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.

If my past sins are forgiven when I am baptized in water, and it is possible for me to "lose my salvation" and go to hell after being baptized, then wouldn't my best chance of going to heaven be to drown in the baptistery before I had a chance to sin and be lost again?!!  If I wanted to be absolutely sure of heaven, isn't that my best opportunity?

Sincerely,
Waterlogged

Dear Waterlogged,

Heb 3:12 says that we can fall away from God and lose our salvation, but it specifies how that happens.  We fall away when we have an “evil heart of unbelief”.  God continually cleanses us of our sins when we confess them and are faithful and loyal to Him (1 Jn 1:9-10).  Christians have security and confidence in their salvation as long as they are living for God and trying to serve Him according to His Word.  We fall away when we stop trying.  In reality, drowning yourself in the baptistery (which is an intentionally absurd and extreme example) is giving up.  Christians are forgiven of their sins and have committed to a new life in Christ (Rom 6:4).  Drowning in the baptistery isn’t a new life… it’s suicide.

According to your example, Paul (who spent a lifetime dedicated to God) would have been better off dead right after conversion.  Paul said the opposite was true.  “To live was Christ” (Php 1:21), and though Paul admitted that even an apostle could fall away (1 Cor 9:27)… he was confident of the salvation that awaited him (2 Tim 4:8).  All christians can be confident of their salvation if they are living faithfully.  All christians fall short and sin, but only when we turn our hearts from God and willfully live sinful lives do we need to be fearful (Heb 10:26-27).

A few things confuse me.  If we are supposed to view the world as temporary and Heaven as our final home, why should we even try to do things that earn recognition in the world?  Why does everyone strive to be "successful"?  Why don't we focus on simple things like loving each other and being happy instead of stuff like obtaining credentials and other social honors ultimately to make money and buy more and more worldly possessions?  Why do we even pray about world-related stuff if we should only care about pleasing God and inheriting His kingdom?  Why do we not want to die even though if we're saved, we’ll go to Heaven?

Sincerely,
Not Climbing The Ladder

Dear Not Climbing The Ladder,

Solomon says that God wants to bless us in this life as well as the next (Eccl 2:24).  True, heaven will be far better (Php 1:23), but it is normal to enjoy the blessings of this life.  In fact, if we are christians, we are to work hard at all we do (Col 3:23).  Working hard brings success, and success brings honor.  There is nothing wrong with success unless it tears us away from Christ.  Covetousness, greed, and selfishness are wrong (Col 3:5, 1 Tim 6:10) and should always be avoided, but it is possible to be successful and still avoid those vices.  Even Jesus prayed that God would bless us with our daily bread and in our daily lives (Lk 11:3).

The second part of your question addresses the natural human fear of death and attachment to this world.  God has set eternity in our hearts (Eccl 3:11) as well as the desire to live (Ps 23:4).  Most people fear death (or at least aren’t chasing it) because of their natural survival instinct.  There is nothing wrong with that.  This world is where we live and are used to living.  Death is the unknown, and we naturally fear the unknown.

I have heard many stories of people that have been declared legally dead for a few minutes and have "seen the light" or gotten a glimpse of what heaven or hell may be like.  Is this possible?

Sincerely,
Walk Towards The Light

Dear Walk Towards The Light,

‘Legally dead’ is not the same as actually dead.  A hundred years ago, someone was declared legally dead when they stopped breathing.  Fifty years ago, someone was declared legally dead when their heart stopped beating.  Today, we know that neither of those things necessarily mean that someone is dead.  In truth, the only way to know for sure that someone is “fully dead” is when they don’t come back to life.  When someone is declared dead and then are resuscitated, it simply means the physicians made a mistake in deeming the person “too far gone”.

The whole point of that explanation is to say that you only go to heaven or hell when you are actually dead.  The rich man wanted to get back to his brothers and explain what was on the other side… but he couldn’t (Lk 16:22-31).  Furthermore, God makes it clear that each of us only dies once, and only then will we face the Judgment (Heb 9:27).  Anyone who says they have visited heaven (no matter how sincere their assertion) is mistaken.

Hi, I was wanting to know if my wife and I will still be married in heaven?  I have been taught in the past that the Bible says you will know as you are known.  I always thought that meant that I would still be married to her, and I would still know my family because I know her as my wife.  Please tell me what you think and explain it to me!  Please respond ASAP.  God Bless!!!!!!!!!!

Sincerely,
A Married Man

Dear A Married Man,

You will not be married to your wife in heaven… but that doesn’t mean you won’t know her.  Even those in torments know those who are in Paradise (the rich man knew Lazarus – Lk 16:24).  You will know your spouse in heaven, but you definitely will not be married to her.  Jesus makes that very clear in Matt 22:30.  There is no marriage in heaven.