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NASB | 1 Thessalonians 4:13 ¶ But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Thessalonians 4:13 ¶ Now we do not want you to be uninformed, believers, about those who are asleep [in death], so that you will not grieve [for them] as the others do who have no hope [beyond this present life]. |
Bible Question:
THanks Makarios for your answer. This leads me to another question. If we know that loved ones are absent from heaven then how can we be happy in heaven? We will all undoubtably know someone we care about that won't make it. How then can we rejoice in heaven knowing a loved one is suffering in hell? Thanks DGB454 |
Bible Answer: DGB454: Over the years -- I've been a Christian for more than 55 years -- I've thought about heaven. And hell. I've pondered over the apostle John's description of the new Jerusalem, the dwelling place throughout eternity for all the saints of all the ages. ...... Your question has several components and is prefaced by "if." And, theologically speaking at least, it's always the "if" questions that are the hardest, if not outright impossible, to answer. And I sincerely believe that your question -- I do not chide you for asking it -- falls well within the category of impossible to answer. Please permit me an explanation. ..... We think of the apostle Paul as having manifold spiritual gifts, and we regenerate believers affirm that every word he wrote in our New Testament Canon was God-breathed. But though we hold to these truths firmly, we also know that God the Holy Spirit did not choose to reveal everything even to His servant, Paul. "We know in part," said Paul in 1 Cor. 13:9, "and we prophesy in part." He continued in vs. 12, "For now we see in a mirror darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known." Paul did not know it all, and neither do we. ....... I believe there's more to heaven than our finite minds can contain! Christ gave us a glimpse of heaven in His Revelation penned by His apostle John. One would be hard pressed to find a more beautiful passage in all Scripture than Revelation 21 and 22. It does not speak to the second leg of your question, "How can we rejoce in heaven knowing a loved one is suffering in hell?" It doesn't establish that we will, in fact, know about the loved one suffering in hell. ...... But it does speak to the first part of your question, viz., "how can we rejoice in heaven?" And it is so beautifully written -- in my view it's one of the supremely beautiful passages in all the Bible, indeed in all literature. Here's what it says: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." (Rev. 21:4). Perhaps the last half dozen words, "the former things are passed away" will help you work through your question about remembrance of loved ones. I don't know, and I hesitate to go beyond what Scripture reveals, because when we go out on our own speculative theological safaris, we invariably get lost in the jungle. ...... Your question is indeed a complex one and a good one, save for its beleaguerment by suppositional phrases which always present very difficult theological challenges! In any event, I do hope that this response proves to be of some benefit to you. Kalos and Makarios gave good responses from a slightly different perspective. Please study them carefully. And....Welcome to our midst! In Christ, --Hank |