Memory in Heaven

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Quantrill

Well-known member
Sep 20, 2018
988
300
63
#1
How much will we as believers remember of our life here on earth? I have talked with people on this issue before and some believe all our memory will be erased from our experience on earth. Others believe it is only our sins and our grief that will be erased from our memory here.

I don't think we can know at this time exactly how much we will remember. But we can surmise. I consider our suffering we go through in this life and how it is sent and used by God to mold and fashion us as He wants us. Like Jesus Christ. (Heb. 5:8) Then I wonder, how can we not have memory of these things when they were used by God to make me what He wanted me to be? How can they be of value to my make up if I never knew they occurred?

And we who are believers are always and forever going to be a picture of grace and mercy. We will forever be there only due to the grace and mercy of God and the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ for our sins. Here again, how will I appreciate that grace if all knowledge of my sins is gone from me? How can the scars that Christ still bears have meaning to me if I don't remember my sins?

It is my opinion that we will remember these things. We will however have a glorious body unstained with sin, and be in heaven in the presence of God and will know much more than we know now. We will see things as they really are with a complete understanding. The knowledge of these sufferings and sins will not carry with them the grief and condemnation we know down here, but it is my opinion that we will remember them.

It just seems to me that if we can't remember them what would be their purpose? No absolutes on this. Just thinking.

Quantrill
 

PennEd

Senior Member
Apr 22, 2013
13,584
9,104
113
#2
Somehow I thin
How much will we as believers remember of our life here on earth? I have talked with people on this issue before and some believe all our memory will be erased from our experience on earth. Others believe it is only our sins and our grief that will be erased from our memory here.

I don't think we can know at this time exactly how much we will remember. But we can surmise. I consider our suffering we go through in this life and how it is sent and used by God to mold and fashion us as He wants us. Like Jesus Christ. (Heb. 5:8) Then I wonder, how can we not have memory of these things when they were used by God to make me what He wanted me to be? How can they be of value to my make up if I never knew they occurred?

And we who are believers are always and forever going to be a picture of grace and mercy. We will forever be there only due to the grace and mercy of God and the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ for our sins. Here again, how will I appreciate that grace if all knowledge of my sins is gone from me? How can the scars that Christ still bears have meaning to me if I don't remember my sins?

It is my opinion that we will remember these things. We will however have a glorious body unstained with sin, and be in heaven in the presence of God and will know much more than we know now. We will see things as they really are with a complete understanding. The knowledge of these sufferings and sins will not carry with them the grief and condemnation we know down here, but it is my opinion that we will remember them.

It just seems to me that if we can't remember them what would be their purpose? No absolutes on this. Just thinking.

Quantrill
Somehow I think the memory of the unsaved, even friends and relatives, will be forgotten. There is Scripture that alludes to that.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
113
#3
There is not a lot I can think of that I want or need to remember……..

I do want and need to remember the love that Has entered into me and my life from God directly and from God through so many people here in my walk.

I would never want to forget those who love me and I them.

I have read that elderly people, many of them that is, stop remembering things that are unimportant to them. Oft time this is mistaken for dementia when old folks remember details from childhoos but not what they were doing a hlf hour ago. Of course some truly do have some form of senile dementia, but not so many as you may believe now.
Time teaches all.........
 

Adstar

Senior Member
Jul 24, 2016
7,585
3,616
113
#4
How much will we as believers remember of our life here on earth? I have talked with people on this issue before and some believe all our memory will be erased from our experience on earth. Others believe it is only our sins and our grief that will be erased from our memory here.

I don't think we can know at this time exactly how much we will remember. But we can surmise. I consider our suffering we go through in this life and how it is sent and used by God to mold and fashion us as He wants us. Like Jesus Christ. (Heb. 5:8) Then I wonder, how can we not have memory of these things when they were used by God to make me what He wanted me to be? How can they be of value to my make up if I never knew they occurred?

And we who are believers are always and forever going to be a picture of grace and mercy. We will forever be there only due to the grace and mercy of God and the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ for our sins. Here again, how will I appreciate that grace if all knowledge of my sins is gone from me? How can the scars that Christ still bears have meaning to me if I don't remember my sins?

It is my opinion that we will remember these things. We will however have a glorious body unstained with sin, and be in heaven in the presence of God and will know much more than we know now. We will see things as they really are with a complete understanding. The knowledge of these sufferings and sins will not carry with them the grief and condemnation we know down here, but it is my opinion that we will remember them.

It just seems to me that if we can't remember them what would be their purpose? No absolutes on this. Just thinking.

Quantrill
I don't believe the Bible give any clear statement on the matter...

