About Seeing
Loved Ones in Heaven
The first thing that most of us think about when we consider the idea of heaven is "Will I be able to see my loved ones there?" Eric Clapton's song "Tears in Heaven," which he dedicated to a lost son, caringly captures this sentiment through the verse "Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?" Furthermore, many people who are able to be revived after suffering brief "clinical deaths" often recount the shared experience of seeing a bright light and deceased family members waiting for them on the other side. What does the Bible itself say about heaven? Are our cultural beliefs consistent with these biblical statements?
Geography
While the Bible never directly describes the geography of heaven, the last two chapters of Revelation do explicitly describe "a new heaven and a new earth" and "the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God (Revelation 21:10)." The city of Jerusalem, which possesses a checkered past, was a holy city that was criticized over centuries by both Jewish leaders as well as Jesus Christ for straying from its holy purpose. For followers of the Jewish tradition, which Jesus and early Christians were, the idea of a new Jerusalem was heavenly. The city is described in detail in Revelation: "The walls of the city were built on twelve foundation stones, and on the stones were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Revelation 21:14)." This is the same place Jesus may have been referring to when he said, "In my Father's house are many rooms (John 14:2)."
History
On Oct. 31, 1517, a monk named Martin Luther nailed a copy of 95 criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church to the door of a Catholic Church. Many of his criticisms were centered on the issue of how easily followers of Catholic doctrine would be able to enter heaven after death. According to Luther, the church erroneously taught that believers could alter the fates of loved ones by providing service to the church in the form of 'indulgences." These indulgences were either acts or payments that would nullify sin. For example, if a man chose to participate in the Crusades, perhaps his act would nullify the sins of his dead father, who would theoretically then be permitted to enter heaven. Of course, revenue gained in relation to the Crusades would circulate into the church treasury. This displeased Luther, who protested this doctrine, and who thus became an early proponent of the Protestant church movement.
Misconceptions
When Jesus was criticized by church leaders regarding his views of the afterlife, he took a moment to clarify these views. The leaders approached Jesus with the following conundrum: if a woman marries a husband who later dies, then marries his brother who also dies, and keeps marrying other brothers in the same way right down to the seventh brother, which one will she end up being married to in heaven? Jesus' answer gives us an idea of what heaven will be like, and how loved ones will appear to us. He states simply that "in the resurrection, people neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven (Matthew 22:30)." This answer emphasizes an individual's responsibility to live a good life regardless of who his spouse is. While this statement doesn't discount the idea that people will be able to see loved ones in heaven, it does suggest that they will be seen from a new perspective.
Theories/Speculation
Saint Peter is theorized to be the keeper of the gates of heaven, and he is able to decide whether or not you will be able to see loved ones inside heaven. The basis of this theory is a statement made by Jesus to Peter after Peter proclaimed that Jesus was the son of God. Pleased, Jesus informed Peter, "I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 16:19)." He described that Peter would be given the latitude to be an overseer of sorts in addition to holding these keys. For this reason Saint Peter is frequently depicted in cartoons, movies or other media as being the first person anyone sees before he or she is able to enter heaven.
Considerations
Not only can loved ones be seen in heaven, but they can also be seen elsewhere. Jewish theologians admit the possibility of communication occurring between Gan Eden (the abode of the righteous) and Gehinnom (the abode of the unrighteous). Similarly, Jesus tells a story of two men who see each other in the afterlife, although one of them is suffering in hades while the other one is resting peacefully in heaven. When the suffering man speaks to a representative of heaven he is told, "No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there (Luke 16:26)." However, he is able to carry on a conversation in which he brainstorms his options.
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