What Will Our Lives Be Like in Heaven?

Day One (Week Five): Should We Expect to Maintain Our Own Identities?

Today's study begins with the question: Should we expect to maintain our own identities? Well ... what do you think? Even more important, what does God's Word say?

Moses and Elijah appeared at Christ's transfiguration. Also, Luke 24:39 says: "Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." Jesus remained who He was before the resurrection.

Alcorn makes a really interesting point. He says (page 100), "If we aren't ourselves in the afterlife, then we can't be held accountable for what we did in this life."

Here's another question: Do you think that you will be called by your current name in Heaven (pages 102-103)?

In Heaven, we will be perfectly human. We will live according to God's original design for Adam and Eve.

I love what Alcorn says on page 104: "Our greatest deliverance in Heaven will be from ourselves. Our deceit, corruption, self-righteousness, self-sufficiency, hypocrisy--all will be forever gone. In liberating us from sin and all its consequences the resurrection will free us to live with God, gaze on Him, and enjoy His uninterrupted fellowship forever ... "

Day Two (Week Five): What Will Our Bodies Be Like?

On the New Earth, we will have senses. We know this because we'll have resurrected bodies like Christ's and He saw, heard, felt, ... Of course, our senses will no longer be tainted by the curse of sin. Just imagine how wonderful the New Heaven will be like. What will the sound of birds singing be like or the smell of honeysuckle or roses? What will the colors of a butterfly look like?

What does Revelation 7:16 suggest about thirst on the New Earth (page 106)?

What does the following passage say about gender in Heaven?

Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:25-29).

Day Three (Week Five): What Will a Typical Day Be Like?

What do you love to do now under the category of active rest (page 109)?

Do you think that you'll sleep on the New Earth (page 110)? Although Alcorn is speculating, he says that Adam and Eve probably slept when they were created perfectly. He adds that sleep is one of life's pleasures and a gift from God. Alcorn believes that we will need and enjoy sleep. Sounds good to me!

Will you work in Heaven (pages 110-111)?

"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. (John 4:34)

Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." (John 5:17)

Adam and Eve had work to do, and work is part of human life on Earth. And John 4:34 and John 5:17 suggest that yes, we will work on the New Earth.

What will a typical day like be on the New Earth (Pages 109-111)?

Day Four (Week Five): What Will Our Relationships Be Like?

We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ... After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:14, 17)

We'll not only be with the Lord forever, but also with those we love. And, we will recognize those loved ones (Page 114)

Do you think that there will be marriage, families, and friendships in Heaven (Pages 114-116)?

Matthew 22:30 says, "At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven."

Although the Bible teaches that there will be a marriage between Christ, and His bride, the Church, the one-flesh marital union that we know on earth will become unnecessary (page 115).

Day Five (Week Five): What Will We Experience Together?

What is the significance of the way people in Heaven respond to God's judgments (see Rev. 18:20, page 118).

What will it mean to share discoveries together in Heaven (pages 119-120)?

My husband and I will both have high school reunions this year. Although it's been decades since we've seen some of the people we graduated with, there's still a special bond with our high school friends because we shared so much together.

"Wouldn't it be great to travel to Heaven together with loved ones and good friends, simultaneously? As Alcorn asked: Wouldn't it be great to be like Lewis and Clark, discovering together the wonders of the new world?"

Yes!

Read aloud Luke 6:21-23: "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.'Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.'"

What do these verses mean to you for today?

Have a great week!

He is able,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux
www.marymaywrites.com
http://wanttostudythebible.blogspot.com
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com

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