We will either have our memories wiped or part of our memories wiped or we will be given the ability to handle our memories without any suffering from them..

What ever way God has decided to deal with us i have faith that He knows what He is doing and He will do the best thing for us..:)
 

Quantrill

Well-known member
Sep 20, 2018
988
300
63
#5
Somehow I thin


Somehow I think the memory of the unsaved, even friends and relatives, will be forgotten. There is Scripture that alludes to that.
Maybe. Do you think Jesus will remember anything of His stay here?

Quantrill
 

Quantrill

Well-known member
Sep 20, 2018
988
300
63
#6
I don't believe the Bible give any clear statement on the matter...

We will either have our memories wiped or part of our memories wiped or we will be given the ability to handle our memories without any suffering from them..

What ever way God has decided to deal with us i have faith that He knows what He is doing and He will do the best thing for us..:)
I lean to the latter, that we would have the ability to handle our memories. Do you think Jesus will remember his stay here?

Quantrill
 

Quantrill

Well-known member
Sep 20, 2018
988
300
63
#7
There is not a lot I can think of that I want or need to remember……..

I do want and need to remember the love that Has entered into me and my life from God directly and from God through so many people here in my walk.

I would never want to forget those who love me and I them.

I have read that elderly people, many of them that is, stop remembering things that are unimportant to them. Oft time this is mistaken for dementia when old folks remember details from childhoos but not what they were doing a hlf hour ago. Of course some truly do have some form of senile dementia, but not so many as you may believe now.
Time teaches all.........
It is not a question of what you want to remember. It is a question of what you need to remember. Do we not need to remember our stay here? Do you think Jesus will remember His stay here?

Quantrill
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
113
#8
I did not allude to any declaration that I would remember nothing, simply what I know I want to be sure to remember.

Whatever Jesus wants me to know I look forward to knowing, nothing more, nothing less……...wanting something other would be faithless.
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,526
2,608
113
#9
Philosophically, I can't see how humans can praise Christ for all eternity for saving them, if they have no recollection of what they were saved from.

But it's a good question, and an interesting post.

...
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,509
5,440
113
#10
This question used to come up frequently in the Lutheran school I grew up in--chalk it up to a bunch of teenagers who had separation anxiety at the thought of not remembering their friends or family in heaven. We were never given a definite answer, and I'm guessing it's something we won't know until we get there.

I have seen some say that we won't remember anything because of Revelation 21:4 -- "(God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more mourning or death or crying or pain, for the old order of things (former things) have passed away."

However, as an adult, I personally came to believe that we do indeed retain memories in heaven (this is just my opinion; I could very well be wrong and would welcome any passages on the subject, even if they contradict my personal conclusions.)

I most definitely believe that Jesus remembers His time here. After all, He retained the marks of His suffering (the nail marks in His hands and feet, as well as the mark from where the soldier had struck Him in His side), and He even told His disciples to come examine His wounds in order to prove that He was the same Person who had died on the cross in front of them. I could be wrong, but I don't think those scars or memories went away when He ascended back into heaven.

The other reason I believe we hold memories is because of Luke 16:19-31 -- The Parable of the Rich Man and Poor Lazarus.

Abraham clearly told the rich man, "Son, remember that during your life you received your good things, just as Lazarus received bad things, but not he is comforted here, while you are in agony." How would Lazarus know he was being comforted if he couldn't remember the troubles of his former life?

Likewise, the rich man clearly remembered his former life as well, and what's more, he also remembered that he had 5 brothers back on earth and begged Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead in order to get them to believe (but Abraham said that if they won't believe Moses and the prophets, they won't believe even someone who returns from the dead.)

Abraham also says there is a deep chasm between the place of being with God and the place of torment that can never be crossed. I heard it said once (though I know of no other Biblical "proof" except this passage and consider it to be only a vast assumption) that this is one of the greatest torments of hell--supposedly, the people there will be able to see what they are missing out on, and will be constantly be reminded of the fact that they could have chosen a different path.

I know that technically, a parable is just a story, and therefore, it would probably be argued that these little details are not facts.

However, I personally believe that if they weren't true, Jesus would not have included them in the story. Jesus does not lie, and so I'm convinced that He wouldn't make up these small but very telling details just for the sake of telling a parable.

Again, I could be wrong, and would appreciate references to any passages about this subject, because it's a question I have heard and have been interested in since childhood.
 

Quantrill

Well-known member
Sep 20, 2018
988
300
63
#11
Philosophically, I can't see how humans can praise Christ for all eternity for saving them, if they have no recollection of what they were saved from.

But it's a good question, and an interesting post.

