I understand that we know each other once we get to heaven.  But do we get to be together?  When my mother dies, and then when I die and am saved and join her up there, will we be around each other?  There are no relationships there, but I'll still remember she was my mother on Earth and want to be around her, right?

Sincerely,
Sweet Child Of Hers

Dear Sweet Child Of Hers,

We don’t know for sure how much interaction we will have with others in heaven, but the Bible seems to point toward us being able to spend quite a bit of time together.  1 Thess 4:17 talks about us being caught up together and forever being with the Lord after the Judgment Day.  Also, Rev 21 compares heaven to a giant, perfect, eternal city where people come in and out and move freely amongst each other and the Lord… this also points toward the idea of us spending time with each other constantly.

The fact is that we don’t know much about heaven; God hasn’t given us many details, but the Scriptures seem to paint a picture of heaven being somewhere that we all freely enjoy company with the Lord and one another.

Yes, I am a christian and have given my life to Christ.  I try to live a good christian life, but when I was very young, I had an abortion.  I was pushed into it by everyone that I knew, including my parents and my boyfriend.  My question is this... is one sin worse than others?  I have asked the Lord to forgive me, and I was and still am very sincere.  I believe that my sins have been forgiven, but lately I am reading things about abortion that are upsetting to me.   Please help.

Sincerely,
Regretful

Dear Regretful,

All sins are equal, but some sins have worse consequences than others.  In this life a “little white lie” may not cause you much trouble, but committing adultery will devastate your life.  However, in the eyes of God, all sin is deserving of death (Rom 6:23).  That “little white lie” will send you to hell just as much as the adultery would.  Abortion is such a heinous sin because of how deeply it affects the life and emotional state of the mother, the family, and ultimately, because it destroys a child’s life… but abortion can be forgiven through the blood of Christ.  The apostle Paul murdered christians (Acts 26:10), but Christ saved him (1 Tim 1:15).  The person that had an abortion is the old you… in Christ, you are a new person, and the old deeds have passed away (2 Cor 5:17).  Move forward in life with peace of mind knowing you will be reunited with your child in heaven.

God is very clear about how He wants us to live our lives, so I don’t understand how some people are constantly sinning and think they will go to heaven just because they are good people.  It is hard when I try to show people different verses in the Bible, and they just blow it off and say God wouldn’t send them to hell because of this or that.  What are some good verses to show my friends and family that God is serious?

Sincerely,
Frustrated

Dear Frustrated,

Two very basic verses that emphasize the importance of living faithful lives are Jhn 14:6 and Jhn 15:14.  In Jhn 14:6, Jesus says that He is “the way and the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him”.  That verse removes all other religions.  Buddhism, Islam, Agnosticism, Judaism, Atheism, etc. – none of those religions will get you to heaven – only Jesus will.  Since the only way to heaven is through Jesus, Jhn 15:14 goes one step farther and makes it clear that we can only be Jesus’ friends if we do what He commands us.

Not everyone can accept this.  It is only when people love the truth (2 Thess 2:10) that they accept the details of the Bible.  It is an unfortunate reality that most people are simply not interested in the Bible’s truths because it requires too much of them.  God wants us to live faithful and committed lives, lives that require us to deny ourselves (Matt 16:24).  Only when we study His Word and apply it can we call ourselves faithful (Rom 10:17).

I am visiting family, and my sister-in-law invited an older child over to play with my daughter.  This child’s parents must use the phrase, "Oh, my God" often because the child said it a couple times.  My daughter has been taught not to say this, and at breakfast, she said, “(child’s name omitted) is using bad words.”

My reactionary reply was, "(child’s name omitted) is a bad-bad."  This made for an awkward moment with this boy sitting at the breakfast table with his aunt & uncle close by who were watching him for the day.

I missed a moment to teach why we do not say, "Oh, my God" to the child and his relatives.  However, I'm not sure I would have explained it sufficiently if I would have tried.

Where in the Bible does it state using this phrase flippantly is wrong?

Sincerely,
Catch Phrase

Dear Catch Phrase,

In the Old Testament, it says to “not take the Lord’s name in vain” (Ex 20:7); it is the third commandment.  In the New Testament, we are told to “let not the name of God and the doctrine be blasphemed” (1 Tim 6:1).  The New Testament also says to treat God with reverence (Heb 12:28).  When we have an attitude of reverence towards God, we won’t use His name as a cuss word.  You are doing well to teach your child to hold God’s name in reverence and honor.  You’ve been doing the right thing… the verses back you up.

My mom passed away and is in Heaven.  She was a strong Christian.  Does she remember me and still love me?  Does she miss me as much as I miss her?

Sincerely,
Mourning The Loss

Dear Mourning The Loss,

We are so very sorry for your loss.  The loss of a loved one is a very difficult trauma.  Your mourning is completely normal and healthy.  Abraham mourned when he lost his wife (Gen 23:2).  Jacob mourned when he thought Joseph had died (Gen 37:34).  Ps 35:14 points out how natural it is to hurt after you lose your mother or father.

Yes, your mother remembers you.  When we die, we don’t forget our family.  Even when the rich man woke up in torments, he remembered his brothers (Lk 16:27-28).  If those in torments remember, then how much more will those in Paradise remember their beloved families?  Your mother is in a place of perfect comfort (Lk 16:25), and every tear she has shed has been wiped away (Rev 21:4).  You can find comfort in that.