We will Recognize Each Other after Our Resurrection
Family members and friends, our facial features/appearance, after our Resurrection will be the same what it looked prior to our death. Our identity is maintained. Our body will be in perfection, glorious and will not suffer corruption again.
Let us examine in a prayerful reflection, whether the statement given above, can be accepted or not, based on the reasoning, verses from the Bible, explanations and inferences given below.
1. If Jesus ‘facial features / appearance after resurrection was not the same as He looked prior to His death, how could His disciples believe, that the person standing before them, is the same Jesus, who was crucified, died and buried?
All the 4 gospels narrate the disciples encounter with Jesus at different times. Kindly refer to 1Lk 24: 36 to 43: 2) walk to Emmaus i.e.; Luke. 24: 13 to 35 and Jn. 20: 24 to 29.
Special characteristics of Jesus’ resurrected body revealed to us while He was still on earth, are:
1: Jesus ate food with His disciples (2) Jesus passed through closed doors. (3) Jesus could unexpectedly appear to His disciples and after conversing with them could depart from their sight instantly.(4) Finally, in the presence of the 11 disciples, Jesus departed and was taken up into heaven.(Lk.24:50 to 53.) The Proof: 1. Refer. Acts 1:6 to11.The Ascension:’- – -This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way as you have seen him go to heaven. ‘Note the sentence ‘will come back in the same way’. Should not ‘same way’ include the same facial features for Jesus when He returns?
2. Refer Acts.7.54 to 56.Martydom of Stephen. ‘But filled with the Holy Spirit- – -”Look” he said.” I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God”. A valid inference for us here is, Stephen has seen Jesus earlier. I think, when reading the Bible, we can rightly infer that Stephen lived during the time of Jesus’3 year ministry and was a secret disciple of Jesus like Joseph of Arimathaea.
3. The Martyrdom of 7 brothers and their mother.Ref.2 Mac.7:1 to 41.29.The mother says to the youngest son.29. – – – -”Do not fear this butcher, but prove worthy of your brothers. Accept death, so that in God’s mercy I may get you back again along with your brothers.”- – -41.’Last of all, the mother died after her sons.’ Here, a valid inference for us is, 1) the mother’s true conviction that she will see them in heaven.2) to recognize her 7 sons in heaven and ‘enter into God’s joy’, their facial features in heaven have to be the same as they were prior to their martyrdom. Mother’s facial features will also be the same so that her 7 sons’ joy is complete’
4. The Rich man and Lazarus.Lk.16:19 to 31.The Rich man in Hades saw Abraham, far away, with Lazarus at his side in heaven. A question: How can the Rich Man be sure, that the person with Abraham in heaven is the same poor man, whom he neglected while he lived in luxury every day, unless the facial features of the poor man in heaven was the same while he lived on earth?
5. Jesus, His mother and foster father lived as a family under one roof. They are in heaven now and in all probability, they are together. While living on earth, each of them had a unique identity, as all of us have. A question: In heaven, will they prefer to continue to have same or different identities?
In addition, more proof from the Bible can be submitted.
Marceline Rebello