These past couple of weeks I was in the company of some very sad souls. I came to know several women who have lost their children either by their own hand or someone else's. We were discussing death and heaven and someone from a church told these women that the bible says they will not know their lost children in heaven and a riot literally broke out. This place does not tolerate such so it was horrible for these women. Just because someone from a "church" told these women that they would never know their child again they believed it. To be fair some of these women has never even been to church but they took what the church lady said to be truth.
I have been attending church and have believed in God my whole life an I have never heard such, I have always been taught we will know our loved ones in heaven and we will not miss those who Ar not. We will not be in human form but we will know them. I have been reading and searching this in the bible to prove that this "church lady" is wrong. Is there anything you can add? Any scriptures to support that we will know our loved ones?
And what about these "church ladies" and other people who teach the wrong message of God , Do they see the damage they cause? How is one to know that they are being taught the right word of God? Some of these women I came to know will continue to believe what they were told and I for one find that very wrong an immoral.
If one were given a single chance to accept God and the person delivering the message got it wrong where does that leave that person who could have found God if the message were correct?

Will we know our loved ones in heaven?
Should anyone be able to preach the word of God, even the ones who are delivering the wrong message?
If we believe every pastor, preacher, church lady and one delivers the wrong message then how many are lost to God because of that persons incorrect message?
To some of us it is simple we read and learn the word of God for ourselves. But there are some that are simply incapable emotionally to accomplish this. That leaves them in the hands of those who will provide the answers wrong or right.
I would apprciate any thoughts or scriptures you can provide, I have having a really hard time with this and am coming to you for some different answers and veiws.
Always a pleasure

Hi, sandee.

It is hard to know what the church lady was going on. However, she may have been giving her own interpretation of Jesus' explanation of a knotty problem in the theory of the general resurrection of the dead.

Matthew 22:

25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first having married a wife, died; and not having issue, left his wife to his brother. 26 In like manner the second and the third and so on, to the seventh. 27 And last of all the woman died also. 28 At the resurrection therefore, whose wife of the seven shall she be? For they all had her. 29 And Jesus answering, said to them: You err, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married, but shall be as the angels of God in heaven.

and Jesus' words from the corresponding passage in Luke 20:

34 And Jesus said to them: The children of this world marry and are given in marriage: 35 But they that shall be accounted worthy of that world and of the resurrection from the dead shall neither be married nor take wives. 36 Neither can they die any more for they are equal to the angels and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

The context was that the Sadducees were trying to trip up Jesus, that there would be some sort of logical contradicition between his doctrine and the Hebrew scriptures. As usual in such cases, Jesus was sharper than his debating opponents.

You seem to be from a sola scriptura tradition, so it is up to you to judge whether the dissolution of a secular relationship would have any implications for the woman's ability to recognize her former husbands.

Of course, it is possible that the church lady was relying on something else altogether.

I hope that is of some help to you.

I think that they were told the truth. Which is something they need to hear, and prepare themselves for. Sure it would be great for the warden if you could brainwash them all into being timid sorrowful creatures,living for a dream that will never be fulfilled, but it would wrong, telling them the truth and allowing them to come to grips with it is the only correct thing to do. Maybe then, they would truly repent and only THEN, are they ready for God's forgiveness. You can't kill your child, then the next day wake up and say, "darn you know I made a mistake but I think I'll be a Christian now and evcerything will be alright.", These people made a mistake, and they have to pay for it. Even in the crucifiction story, the guy on the cross beside Jesus repents, but jesus doesn't remove him from the cross, you know why, because he has to suffer through his punishment BEFORE he is ready for forgiveness.

You seem to have a very Walt Disneyesque view of the afterlife, and atonement. There is a lot more complexity to Christian study than these simple questions of, "What do you think heaven's like?", or "Do you think I'll see my granddad there?" These are physical desires and you will lose them when you get closer to God. Then you will only need God. Then you will realize the futility of chasing religion, and following one sect or another's misinterpretation of the message.

Yes Thank you so much for taking the time to look up the scriptures here.
Always a pleasure

The simple answer is YES if you are worthy.

I agree with you that a women can't kill her child and then say hey I am forgiven now I am a christian. I think killing a child is the most reprehensible thing one can do but its not my place to judge. God wants these women to hear his message or He wouldn't have sent the message to them, what message they were to hear is my question. I have done many things in my past that I wish I could take back but we all know thats impossible we learn from our mistakes(most do) and the mistakes teaches us important lessons so what is it these women are to learn? There is one who was getting high and while she was her 4 year old drowned while trying to retrieve his dump truck from a pond, she lost her child by sinning but then we all sin right? I am by no means protecting these women who have killed their children in fact its very hard for me to see any kind of love or compassion for these people. I have no right to judge them and its very unchristian of me to hate them for taking a innocent child's life. I believe God sent me to these women for a reason and I don't know what it is because like I said its very hard for me to see past the hate I feel for them taking their child's life. I don't see God completely forsaking them so what is the answer? I don't know.
I don't have a Walt Disney picture of heaven or atonement, Atonement is personal and between me an God and I take being a christian very seriously. I do not know all there is to know but I o learn everyday and will continue to learn. As far as the complexity of being a christian its really pretty simple you believe and have faith in God and live through him. Complexity is a matter of opinion, I live by Gods word and try and present myself in the best christian manner possible. I one lives for Jesus their faith will show without having to be spoken or proven. What is so complex about believing in Christ and studying His word and living the word? Sound simple to me.
Always a pleasure

Ye who are without sin cast the first stone.

Judge lest ye be judged.

Thats all
If you're a Christian don't worry so much about the semantics of what is good and what is bad as much as putting faith in God. After all, it's up to God to make the calls, not some pastor. The pastor isn't God.

I have to agree with this to a point.

I'm just saying that ultimately your destiny is judged by God and God alone (when you are a Christian)

I seriously frown on those who tell others that they are going to hell. I mean, who the hell are they to say that? God?
I didn't think so.