...
That is where I am at also. If I don't remember what a sinner I was, how can I appreciate my Saviour?

Quantrill
 

Quantrill

Well-known member
Sep 20, 2018
988
300
63
#12
This question used to come up frequently in the Lutheran school I grew up in--chalk it up to a bunch of teenagers who had separation anxiety at the thought of not remembering their friends or family in heaven. We were never given a definite answer, and I'm guessing it's something we won't know until we get there.

I have seen some say that we won't remember anything because of Revelation 21:4 -- "(God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more mourning or death or crying or pain, for the old order of things (former things) have passed away."

However, as an adult, I personally came to believe that we do indeed retain memories in heaven (this is just my opinion; I could very well be wrong and would welcome any passages on the subject, even if they contradict my personal conclusions.)

I most definitely believe that Jesus remembers His time here. After all, He retained the marks of His suffering (the nail marks in His hands and feet, as well as the mark from where the soldier had struck Him in His side), and He even told His disciples to come examine His wounds in order to prove that He was the same Person who had died on the cross in front of them. I could be wrong, but I don't think those scars or memories went away when He ascended back into heaven.

The other reason I believe we hold memories is because of Luke 16:19-31 -- The Parable of the Rich Man and Poor Lazarus.

Abraham clearly told the rich man, "Son, remember that during your life you received your good things, just as Lazarus received bad things, but not he is comforted here, while you are in agony." How would Lazarus know he was being comforted if he couldn't remember the troubles of his former life?

Likewise, the rich man clearly remembered his former life as well, and what's more, he also remembered that he had 5 brothers back on earth and begged Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead in order to get them to believe (but Abraham said that if they won't believe Moses and the prophets, they won't believe even someone who returns from the dead.)

Abraham also says there is a deep chasm between the place of being with God and the place of torment that can never be crossed. I heard it said once (though I know of no other Biblical "proof" except this passage and consider it to be only a vast assumption) that this is one of the greatest torments of hell--supposedly, the people there will be able to see what they are missing out on, and will be constantly be reminded of the fact that they could have chosen a different path.

I know that technically, a parable is just a story, and therefore, it would probably be argued that these little details are not facts.

However, I personally believe that if they weren't true, Jesus would not have included them in the story. Jesus does not lie, and so I'm convinced that He wouldn't make up these small but very telling details just for the sake of telling a parable.

Again, I could be wrong, and would appreciate references to any passages about this subject, because it's a question I have heard and have been interested in since childhood.
Yes, that is a good example. Lazarus and the rich man. And I do not believe it to be a parable. I believe it is a true story known to Jesus Christ.

And would not Jesus remember His whole stay on this earth?

Quantrill
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
113
#13
The lLight, the Life, and the joy that entered into me when the Holy Spirit entred into me and into my heart is so wonderful, memorable, that there is no further need of motive for not to look forward to praising God now and forever…….the message with the entry to me was simple, two things, "Everything is going to be just fine," and "Praise god, He is worthy not we."

Those are simple words but they carry all the weight needed to convince a sinner such as I. Praise God, He is worthy, not we.
 

jb

Senior Member
Feb 27, 2010
4,940
591
113
#14
1Cor 13v12 states: "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." [NKJV]

"For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God]." [AMP]
 

CharliRenee

Member
Staff member
Nov 4, 2014
6,693
7,176
113
#15
When we are in our glorified estates, won't we be outside of time, like we will just be. I know that it seems it would hurt thinking of all those who were not there, especially my loves. I can not imagine remembering and not being negatively affected. But He promises no more tears. Will we have thought? I mean will we analyze a matter, probably not because we will have the answers. I enjoy speculating about Heaven, but that I suppose is all we can do.
 

CharliRenee

Member
Staff member
Nov 4, 2014
6,693
7,176
113
#16
Philosophically, I can't see how humans can praise Christ for all eternity for saving them, if they have no recollection of what they were saved from.

But it's a good question, and an interesting post.

...
Very good point, hmmm?
 

Adstar

Senior Member
Jul 24, 2016
7,585
3,616
113
#17
I lean to the latter, that we would have the ability to handle our memories. Do you think Jesus will remember his stay here?

Quantrill
For sure ... He is God so he can handle the memories.. I am quite sure he will not remove the memory of how he saved us.. I am sure we will all remember that Atonement ..
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
25,475
13,419
113
58
#19
When we are in our glorified estates, won't we be outside of time, like we will just be.
I once heard someone say that light is the visible movement of time, yet when we get to and are standing at the feet of the source of light (Jesus Christ) when we receive our glorified bodies, there is no more time, but only eternity. Never thought of it that way before. Interesting deep thought. :)