemed they were always sent out in twos (exception perhaps Gabriel). If we have a BFF, as you say (lol) it could be within this same "2X2" model. Not so much for eros love, but phileo, perhaps. Brotherly.

RichE, I'm with Donna. I do not believe God will increase our numbers once we're glorified, neither by merely "creating" them, or by giving birth. At the end of the millenium when we go into the New Heavens and New Earth, those who accepted Jesus as Lord will be a fixed number, and it will be our eternal rest.

As far as Christians who's biggest wish is to have children and then glorified before they could, well, I'm not so sure Christian children will be aged when they're glorified. It's altogether possible there will be an entire host of glorified youngsters that need "upbringing" by the glorified adults.

Not children of their body, but adopted children, as the gentiles are with the Jews. Once we are glorified and in Heaven, we will not have our earthly longings, so we will not "regret" or "be saddened" by not having our own children. We'll have a completely different mindset. He will wipe every tear from our eyes. This includes regret and dissatisfaction and "selfishness" to a degree, that the glorified children aren't "of our own bodies".

All those inclinations will be gone.

~~Becka

Dear B&SIC

My take....

I believe every word In scripture as so many quoted already - we are not meant be in a relationship other than with GOD Himself. Will there be friendship and brotherly love? Yes, abundantly!

Just a second thought.

How many people are enduring a failed marriage, but stick with it in obedience to GOD?

GOD will never burden you twice.

I have not read this thread in the last 45 minutes, so my apologies to anyone I am echoing.

As always...

Only the blood of Yeshua, Lord of lords, and King of kings can save us.

The most blessed experience we've ever had here won't begin to compare what our Lord has in store for His Bride in eternity ~~

so near our Lord, oh to be surrounded by His Majestic Joy-filled brilliant Light, ~~ Heavenly enthralled beyond imagination the saints will experience GOD's Love ~~ making the 'best' of times here seem like ashes ~~ ..

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.". . . "1 Cor. 2:9

Oh, my goodness, such Divine Favor just enjoying Jesus ~~ oh, unimaginable overflowing showers of Heavenly blessings ~~

"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. . . " Isaiah 65:7

So what I'm hearing from some here is that, even though Adam & Eve were in the same bodies as we will be in after the rapture (glorified to a point that they couldn't see they were naked), Male & Female bodies will not be a matched set like Adam & Eve were then. Men and women will be the same and they won't complement each other, the way they do now.

In Mark 10:6-8 Jesus says: "But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” God joined Adam & Eve; they weren't married or given in marriage. And for anyone thinking it, becoming one flesh has nothing to do with sex.

The reason God commanded male and female to be joined together is seen in these verses in Mark. "For this reason (God making both male and female, from the beginning) man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh". God said man SHALL be joined together with woman, not because of procreation but, because the way He made them.

According to some thoughts in this thread, God is going to make us different from Adam & Eve or that once we are in heaven we will forget that God made this need in us and the command for us to be joined together. Others say being in God's presence will be enough, yet when God was with Adam in the Garden, God said it was not good for man to be alone, even though He was with him.

The bible states the THINGS of this world will fade away - but I can't see the unions that God instituted passing away.

These are just some of my thoughts, that I have had used along with scripture, in order to get people thinking about what may be coming any day now.

YBIC
Rich E

Indeed there are no female angels. There are many aborted children in which to parent. The belief that children will be aged apprx (30yrs) has long been a present idea within the church, yet with no scriptural background. And many who have visited heaven have always seen (children) present. Indeed it will not be a free for all! Buts lets be real, the lack of marriage or procreation does not automatically mean the lack of intimate relations. God is love, God has always been intimate with mankind. God draws upon our knowledge of marriage and intimacy and declares us to be a bride. Will God tease us? Don't think so. All tears will be wiped away. We shall have agape love and close relationships in heaven. Will not the Lord give us each a special (pet) name to call us by, and will we not have one for Him? There will be many pleasures in heaven, why not intimate pleasures as well??? Or will that desire be found fulfilled with our personal intimacies with the Lord?! Everything that I have read or been exposed to with regards to heaven seems to indicate that the Lord wants us to experience pleasure as we never have before! Can't wait for His many surprises! I say what happens in heaven, stays in heaven!

Love & blessings...Tender Reed

Donna » Before Adam and Eve sinned their bodies were perfectly created (suited) for life on earth.

Our Resurrected bodies will be (re)created (suited) for Heavenly living and made like Jesus' Resurrected body ~~

Although this is an interesting idea, I don't think it passes the bible test, since Elijah and Enoch were brought to heaven and there is no mention of their bodies ever being changed. They are in heaven with the mortal bodies and as a result many believe that they will be the two witnesses, because they can die for the first time in the tribulation.

