The love of family is one of our greatest joys on earth. The bonds of healthy family relationships provide meaning and purpose to a person’s life. The thought of being together as a family for eternity in heaven is a fervent prayer and desire for many people.
When speaking of eternity, God must always be a central part of the discussion. He is not only the Creator of the heavens and the earth, but he also created every human being. His ultimate desire is to have a relationship with those he created and for each soul to dwell eternally in his presence.
For These Reasons, Our Relationship With God Supersedes Any Other Relationship We Have On Earth.
Because of having a right relationship with God, those who have placed their trust in what Christ has already done for us receive the following blessings:
- They will dwell eternally in his presence.
- They will live in glorified bodies without the curse of sin.
- They will dwell eternally in a place of perfection.
Eternally existing in the presence of God without any sin will be a state of profound joy. There will be no more sorrows, tears, suffering, or the need to fight off temptation. The primary focus of our existence will simply be basking in the presence of God. In the fullness of joy where guilt and regret are no longer a part of our being, I believe we will rejoice with who is there and not have sorrow over who is absent.
The Bible suggests there will be a redefinition of the family in heaven. A noted expert on the Bible wrote,
“The ordinary family relationships we know here on this earth will not apply in heaven.”
Dr. Siegbert Becker, Heaven and Hell
Faith enters a person into a family-like relationship with other believers. Many times in the New Testament, believers are called “brothers and sisters.” The Bible also mentions that a marriage between husband and wife will no longer exist in heaven (Luke 20:35). The concept of an eternal family will have an entirely different meaning in heaven. Every soul throughout generations will be gathered together and considered a part of God’s family and eternally exist as his dear children.
Our most crucial thought about heaven ought to be about being there. By faith alone, we receive the complete forgiveness of our sins and receive the status of being perfect in God’s eyes right now. By trusting in Christ’s perfect obedience instead of our own, we receive a right relationship with God. In the meantime, we have the opportunity on this earth not only to enjoy family relationships but also appreciate the encouragement families can bring to have and maintain a right relationship with Christ. Ultimately, the greatest blessing a family can bring to each other is the encouragement to believe in Christ’s work on our behalf.
