Do our bodies continue to age after we die?

[faramir.pete]

This question is re-occurring to me as a result of the impending death of little Charlie Gard. You see 29 years ago my wife and I had a son who had an inoperable heart condition and he died at just 2 days old.

We had him baptised, even though we were both just nominal Christians, and hewas buried in the local church.

I later found what I now know to be true faith in Christ and have a belief that my son is in heaven awaiting the second coming.

But here is my question, do our bodies age in heaven like they do on earth? Paul seems to say that we will all get new bodies at the rapture, imperishable ones, so to me it seems likely that those bodies will age, but have those who have died before then continued to age?

For my son, Sean he would have simply grown up, but what about some of the other folks there from much longer - they will be thousands of years old now!

So will I meet a 2 day old son, or a fully grown man?

What do you think?


Pete from Peterborough UK

 

[MoreCoffee]

It's something not revealed as far as I know but it seems reasonable to think that those who die in infancy rise as adults.

 

[faramir.pete]

It is comforting to hear you say this MoreCoffee, but I have to say that logic does not support this, since if people continue to age at the same rate as we who are living do, then there will be some folks rising on Rapture Day with very Old bodies indeed.

Of course having just written that I recognise that Paul's assurance that we will all rise with new bodies makes that issue irrelavent, since even the very old will have new bodies. But then the question I have is how will we recognise our departed loved ones if they all have new bodies?

This is particularly pertinent for infants who died as clearly if they rise in new adult bodies then they will be unrecognisable to their family.

This is a very real concern for me right now.


Pete from Peterborough UK

 

[Lamb]

I don't see anywhere in scripture that confirms that we'll recognize our loved ones in heaven, nor do I see any denial of such. It does say that you will not mourn or be unhappy in heaven so I doubt our Lord would keep you apart from your son.

As for the aging, your son's body is not there so it is not aging. At the resurrection, we will have new bodies. If we look to the bodies given to Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus we read that they were recognizable even though Peter, James and John never met them! There is some comfort for you that you should be able to locate your son on the other side.

 

[faramir.pete]

Mmmm you are right Lammchen I cannot find anywhere that says we will recognise our lived ones, indeed I dont see anywhere that says I will be able to even find my loved ones either, and in view of the vast numbers of believers who must already be in heaven and will be caught up in the Rapture, it is difficult to see how I will even be able to find one soul among so many.

It is truly a mystery and as such I guess I should leave itin God's hands as He is far better at mysteries than I am.


Pete from Peterborough UK

 

[Lamb]

Once we are resurrected and in our New Bodies we won't be lacking anything. King David believed he would be reunited once again with his child and God didn't tell him otherwise so I'd like to believe that David was onto something

 

[IACOBVS]

This question is re-occurring to me as a result of the impending death of little Charlie Gard. You see 29 years ago my wife and I had a son who had an inoperable heart condition and he died at just 2 days old.

We had him baptised, even though we were both just nominal Christians, and hewas buried in the local church.

I later found what I now know to be true faith in Christ and have a belief that my son is in heaven awaiting the second coming.

But here is my question, do our bodies age in heaven like they do on earth? Paul seems to say that we will all get new bodies at the rapture, imperishable ones, so to me it seems likely that those bodies will age, but have those who have died before then continued to age?

For my son, Sean he would have simply grown up, but what about some of the other folks there from much longer - they will be thousands of years old now!

So will I meet a 2 day old son, or a fully grown man?

What do you think?


Pete from Peterborough UK

Yes, you will be one big wrinkle a few years after you die.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Yes, you will be one big wrinkle a few years after you die.

:smirk:

You're being naughty again

 

[IACOBVS]

:smirk:

You're being naughty again

Me? Never!

 

[Josiah]

Mystery.

 

[TurtleHare]

No, our bodies don't continue to age when we die because they are decaying but now you asked something different in your op so I think it was wonderful your baby was baptized because that's God's mark on that child. Your gonna see your baby again and how will God resurrect him is a mystery but have no fear that you'll be reunited.

 

[Pedrito]

Lämmchen had the right idea in Post #4:

As for the aging, your son's body is not there so it is not aging.

and in Post #6:

King David believed he would be reunited once again with his child and God didn't tell him otherwise so I'd like to believe that David was onto something

When people die, their bodies return to dust.
Genesis 2:7: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
Genesis 3:19: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art , and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Job 34:15: “All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.”
Psalm 30:9: “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?”

==============================================================================================

The Bible is quite clear about recognising other people after death. Very clear.

What had Jesus taught the family of Lazarus?

John 11:23,24: Genesis 3:19:
“23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus did not correct her. The meaning is very clear. Reunion. At the resurrection.

Was that in line with what God had revealed to Israel in His Holy Revelation to them?

Isaiah 26:19: “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”
Job 19:25,26: “25 For I know [that] my Redeemer lives, and He shall rise on the earth at the last;
26 and even after they corrupt my skin, yet this: in my flesh I shall see God," (MKJV)
2 Samuel 12:22,23:
“22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”

What did Paul say about those who had died in the faith?

See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. It is instructive. Please read it.

Once again we see reunion via resurrection. Reunion.

Hopefully this has been of some help.

 

[faramir.pete]

Lämmchen had the right idea in Post #4:

and in Post #6:


When people die, their bodies return to dust.
Genesis 2:7: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
Genesis 3:19: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art , and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Job 34:15: “All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.”
Psalm 30:9: “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?”

==============================================================================================

The Bible is quite clear about recognising other people after death. Very clear.