The redemption from the curse of sin will be finalized with our bodies changing in an instant as the curse of death that was put upon Adam & Eve is lifted. I see no reason to think that when our bodies are changed that they would be changed to anything but what God had originally perfectly created before sin corrupted it. These new bodies will also live on the new earth spoken about in Isaiah, so I can't see a new type of body being made just for heaven.

Just some thoughts...

YBIC
Rich E

Bama Girl » We don't know what eternity will be like or about. but the reality is that it will be more amazing than any of us can imagine. and once we are there, we will not want anything that is unlawful. So, no matter what our personal preferences here
( married or single) everything will all work out for God's glory.

Well put!

Like you said, we don't know what God has in store for us. So whether or not that's the case, everything will work out for His glory. We'll see when we get there. Just like you, I would look on it as a wonderful blessing from God to get to spend eternity with my husband.

God Bless and Love,
FW

Tender Reed>> Why then is there no injunction in scripture by earthly women to "love" their husbands? While there is for men!

Ahem! The non-married "marriage counselor" weighs in... (That would be me, and written ironically, of course.)

I'm thinking that Paul realizes that men are often hesitant to show affection openly, more so than women, but an even greater issue is that in those times men often treated their wives as if they were property.

Romantic love has always been around, but it hasn't been as much of a reason to marry as it has been for the last few centuries. Many marriages were arranged, or were largely matters of practicality. You got married to survive and to have offspring to carry on the family name. Therefore, I would imagine Paul saw the injunction for men to love their wives as needing special attention, since they usually held great power over them.

Great point! A lot of the problem goes back to the beginning:

Then he said to the woman, "I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you." Genesis 3:16

This is a more accurate rendering of the verse. Most people think of "desire" in the majority of versions as being about intimacy; however, the intention of the original wording is that the woman would really, really want to be in charge.

Lest the ladies become upset with me, this is not my interpretation here. Moreover, I suspect that if I were married, it would be a real challenge for me to be a "take charge" kind of guy. So I am in no way giving counsel on anyone's relationship. I don't rule over anyone.

David R, I am not upset with you. I am a woman that totally agrees with you! Women do have a problem wanting to rule over husbands, especially these days after the women's liberation movement. It is hard for me, as a wife, to not want to control things, but to hold my tongue and take a step back and allow my man to lead. And when I do, what a blessing! God set it up this way for a reason. Women want a strong man. That's how we were made. And I gaurantee you, the women that want control and want a husband who will sit down and shut up, they will never be happy. They lose respect for him and run him down. A woman that allows her husband to lead, grows in respect and love for him, plus gets the pleasure of not having to worry over every little thing and every little decision that needs to be made. Women have to realize it is not a sign of weakness to allow the man to lead. It is not saying we are lesser people. It is a system set up by God because IT WORKS!

As a mother, I lead my children and teach them a lot of the time. But nothing warms my heart more than when I see my husband speak from his heart to his child, and gently guides them, not just relying on the woman to do it, the "Go ask your mother syndrome!" I think that is a perfect picture of our Heavenly Father relating to us, and it is beautiful!

Watch The Oden Hetrick Video...Very Revealing...Correlating...

The Word of God! "On This Subject"

"For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven." Mark 12:25

(There will be Companionship... Masculine and Feminine Intimacy!

Father God's! Will Be Done.

As Father God, Created Adam...He Made Eve For Adam...

A Perfect Match!

We Will Have Perfect "Spiritual Companionship"

ALL FELLOWSHIP IN HEAVEN...FLOWS PERFECTLY FROM FATHER GOD...

THROUGH ALL OF HEAVEN...IN IT'S TOTALITY...WITH HIS ANGELS...

AND ALL! HIS SON'S AND DAUGHTER'S!

WITH ALL HIS VARIOUS CREATURE'S ...WE WILL HAVE PERFECT UNITY!

IN ALL ASPECT'S OF THE FATHER'S ETERNAL KINGDOM!

(THANK YOU JESUS)

That was a beautiful answer, Dusty, and one I'd never considered before. Each of our "Heavens" could indeed differ one to the other. In the same way one member of the Body thinks a tropical lagoon is the picture of Heaven, another might think a pine forest in the mountains.

One loves flowers, another, maybe cactus. A lot of folks love the desert. A lot of folks love the snow.

Some are cat lovers. Others could do without cats. Some love contemporary praise, another loves traditional hymns.

I do believe Dusty is right in the fact that God will not give us a "blanket" Heaven. Perhaps this is the purpose of our individual mansions. Not one person has the same relationship with Christ as their neighbor. No one has walked with Christ as I have before, and no one will after I'm gone. It's the same with all of us.

Needless to say, I believe we will all be VERY PLEASED AND JOYOUS when we get there and find out the truth of it. And no one will be jealous, sad, ungrateful, or disappointed. Heaven will be amazing. Beyond our wildest dreams.

