It was good being with all of you from OMPC's EPIC class again this morning. I couldn't tell exactly what you were all thinking about what I was teaching on, but my sense was that you were kind of taking it all in. I'm still remembering several of your, "Wow"s as I talked through what the Bible tells us about the end of time. Bottom line: if you're feeling more hopeful, then I'm doing my job.
Please let me know any comments or questions you have. I'll check in here once or twice daily through the week to see if you've posted anything, and I look forward to being with you next Sunday. We'll be looking at the New Heavens and the New Earth.
I forgot to mention in class the red sheet that I had put on your chairs. It's an Amazon list of books (and a CD) that I think go well with eschatology. I tried to link to it in this post, but I'm not sure if it's going to work.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
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8 comments:
Will there be marriage in the new heaven and new earth? Sex? Reproduction?
What scriptures support your answers?
Well, now, let's just cut right to chase, huh? No initial soft, easy comments as a warm up for Lee, I guess!
Like many eschatological issues, this one has a lot of mystery to it. God didn't give us a clear answer (obviously!) or there wouldn't be so much debate. I don't want to be guilty of going beyond Scripture, either.
Regarding reproduction, my opinion is that there won't be any. The Bible pictures how God is redeeming the elect, and to me that comes across as a fixed number of people. There's nothing in Scripture that indicates that the elect numbers will grow (but also, there's nothing that says that they won't).
Regarding sex, I've heard all sides, from "No sex!" to "Sex in heaven is going to be better than anything we could imagine here." I really like what Scotty Smith said. He said that there's no sex in Heaven (That's not the part I liked!), but that sex on earth is the best picture of the intimacy we will share in heaven with all believers from all of time. Let your imagination run on that one, and I bet you'll be smiling like I am! (Remember, Scotty said, "No sex.")
In light of what you said on Sunday about the dead in Christ spending the time between their death and the second coming in heaven (w/o earthly bodies), where are those who have died but are not in Christ spending that time?
Ok. Now that's a really good question about where the unredeemed are during the intermediate state. I've been pondering it a little while. I would think that they are being punished, but not yet in the Lake of Fire. I think punished because of Jesus story about Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16). The rich man was in punishment after he died. I would think, though, that they don't have bodies yet. None of the dead, whether redeemed or unredeemed, have bodies again until the resurrection.
OK. My wife just pointed out that Lazarus was thirsty. She thinks he had a body; I don't. Curious, huh?
Hi Lee, I used to be a member of OMPC & part of the singles class. Now I live in St. Louis with my Husband. (Jennifer Thompson said you were teaching this class) I wanted to say THANKS for teaching on Esch. The profs here at Covenant Theological Seminary were just saying how under-studied it is & what a shame that is. Bc it is so difficult & daunting to teach, I was wondering if I could get your study/class notes- are you using power point? Also, what commentaries, etc are you using? The ones on the CTS Esch reading/study guide are quite intense, Im not sure I have the attention span to read them... Also, are you borrowing from previous studies?
Secondly, have any of you read the book, HEAVEN, by Randy Alcorn? I thought it was good, although not toooo spiritually deep. LOTS of encouraging food for thought. Randy Alcorn explains there must be temporary heaven & a future heaven, according to scripture, bc in Revelation "heaven" comes down FROM heaven. And, No, no sex in heaven. Also, I thought it was interesting that there are no "seas" as Revelation states. Also, when the prophets appeared on the mount with Jesus, they had bodies & were recognizable as those prophets. That is one of the arguments FOR having bodies in the present heaven. Those are some of my ponderings as I think thru heaven, etc.
Anyway, THANKS for teaching on Eschatology, it is VERY needed AND I've NEVER heard it taught on in ANY reformed church!
*Jenny Fox Shain
Hi Everybody!
Here is a cool dude writing on Reformed topics.
Here is his eschatology blog:
http://apologus.wordpress.com/tag/eschatology/
**Jenny Fox Shain**
Ok, since I stated that there would be no sex in heaven, I thought I better give my understanding of this theology. (Since this is a very important topic, especically for those singles!) Sex is the sign/consummation of an EARTHLY covenant. The participants are dissolved of their responsibilities/contract when either dies. Hence, "til death do us part." Therefore, most theologians conclude that there will be no sex in heaven.
So singles, as Shakespeare said, "Get Thee A WIFE!" & as our Lord says in Genesis, "& it was good" : )
***Jenny Fox Shain***
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