No Marriage in Heaven

Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection
- Luke 20:34-36

As we think some about Jesus’s perspective on sexuality, this passage can be really insightful for a couple of reasons. The first is that Jesus clarifies that there is no marriage in heaven. Each person’s primary identity is being one of “God’s children” and “children of the resurrection.” If you take a moment to think about what it means for us to be God’s children - well, then we’re siblings with each other. Jesus himself started using the language of family to describe those who followed him. While it’s been misused by pretty much every cult that’s ever existed, that doesn’t diminish the fact that Jesus redefines our primary relationship to each other as brother and sister.

So marriage is temporal and family (across all boundaries, no less!) is permanent. Can’t you see the implications for sexuality? Then ponder how Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as in heaven.” Jesus is inviting us to participate by our prayers and by our lives in bringing heaven (where there’s no marriage!) to earth! Yikes!

This doesn’t all mean that anything goes, and don’t run out on your marriage if you’re married! But what it does do is help us reprioritize our relationships, to rethink how important sex is (in America it is VERY important), and to revalue those who don’t fit the family type that the church has called ‘normal’ and ‘best’ for centuries (heterosexual marriages with children). Take some time to pray and think about these things, inviting Jesus to shape your heart and mind.