~~Becka

W&W wrote » Women do have a problem wanting to rule over husbands, especially these days after the women's liberation movement. It is hard for me, as a wife, to not want to control things, but to hold my tongue and take a step back and allow my man to lead. And when I do, what a blessing!

great Word, sis ~~

~~~ can't have 2 kings in one household ~~ course everything, EVERYTHING our God speaks is right and true, ~~ obeying Him has great reward ~~~

Great words Dusty.

You put into words a lot of my own thoughts about this subject as well as what i see in some peoples attitudes in the "church" in general towards others, namely that their way of thinking is the way it will be imposed upon others. I just hope and pray also that heaven is not going to be some sort of universal one size fits all, ---like it or lump it... go sit on your cloud play your harp, and most of all don't be yourself, consider yourself lucky to be here as apposed to that other really horrible place.

As for me, i am hoping, desireing for eternal companionship, love and family, both my own and extened to be with and fellowship with in heaven, share and enjoy all the wonderful things there, each other and our wonderful God.

Love and blessings.
Leroy

I am one in a relationship from hell. My wife is addicted to oxycontin and xanex. Doesnt want to change doesent recognize the disaster her life has become from it. I live on 62nd Ave South. She lives on 50th Ave. North. Yeah...112 blocks apart. Cost 35 bucks to get a cab to her house. When we got together she told me she was a Christian, born on Christmas day..I have to believe! She said. We both wanted to enjoy the full relationship...but I didnt want to live in sin...so we got married right away. It didnt take long to find out she was not so much a believer as I thought. I have shared the gospel with her many times and live it before her constantly...but I doubt she will be in the party that celebrates life.

In my heart there is a great deal of loneliness. To me the enjoyment of blessing is proportional to your ability to share that blessing. Like being at the theater. If you go with a friend...when its over you can exclaim wow! wasent that great! Or horibble! Having someone to share the experience makes it better...even if the experience itself is worse! Go to a theater alone and when its over...no one to share with...just go home. When we first got together we went to the theater once or twice every single week. For the last 3 years...if I go...I go alone. She doesnt go anywhere but to the doctors for her script...to the pharm to fill it...or to the grocery store.

While I long for a divorce and someone to love with all my heart and someone who will love me back the same...I know that the ammount of love The Lord has put in my heart can only be matched by Him...or someone who has been similarly prepared by Him. So I have given up hope of finding true love here on earth.

But I hope that there...He will have someone for me that will match my heart of love...and worship our Lord at my side...and share in the wonders and blessings of what we will have.

While I love The Lord with all my heart...I am a very masculine man. And I long for a romantic love...something that is remiss in my relationship with God. I cant long to touch him sexually...to please him as a partner...to share in that part of intimacy that is male/female. And I feel robbed in this life...not robbed by Him or fate...but by my own faulty choices.

I agree, for me at least, that its not good for man to be alone. I was meant to be with a partner. I hope thats a possibility there. Even if nothing sexual...at least masculine and feminine love, endearment, partnership.

Alas! Time is short...this...messed up relationship is almost behind me! WHEEW! LOL

Love Dust

I understand where you coming from Becka, and no offense was intended OR made. How you are looking at the marriage to the Lamb is by eyes of a woman, who still lives on earth.

If you look at it this way, intimacy with a man would be cheating. You are taking this oneness with Jesus to a level of man-woman intimacy. But as a man, if we thought of this relationship in this type of intimacy with the man/God Jesus, it would be an intimate man-man relationship which as we all know is against the Laws of God.

The oneness that Jesus prayed for in John, goes well past the intimacy of a man-woman relationship. Since there is no other thing on earth, God relates it to marriage. It's an impossible thing to comprehend here on earth. I believe God used the term "Bride of Christ", because that is the maximum form of intimacy we know. What other better celebration is there but a marriage banquet.

I know that this is NOT the intimacy we will have with Jesus. It will be SO MUCH MORE. Adam & Eve were together with God and it wasn't cheating and it won't be in heaven either.

Dusty, I'm sure that if your spouse had no addictions, no insecurities and treated you with the love of God that would be within them once in glory, you would be the first in line to be with your partner. The same with everyone else here. If your spouses have, moves in and display the love of Jesus to you, once in their glorified immortal bodies, everyone including myself and probably even you Becka, would not hesitate to join together with the one God has blessed for us. When we think of spending an eternity with the person we married as they are are today, many of us go "Ugh" and rightly so. But in an instant, we will all be changed.

All I want to say here is pray for the salvation of your spouses whether together, separated (like me) or even divorced. If this man or woman was brought into your life by God (and I don't think things happen by chance), we should pray for their salvation at every chance we get.

YBIC
Rich E