Christian teens have a great interest in spiritual things, which is the way it should be for children raised in a Christian home. However, their 'interest' in spiritual things does not mean they will continue following Christ. The majority of children raised in Christian homes leave Christianity during their high school or college years. It's important that Christian parents and adults answer their children's questions well while they are still interested in hearing good answers.
The last two questions we've answered were about Heaven. Here's another Christian teen's question about Heaven.
"Will we remember who is our family members in heaven?"
Great question!
I believe we will remember our family members in Heaven. I believe we will remember them, our friends and others we meet during this life. Here's why I believe that.
We are on a great adventure with God that began at our birth and will continue forever. A big part of our adventure is the people God places in our lives in that adventure. The first people we meet are our parents. After that we meet older siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. We soon meet friends and their families. We meet teachers and make more friends at school. Each of those people plays an important part in your life and you play an important part in their life. We are all on this journey together!
What we know for sure about our life in Heaven is in the Bible, so that's where we look for solid answers to our questions.
The best insight comes from Jesus Christ. He came from Heaven to earth and returned to Heaven again. He would certainly know whether we'll know family members in Heaven. Jesus said this in Matthew 8 -
"And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven."
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are family and they know each other in Heaven. Other people who lived on earth will also sit down with them in Heaven and know their identities.
Jesus told His disciples that He would come for them and would eat and drink with them in Heaven (John 14:1-4 & Matthew 26:29). That's very personal.
Two men appeared to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration and were identified in the Gospels as Moses and Elijah. Moses had died more than a thousand years earlier and Elijah had been taken up to Heaven while still alive centuries before, yet both were known. They knew each other and talked with Jesus who knew them as well.
In the story about the rich man and the beggar Lazarus, Jesus said that the rich man died and went to Hades. Lazarus died and went to Paradise. Jesus said the rich man looked far off and recognized Lazarus being comforted by Abraham. The rich man knew Lazarus when he was alive and he knew Lazarus after they both had died. That's another indication we will recognize family members and other people in Heaven.
One of King David's sons died soon after he was born. David prayed, fasted and wept for that little child. When David was told his son had died, David stopped praying, fasting and weeping. His servants asked him why. Here's David's answer -
"Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."
1 Samuel 12:23
King David was both a king and a prophet. David knew that when he died he would be reunited with his infant son in Heaven. That should be comforting to anyone who loses an infant to death. It also tells us that we will know members of our family in Heaven.
As I read through the Book of Revelation I see joyful people so happy to be together praising the Lord. I believe we will remember our family members and friends and they will remember us. Since being a Christian means being part of the 'family of God,' we have a lot of new family members to meet as well!
The Next Question
In the next part of our special series, Tough Questions From Christian Teens, we will address this question -
What About The Unreached?Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
