WILL WE KNOW OUR LOVED ONES IN HEAVEN? HERE'S WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS:

Yes. Scripture is really clear about this throughout the entire context of the Bible. One key verse among a long line of verses to confirm this is 1 Cor 13:12b "..then shall I know even as also I am known." Heaven is a place of perfection.. perfect peace.. perfect love.. perfect joy.. and perhaps one of the greatest joys is the comfort of knowing we can be reunited with our saved loved ones again some day, and never have to deal with the loss in death again or the grief that separation brings, when we’ve made Jesus Christ our Lord & Savior!

When King David’s infant son died, he said this: But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. -2 Sam 12:23. And when Jesus was transfigured during his time of humanity in Luke 9:28-36, the scripture proves we retain some of our former individual characteristics by demonstrating how Jesus was transfigured for a moment in glory along with Moses and Elijah, as they descended from Heaven. The witnesses that day recognized Moses and Elijah and referred to them by name.

And, one final example among many, many more is found in Matthew 8:11 “And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be identified as they were on Earth and as recorded in the Bible, the same with everyone else because scripture says, God is no respecter of persons, meaning, he does not discriminate but deals equally with all.

Whenever I teach this topic, without fail, I always have someone express concern for loved ones who rejected Christ. Understanding that we will know each other in heaven, raises the obvious worry for those we love who aren't present, but I have a little comfort to offer from my understanding of scripture. Despite what you might have been taught, the "Book of Life" is not a book in which God writes the names of people when they get saved.. It's a book of life, where every child's name is written when they are conceived in the womb.. even every precious body part of that child is recorded. Don't worry, I have sound scripture to bear this out.. so let's examine what the Word of God says about it when we study the Bible as whole on this idea.

Psalm 139:15-16 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought.. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

So here the Psalmist admits to God in prayer that in the moment he was created in secret, the Creator God saw him (his substance) in it's original form as a pea-sized blob with a heartbeat. The Psalmist goes on to write that the Creator recorded every finger and toe as prescribed in his DNA code before they even had the chance to fully form.

Now let's look at another scripture or two, then we'll see how they all work together in unison to show that the Book of Life is a book recording lives at conception, not at salvation, and further see why this is significant.

Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

So how is it possible that Christ could claim to someone that he never knew them?! One more verse and I think it will be clear.

Revelation 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life.

Now we've established in Psalm 139 that there's a book that God has to record every child, down to the most minute detail at conception in the womb, a record of "life." And in Matthew 7 Christ explained that the time will come when he will tell 'workers of iniquity' to depart from him, he never knew them. Finally, Revelation 22 says if a person takes away words from the Revelation Prophecy, God will delete every record of that person from the Book of Life.

For God to say he will take someone's record out of the Book of Life, it implies that everyone's record is in that book to begin with. So now we know how Christ could claim to have never known someone, if that someone's record of existence has been erased. I believe we can fairly conclude that when a person is erased from the Book of Life, they are also erased from God's memory. Additionally, we know that God can choose to forget things, since multiple verses state that whenever our sin is met with God's Grace, he no longer remembers that sin.

Knowing this, how could it be possible for US to remember someone who ultimately rejected God, then consequently erased from the Book of Life, and yet, the Creator not remember them?! Why would God exempt himself from their memory and the hurt associated with their choice of eternal separation, but not exempt us! And if he didn't exempt us from that memory, how could it be possible for us to have knowledge of something that God does not?! There's only one conclusion.. those who chose eternity separated from God are erased from the Book of Life as having ever existed and when a record is erased from the Book of Life, it's also erased from the immortal minds of every resident in heaven! I know it's a disturbing thought to consider that we will have no recollection of those we hold dear, who chose eternity apart from their Creator, but it's only disturbing because we have those bonds & feelings towards them in our memory.. It obviously will not be an issue when they are erased from our memory. In the meantime, the thought of that is sad and should be, but it won't be when that time comes because we'll be completely oblivious.

But WE WILL know and remember our loved ones, intimately, and every other Citizen of Heaven because every precious detail of their mortal life, from earthly conception to eternal reception, is recorded in the Book of Life!

Keep your head up & your faith strong!
-Pastor Kenny