Relationships

The relationships we build here on earth, we would like to keep when this life is over and eternity begins.

The same day some Sadducees came to him, saying there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'If a man dies childless, his brother shall marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother.' Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married, and died childless, leaving the widow to his brother. The second did the same, so also the third, down to the seventh. Last of all, the woman herself died. In the resurrection, then, whose wife of the seven will she be? For all of them had married her." Jesus answered them, "You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is God not of the dead, but of the living." And when the crowd heard it, they were astounded at his teaching. When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." - Matt. 22:23-40

The Sadducees don't believe in the resurrection, so they are just trying to trap Jesus here.

But the answer Jesus gives could be upsetting for us who live in hope of being reunited with loved ones when we die.

I get it that things would not be the same, and who knows what Jesus means when he says we will be like angels.

I find the distinction between resurrection and eternal life challenging to comprehend sometimes.

The resurrection is supposed to be a single event, when Jesus returns, and all who are saved are reunited with him.  But eternal life, which he promises for us, should be continuous from the moment of death, right?

So, I'm going to keep holding onto the hope of both, not understanding why I would want to be resurrected in this body, which has its flaws and faults.

I would rather my soul continue living on, like Love in the Celine Dion song.

That way, I get to keep my relationships intact.  And we will be reunited with those we love forever.

Doesn't that sound better?

More to come...