Heaven (Part 11) - What Sex Will We Be in Heaven?

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Heaven (Part 11) 18. What sex will we be in heaven? A. We will be the same sex as we are now: men will be men, and women will be women. B. It is reasonable to conclude that we will be the same sex in the present heaven that we will be on the new earth. C. The new earth will be a restoration of the original creation (Act 3:19-21). i. Refresh v. - 1. a. trans. Of physical agents (esp. water): To impart freshness to (a place or thing, the air, etc.) by means of cooling or wetting. (Sometimes with suggestion of next.) Also, to plunge (cooked vegetables, etc.) into cold water as part of the cooking process. 2. a. To make (one) feel fresher than before; to impart fresh vigour to (a person, the spirits or mind, the eyes, etc.) when fatigued or exhausted; to reanimate, reinvigorate physically, mentally, or spiritually; to provide with refreshment. ii. Restitution n. - 1. a. The action of restoring or giving back something to its proper owner, or of making reparation to one for loss or injury previously inflicted. 5. a. The action of restoring a thing or institution to its original state or form. (In later use only in echoes of, or with reference to, Acts iii. 21.) iii. The original creation included a man and woman (Gen 1:27). iv. If the creation will be restored to its original form prior to sin's entrance, then there will be both male and female on the new earth. D. Our resurrected bodies will retain our identities. i. Job said that "in my flesh shall I see God" (Job 19:26) ii. Job said that "I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another" (Job 19:27). iii. Clearly, Job's very body with his own identity and not another will be resurrected at the last day. iv. If that is true of Job's body, it's true of the bodies of all of God's children. v. Therefore, a woman's body will be resurrected with her own identity that it originally possessed. E. There will be continuity between our lives on earth and our lives in heaven. i. The martyrs remembered their lives on earth (Rev 6:9-10). ii. Lazarus was still Lazarus when he got to heaven (Luk 16:20, 23). iii. If our memories are retained (and they are ― we would not be ourselves if they were not) then how could a woman who lived her entire life as a woman become a man in heaven? iv. She literally would not be herself when she got there. v. She would certainly feel like a fish out of water, being in a man's body and thinking like a man. F. The Bible nowhere states that the bodies of women will be resurrected as bodies of men. G. Some people have speculated that all of the redeemed will be male in heaven. They base this idea on the following arguments: i. Argument 1: There is neither male nor female in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28); therefore, we will all be male in heaven. a. If this proves that there are no females in heaven, it also proves that there are no males in heaven. b. If this proves that there are no females in heaven, it also proves that there are no females in Christ on earth now. c. If an error proves anything, it proves too much. d. This verse is teaching that in Christ Jesus distinctions such as race (Jew or Gentile), status (bond or free), or sex (male or female) are immaterial (Col 3:10-11); all that matters is whether one is a new creature in Christ (Gal 6:15). ii. Argument 2: We will all be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29; 1Co 15:49), and we shall be like Christ (1Jo 3:2; Psa 17:15; Php 3:21), and Jesus was a 33 year old male; therefore, we will all be male in heaven. a. Conform v. - 1. trans. To form, shape, or fashion according to some pattern, model, or instruction; to make of the same form or character, to make like. b. Image n. - 1. An artificial imitation or representation of the external form of any object, esp. of a person, or of the bust of a person. 3. a. abstractly. Aspect, appearance, form; semblance, likeness. (Now only in allusions to, or uses derived from, biblical language, esp. Gen. i. 26, 27.) c. Likeness n. - 1. The quality or fact of being like; resemblance, similarity; an instance of this. d. Both Adam and Eve were made in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27). (i) God is male. (ii) Therefore, being made in (or conformed to) the image of God does not require that one be male. (iii) Therefore, a woman could be conformed to the image of Christ and still remain a woman. e. Being conformed to the image of Christ is being like Him in character and holiness. f. This process begins in this life as we learn of Christ through the word of God and "grow up into him in all things" (Eph 4:15) and strive to attain "unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ (Eph 4:13). g. Therefore, the fact that we shall be conformed to the image of Christ and be made like Him doesn't prove that women will be turned into men in heaven. iii. Argument 3: There is no marriage in heaven (Luk 20:34-35); therefore, we will all be male in heaven. a. The fact that people in heaven don't marry doesn't mean that they are all male. b. There are men and women on earth now that don't marry (1Co 7:1, 7-8; 1Co 7:32-35). (i) This doesn't mean that there are no women on earth now. (ii) There are reasons other than lack of opportunity that a person might have for not marrying, such as devoting one's life to serving God without distraction (1Co 7:32, 34-35). c. The reason that there is no marriage in heaven is that we will all collectively will be married to Jesus Christ (Eph 5:25-27, 32; Rev 19:7-9) ― not because all women will have been changed into men. iv. Argument 4: We will be made equal unto the angels (Luk 20:36), and all angels are male; therefore, we will all be male in heaven. a. Since there are no examples of female angels in scripture, it is reasonable to conclude that there are no female angels. b. There are many ways that God's children, both male and female, can be made equal unto the angels, such as: (i) Possessing immortality (Luk 20:36). (ii) Having bodies impervious to fire (Dan 3:25, 28; Rev 19:17). (iii) Excelling in strength, always doing God's commandments, and hearkening to God's word (Psa 103:20). (iv) Devoting ourselves to ministering unto God (Heb 1:7). (v) Praising God in His presence (Psa 148:2). (vi) Worshipping Jesus Christ in His presence (Heb 1:6). (vii) Singing praises to God with them in heaven (Rev 5:9-12). c. Therefore, this verse does not prove that women will be men in heaven.