True Life,
Here are the questions and answers from Sunday’s message. There is one change from something I said on Sunday. I said that I would share why I believe that the rapture is before the tribulation in this space this week. However, I had a brainstorm this week. My thought was that it would be good to give you some different perspectives on that issue since it is a gray area and not a fundamental of the faith like the 2nd coming of Christ so I have asked a couple of other guys from church who have a different perspective than me to write something about it as well. So, next week I will share those three different perspectives with you.
1. Does God grieve over those who die and are not Christians? This is somewhat difficult to answer because I am not aware of a specific Scripture that says that God grieves over those who die and are not Christians. However, the Bible does present the contrast of saying that “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15) while the Lord says, “‘For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies’ [in the context clearly referring to unbelievers], says the Lord God. ‘Therefore turn and live’!” (Ezekiel 18:32). However, we also know that God will be glorified even when people go to hell because He will receive glory through the administration of His perfect justice.
2. Is this the same “godly grief” Paul mentions in 2 Corinthians 7:9-11? No, that refers to genuine repentance as opposed to just being sorry that “we got got caught.” Godly grief is being sorrowful toward God for what we have done instead of just worrying about the consequences.
3. When you die and go to heaven, will you able to be reunited with your spouse? Yes and no. Assuming that both spouses are Christians, you will be reunited in heaven but not as husband and wife. All believers are reunited in heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:17). We will know each other better than we
ever have (1 Corinthians 13:12). However, Jesus made it very clear that there is no marriage in heaven (Luke 20:34-36).