What had Jesus taught the family of Lazarus?

John 11:23,24: Genesis 3:19:
“23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus did not correct her. The meaning is very clear. Reunion. At the resurrection.

Was that in line with what God had revealed to Israel in His Holy Revelation to them?

Isaiah 26:19: “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”
Job 19:25,26: “25 For I know [that] my Redeemer lives, and He shall rise on the earth at the last;
26 and even after they corrupt my skin, yet this: in my flesh I shall see God," (MKJV)
2 Samuel 12:22,23:
“22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”

What did Paul say about those who had died in the faith?

See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. It is instructive. Please read it.

Once again we see reunion via resurrection. Reunion.

Hopefully this has been of some help.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 NLT
[15] We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. [16] For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. [17] Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. [18] So encourage each other with these words.


You are indeed correct to point to this passage and it does speak to the issue of those who have died ahead of their loved ones. But it does not directly speak to the issue of whether folks who die actually continue to age.

My son died at just two days old and I would like to believe he has matured into a young man now, but the logic of that wish is that all who have died continue to age too, which would mean that Moses or Paul would now be many thousands of years old!

Now that may not be an issue because we are also told that our bodies will be imperishable in heaven so age truly shall not weary them. But then how will we recognise the person who haspassed and continues to age?

Another option might be that we are given a new body in perfect health and at an optimum age, whatever that is, and this simplydoes not age or change. But again for all of those who knew them while living the body would be unrecognisable.

And despite your assertion that reunion is a theme in the scriptures you quote, I am afraid I do not see that there. There is a gathering of all saints at the resurrection, yes, but recognition by eqch other is not promised nor even mentioned. As I said before, it is a mystery and thankfully, God is good at mysteries.


Pete from Peterborough UK

 

[~Jo~]

I can only add that to my thinking once we die we are dead and that's about the end of life as we know it, I would hate to think how my lovely mum would look today if we keep getting older in heaven ...

 

[psalms 91]

I agree that we do not continue to age

 

[Pedrito]

We have seen that God revealed to the people in “Old Testament” times that rescue from death for them would occur, and that it would be via resurrection.

With that in mind, consider the patriarchal custom of being buried in the vicinity of loved ones as much as possible. Their understanding would seem to be that they would be resurrected where they had been buried, and that mutual recognition was without question.

That nearness custom has been handed down to us through the years, but now has a different significance, just like putting your hand in front of your mouth when yawning – the significance of that has changed as well.

Consider: King David knew that he would be reunited with his baby son. According to the understanding given by God at the time, that would be via joining him in death (where “the dead know not any thing”) and then being reunited with him at the resurrection spoken of.

That was why he chose to rise above the standard mourning customs (not that there was anything wrong with them as such within that culture).

Once again, this information may not be deemed conclusively helpful, but it is offered in the spirit of helpfulness.

It is Pedrito’s hope that it will go some way towards helping troubled minds find peace.

 

[Imalive]

This question is re-occurring to me as a result of the impending death of little Charlie Gard. You see 29 years ago my wife and I had a son who had an inoperable heart condition and he died at just 2 days old.

We had him baptised, even though we were both just nominal Christians, and hewas buried in the local church.

I later found what I now know to be true faith in Christ and have a belief that my son is in heaven awaiting the second coming.

But here is my question, do our bodies age in heaven like they do on earth? Paul seems to say that we will all get new bodies at the rapture, imperishable ones, so to me it seems likely that those bodies will age, but have those who have died before then continued to age?

For my son, Sean he would have simply grown up, but what about some of the other folks there from much longer - they will be thousands of years old now!

So will I meet a 2 day old son, or a fully grown man?

What do you think?


Pete from Peterborough UK

Ken Gott had a preaching about it once. He asked if anyone was 30 y o. A guy put his hand in the air and he called him forward and said: in heaven everyone will look like him!
I believe that people look no older than 30. Old people will look young and kids grow up. There were orphan kids in China who have been taken to heaven and they saw a kid they knew that died a year earlier. Don't know if it's just like here, or quicker, how they grow up, wondered about that too since my twin brother and 2 kids died. But I don't believe God will leave them as a few days old embryo. There were angels teaching those kids.
I saw one kid, not even born, died w 7 weeks pregnancy, got a vision of her as a 9 y o with a beautiful white dress and I saw her once as a 4 y o in a dream and my ex had the exact same dream, we had that before she was even conceived, years before. I said: did she have a pink dress and those rings on her finger? He described the exact same kid.
I have no idea what the Biblical basis for this belief is tbh. Didn't Saul see Samuel as an old man?
I've heard testimonies of people who saw their kids in heaven who had grown up.
Hmm sorry there goes Ken Gotts nice theory:
And the woman said to Saul, “I saw a spirit[a] ascending out of the earth.”

14 So he said to her, “What is his form?”

And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a mantle.” And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down.

 

[Imalive]

Oh and a man from Canada who prayed for me, they lost their son as a baby and he saw him in a dream years later, working in a garden in heaven. That man was also always working in his garden.

 

[faramir.pete]

Oh and a man from Canada who prayed for me, they lost their son as a baby and he saw him in a dream years later, working in a garden in heaven. That man was also always working in his garden.

Thank you for your comments, but all of these are anecdotal and do not answer my question. I appreciate your efforts though


Pete from Peterborough UK

 

[Imalive]

Revelations 21
24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.

A baby can't walk. That still doesn't say when they grow up, but they won't stay a baby til eternity.