How to Comfort Unbeliever Who Lose a Family Member Hell
Editor's Note: Pastor Roger Barrier'south "Ask Roger" cavalcade regularly appears at Preach It, Teach It. Every week at Crosswalk, Dr. Barrier puts nearly forty years of feel in the pastorate to work answering questions of doctrine or practise for laypeople, or giving communication on church building leadership problems. Roger will answer in equally timely a manner as possible. Due to the large volume of questions, patience is requested. When questions involve mental health problems, no part of any response to an "Enquire Roger" question should exist interpreted as a substitute for seeking professional counseling from a licensed mental health professional. Email him your questions at roger@preachitteachit.org.
Dear Roger,
I would like to know well-nigh my unsaved family and friends. Will I know they're missing sky?
– Jack Wilson
Dear Jack,
You may have asked the unanswerable question.
Let'due south run into if nosotros tin can clearly understand what you are asking?
Simply stated: "Will we accept memories of people who are not in sky?"
Here is a clarification as I see it. Y'all are saved and get to heaven. Your unsaved friend has rejected Jesus and is on his/her manner to hell.
We normally assume that we volition remember our family members and friends who died without Jesus, and information technology will break our hearts to come across them in punishment.
Notwithstanding, that's not what the question is request. The question asks, "Will we even think that nosotros had friends and family. In other words, they are missing and we don't realize they're missing because nosotros don't remember them at all?
Let's examine some thoughts and passages that may utilise.
We probably won't see our unsaved loved ones.
The Bible doesn't specifically say that people in heavencannotlook down on loved ones in hell, then nosotros tin can't exist dogmatic. Nonetheless, it is unlikely that they can. People in heaven are likely preoccupied with other things such equally worshipping God and enjoying the glories of heaven.
"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind…" (Isaiah 65:17).
Revelation 21 speaks to this issue. Before the creation of the New Sky and New Earth, we may or may not know about the existence of our lost friends in hell. Still, after the New Cosmos is completed, all retentivity of them will be gone. We volition not even know that they are missing.
Nothing that has gone on earlier the creation of the New Heaven and New Earth will be rememberedafter the New Creation appears.
"God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and in that location will no longer be death; there will no longer exist sorrow and anguish, or crying, or pain; for thefirst things have passed abroad." (Revelation 21:4)
However, the same passage may reveal nosotros may run across our unsaved loved ones in hell:
"Now the dwelling identify of God is with men and he will alive with them...He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or hurting, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, "I'yard making everything new!" (Revelation 21:iii-four)
This same passage may prove that the tears of the saints are wiped away because they practise remember those who did not receive Christ. According to this passage, we will nigh probably run across our unsaved friends in heaven until God wipes abroad our tears. When the tears are gone there'south no more weeping and no more than pain and that may exist because God wipes away all remembrances of our unsaved relatives.
Some will cite the story of Lazarus to affirm we can see unsaved loved ones in Heaven.
The problem with using this passage in Luke 16:19-31 is that the verses state that the Rich Human can see Lazarus, just the story never indicates that Lazarus tin come across him.
We will certainly have a renewed perspective on all things in heaven.
We will be untainted past sin. Our earthly attachments will be displaced past or new future deeper relationship to God and others.
"For now we see in a mirror dimly, merely and then face to face; at present I know in part, but and then I shall know fully just as I likewise have been fully known." (1 Cor. 13:12)
Finally, nosotros must trust in the graphic symbol of God.
Past faith, we must rest in His space goodness, pity and mercy.
"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His means! For who has known the heed of the Lord, or who became His counselor?" (Rom. 11:33-34)
Let's focus on pointing our loved ones to Christ.
While it is delightful to focus on the positive dynamics of sky, nosotros should primarily focus on how we tin point our loved ones to organized religion in Christ—so that theywillexist with u.s. in Sky.
Guiding our friends and loved ones to faith in Christ can be a touchy thing.
Peter advises, ""Be sure you live a godly life before your lost family, friends and neighbors as a lovely manifestation of the life of Christ."
In this passage Peter is addressing husbands and wives; however, the principle here works both means.
"Wives, in the same style exist submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them practice non believe the word, they may be won over, without talk, by the beliefs of their wives when they see the purity and attractiveness of your life." (1 Peter 3:one-2)
Then frequently, evangelism with our friends and neighbors degenerates into an argument or theological word that leads to disagreement, injure, anger and hurting. Don't debate. Don't be pushy. Listen to what they take to say and answer with humility.
When you see them hurting and in pain, comfort them.
Very few things open a middle like receiving comfort when yous are hurting. Tell them how sorry yous are that they are hurting. Put your arm around them and say comforting words. Comfort produces lasting bonds of love and openness. Jesus said inMatthew v:4, "Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted." When you meet your friends mourning, comfort them.
Personally, when I see hurt, I condolement it.
I suggest that y'all do things like reading your Bible where they can see you. Make it obvious how much your Bible means to you.
Live earlier them a life of dearest and compassion and they are more probable to open up and heed to you.
Don't let a fear of appearing "preachy" keep you abroad from talking almost Jesus. Using the story in John eight of Jesus' restoration of the woman defenseless in the act of adultery gives a hopeful sense of picking up the pieces and starting over over again. Using Philippians iv:10-thirteen nigh the God who pours in the ability through Jesus Christ to give victory in every situation tin exist helpful and appropriate.
Think that Jesus dealt carefully and lovingly with those who he was trying to reach. He didn't yell at them or spend time judging them he loved and served them.
In fact, at that place'southward just 1 place in the Bible where Jesus candidly shares his character and personality.
"He said, for I am gentle and humble of heart" (Matthew 11:29.
Information technology's good to remember that nosotros actually don't know what'due south going on in a person'due south heart just before they die. But God knows that.
Maybe, the Holy Spirit has done a work of grace in someone'due south soul at the terminal moment before they dice. They may have been aware of the hours leading upward to their death and cried out to God for salvation. The thief on the cantankerous proves that "deathbed conversion" is certainly possible.
And if someone is unable to speak, or too weak to respond, those effectually them would not know of that conversion. We may be surprised and delighted to one day see them in the presence of Christ.
Rejoice! Our saved friends, neighbors, and loved ones will all be with usa in sky.
We volition run across and know them all.
"Then the angel said to me:" Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" (Revelation xix:9)
"For now we run across only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall run into face up to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." (1 Cor. 13:12)
Jack, sort out the passages that discuss who are the souls, the martyrs, those who would be slain in Revelation six:9, the "cloud of witnesses" in Hebrews 12:1, then consider my previous thoughts and perhaps you tin can finally achieve some conclusions which satisfy you lot.
Personally, I think that those Christians who are in sky before the creation of the new earth and new heaven will know the status of their unsaved family and friends. After the completion of the New Sky And Earth they volition be remembered no more.
I promise this helps. Let me know what you retrieve.
Dearest, Roger
Photo Credit: ©Pexels/James-Wheeler
Source: https://www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/ask-roger/will-we-have-memories-of-unsaved-in-heaven.html
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