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Introduction:
Our custom is to devote the lesson on the second Sunday night of
each month to questions submitted by members and guests of our
congregation. Tonight, all three questions have one thing in
common. I do not know the answers to these questions absolutely.
However, I hope to provide you with some Biblical passages and
thoughts to help provide perspective on these questions. Discussion: I.
Will we know each other in heaven as we know each other
now? A.
Very often we are concerned with what eternity will be
like. There are a host of questions that go along with this one.
If we know each other, will we know who is not there? If we know
they are not there, will we be saddened by that knowledge? But I
thought there were “no tears in heaven”? I do not presume to
know the answers to all these questions, nor do I think the Bible
actually answers all these questions. One of the facts about the
Bible that most surprises me is how little God has actually
revealed about heaven and what existence there will be like.
Further, I do not plan to pursue all the possible questions that
can stem from this one in further lessons. B.
As I said in the introduction, I do not know the answer to
this question absolutely. However, there is one biblical event
upon which I base my thoughts regarding this question. I do
believe we will retain our identities in heaven and I do believe
we will know one another. I base this on the events that took
place on the Mount of Transfiguration. In Mark
9:2-5, Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James and
John. At the same time, Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with
Jesus. Both Moses and Elijah were dead and living in the spiritual
realm, yet both retained their identities. What most amazes me is
even though they had both been dead for hundreds, even thousands
of years, Peter knew exactly who they were. Based on this, I
believe we will retain our identities in the after life and we
will recognize each other. C.
Having said that, I know it is not absolute proof. However,
here is an absolute truth. We really do not know much about heaven
and what it will be like. However, we do know it will be worth
whatever we have to endure here to go to heaven. As Paul said in Romans
8:16-18, there is nothing we endure here worthy to be
compared with the glory that will be revealed to us in heaven.
There is nothing so glorious but that it pales in comparison with
the glories of heaven and there is nothing so dreadful that we
would trade the glories of heaven to avoid it. Whether we actually
know each other in heaven or not, the truth that we want to go
there is absolute. II.
Is hell going to be literal darkness, fire and brimstone or
does God use that description as a way of letting us know how bad
it is going to be? A.
In Revelation
20:11-15, John drew a picture of judgment as he described
the church’s victory over her enemies. Death, hades and everyone
whose name was not written in the book of life were cast into the
lake of fire. No doubt, this picture presents hell in all of its
tormenting reality. Mark
9:43-48 refers to hell three times, describing it as the
unquenchable fire. In Matthew
3:11-12, John the Baptist described the baptism of fire
pointing out that when the Lord gathers His wheat into the barn,
He will thresh out the chaff and burn it in unquenchable fire.
Then we have passages in the parables such as Matthew
25:30, which picture judgment on the wicked as being cast
out into outer darkness, into a place of weeping and gnashing of
teeth. Are these pictures literal, or are they metaphors to simply
point out how dreadful hell will be? B.
As we pointed out about heaven, God has not revealed a
great deal about hell. There are very few things we know about the
spiritual realm in which we will exist after this life is over.
However, I will share with you my opinion and my basis for
believing it. I tend to believe these are metaphors to allow us,
in our physical state, to get an inkling of how dreadful the
spiritual state of hell will be. In Matthew
25:41, Jesus provided a picture of judgment as He told of
the goats on the left who did not serve Jesus by serving others.
They will hear, “Depart from Me accursed ones, into the eternal
fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.” The
first point I would make is the eternal fire of hell was prepared
primarily for the devil and his messengers. The devil is a
spiritual being, not a being of flesh and blood. To my knowledge,
literal fire and darkness would have no affect upon him as a
spiritual being. Second, we note the fire is eternal. That in and
of itself demonstrates the spiritual aspect of this punishment.
Those enter hell will not be in their earthly forms. In such a
case, there would be no eternal nature to this punishment (see
also Mark
9:43-48). Flesh and blood are destroyed by fire. As
spiritual beings, torment in hell will be eternal. But as
spiritual beings, physical fire would have little effect.
Therefore, I believe the pictures of darkness, fire and brimstone
are metaphorical to demonstrate the spiritual torment those who do
not submit to Jesus will face. C.
Having said that, we must not think these metaphorical
pictures are intended to water down the reality or torment of
hell. Rather, these pictures demonstrate that the closest we can
come to understanding what receiving “the penalty of eternal
destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory
of His power” (II
Thessalonians 1:9) is like is enduring eternal flaming
agony without relief. Spiritual torment in hell is as though we
are being eternally burned at the stake but never being cut loose
and never dying. I may not be absolutely sure what hell will be
like. I am absolutely sure I don’t want any part of it. III.
What does it mean in I
Corinthians 6:2-3 when it says we shall judge angels? A.
As with the other two questions, I freely admit I am not
100% sure of Paul’s meaning in these two verses. Is it possible
Christians will have some active role in the judgment of
non-Christians and angels? I guess it is possible. However, I find
that hard to believe in light of passages like Romans
2:16. What then could this passage possibly mean? B.
I believe Matthew
12:41-42 provides some insight. Jesus told the generation
that saw and heard Him the men of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba
would stand up and condemn them at the judgment because the men of
Nineveh heeded the preaching of Jonah and the Queen of Sheba
listened to the wisdom of Solomon. The Ninevites and Queen of
Sheba had the wisdom to heed the two men of God. Yet, the Jews of
Jesus’ generation did not have the wisdom to heed the Son of
God. Therefore, the actions of the Ninevites and Queen of Sheba
were a demonstration that the Jews of Jesus’ day had no excuses.
If Gentiles would submit to those less than Jesus, how much more
should those Jews have submitted to Jesus? C.
With that passage in our Biblical context as we examine I
Corinthians 6:2-3, I think the passage becomes clearer. We
judge the world and angels not in the sense of sitting on the jury
and hearing the case before them. Rather, our acceptance of the
gospel is itself a judgment against those who have access to the
same evidence as we do and yet reject it. Further, the angels
received even greater evidence of God’s glory but rejected it,
how much more do our actions demonstrate judgment against them? D.
We must consider this point in the context of I
Corinthians 6:1-5. Paul’s direct point in the passage is
if we have issues with one another, we ought to find a wise person
in Christ’s church to arbitrate for us instead of going to the
world’s court. If I am correct, Paul is in essence saying,
“Look Corinthians, these worldly judges are not even wise enough
to see the truth of the gospel of Jesus, how on earth can they be
wise enough to handle your arbitrations? Find someone within the
Lord’s body who can judge between you. Better yet, why not
accept the wrong and be defrauded to the benefit of your brother
in Christ?” Conclusion: As always, I do not have all the answers. I do believe God’s word has all the answers to the important questions regarding serving Him. If you believe I am mistaken in any point of teaching, feel free to talk with me about it. If you have a question you would like dealt with. You may submit it by e-mail or by filling out one of the question forms and dropping it in the box outside my office.
Glory
to God in the church by Christ Jesus
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