To follow up on the question of..."Will we know our loved ones in heaven", we need to answer the next question which is......Will we have memories???
Example #1
Matthew 7:21-23.................
"Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness."
At first glance these verses appear like they have nothing to do with our ability to recognize each other on the other side of death, but look at what these verses really say.
For in these verses, those at the judgment are pictured arguing with God about their supposedly good works while on earth. If they lost their memory at death, how could they remember their supposedly good works? (Does this not show memory?)
These verses clearly establish the fact that on the other side of death's door when we are at the last judgment, men will be possessed of the memory of deeds done while on earth! Do you see the importance of this verse? You will not only remember all the horrible things that you did to your own brothers and sisters in this life, but you will also remember all the good things. Your memory will be intact. It has to be if you are going to argue with God about what you did and didn't do to various people.
The above verse also asks the question, "Did we not cast out demons in your name"? In order to ask that question, one would first have to remember actually casting out demons. Then the person would also have to remember specific people that he was attempting to cast demons out of. So this verse tells us that there is going to be memory on the other side of the grave.
Example #2
Matthew 25:40............
"And the King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me."
Again we have the judgment scene, but why did Jesus refer to his brethren, if the people Jesus was talking to wouldn't know or wouldn't remember the brethren that Jesus was talking about?
From Matthew 25:35 to 40, Jesus talks about the sick, the poor, the hungry, etc. But the people that Jesus is talking to ask, "When did we see you sick, or hungry, etc?" In other words they were searching their memory trying to remember when they saw Jesus sick or hungry. If they didn't have any memory, why would Jesus bring up something like that for them to remember?
In the above passages we can only arrive at the conclusion that future recognition is an assured fact. In the field of criminal jurisprudence, a man is regarded as worthy of punishment for unsocial acts committed, only when it appears that he is mentally capable of recognizing the nature of his deed. In other words, we can only be punished if we are mentally aware of the
wrongs that we did, and please keep in mind that our just and loving Heavenly Father is a God of justice.
Example #3
LUKE 16:19-31 is the story of the rich man and Lazarus and the gulf that separates them. But a study of those verses will show that the rich man had all his faculties. He could feel, see, hear, and remember. If you say it is a parable, that changes nothing, because its main purpose is a glimpse into the future state of the dead. All are conscious of their surroundings. Memory is retained.
Examples of this are:
a) In verse 25, Abraham tells the rich man, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented."
b) In verses 27-28, the rich man pleads with Abraham, "Then he said, I beg you therefore Father Abraham, that you would send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment."
What say you on this??????????????
Example #1
Matthew 7:21-23.................
"Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness."
At first glance these verses appear like they have nothing to do with our ability to recognize each other on the other side of death, but look at what these verses really say.
For in these verses, those at the judgment are pictured arguing with God about their supposedly good works while on earth. If they lost their memory at death, how could they remember their supposedly good works? (Does this not show memory?)
These verses clearly establish the fact that on the other side of death's door when we are at the last judgment, men will be possessed of the memory of deeds done while on earth! Do you see the importance of this verse? You will not only remember all the horrible things that you did to your own brothers and sisters in this life, but you will also remember all the good things. Your memory will be intact. It has to be if you are going to argue with God about what you did and didn't do to various people.
The above verse also asks the question, "Did we not cast out demons in your name"? In order to ask that question, one would first have to remember actually casting out demons. Then the person would also have to remember specific people that he was attempting to cast demons out of. So this verse tells us that there is going to be memory on the other side of the grave.
Example #2
Matthew 25:40............
"And the King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me."
Again we have the judgment scene, but why did Jesus refer to his brethren, if the people Jesus was talking to wouldn't know or wouldn't remember the brethren that Jesus was talking about?
From Matthew 25:35 to 40, Jesus talks about the sick, the poor, the hungry, etc. But the people that Jesus is talking to ask, "When did we see you sick, or hungry, etc?" In other words they were searching their memory trying to remember when they saw Jesus sick or hungry. If they didn't have any memory, why would Jesus bring up something like that for them to remember?
In the above passages we can only arrive at the conclusion that future recognition is an assured fact. In the field of criminal jurisprudence, a man is regarded as worthy of punishment for unsocial acts committed, only when it appears that he is mentally capable of recognizing the nature of his deed. In other words, we can only be punished if we are mentally aware of the
wrongs that we did, and please keep in mind that our just and loving Heavenly Father is a God of justice.
Example #3
LUKE 16:19-31 is the story of the rich man and Lazarus and the gulf that separates them. But a study of those verses will show that the rich man had all his faculties. He could feel, see, hear, and remember. If you say it is a parable, that changes nothing, because its main purpose is a glimpse into the future state of the dead. All are conscious of their surroundings. Memory is retained.
Examples of this are:
a) In verse 25, Abraham tells the rich man, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented."
b) In verses 27-28, the rich man pleads with Abraham, "Then he said, I beg you therefore Father Abraham, that you would send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment."
What say you on this??????????????