A Theological Wrinkle

[DannyM]

THE TEXT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT THE ACTUAL MAN OR THE ACTUAL WOMAN NOT BEING GRANTED A PLACE IN HEAVEN; IT IS MAKING CLEAR THAT MARRIAGE WILL BECOME INEFFECTUAL, REDUNDANT, IN HEAVEN; IT DOES NOT SAY THAT THE MARRIED MAN AND THE MARRIED WOMAN WILL NOT ENTER HEAVEN: THEY WILL MERELY ENTER HEAVEN AS IF THEY WERE NOT MARRIED.

I'm confused. Could you state once more What the theological wrinkle you're attempting to show is? Does it have to do with marriage (or lack of) in heaven or does it have to do with spousal salvation?

"Spousal survival."

Still not clear Danny. Spousal survival where, in what sense?

Byblos, to try to give you a brief recap, I first pondered wheher an unbelieving wife could be saved by the love and faith of the believing husband. I rapidly had pointed out to me the Mark and Matthew quotes of Jesus' teachingings on marriage in the kingdom of heaven. So I quoted Paul saying that faith is nothing without love, and just continued to ponder whether God, in his mercy, might just save the unbelieving wife through the husbands love and their love of eachother. But I constantly have the "no marriage nor giving in marriage" punted up to my end of the field. So I accept that the unbelieving wife will need to have faith in Christ's acrifice and glory to enter the kingdom and be by her husband's side. (I never DIDN'T accept this; the scripture is pretty clear. But I pondered the question from an angle that I thought worthy of a teeny weeny debate. It's putting two theological notions together and seeing if they can be reconciled.

But now the debate has moved on and now I am apparently "arguing with Jesus." So I have merely pointed out that I have held fast to Jesus' teaching, and i am now maintaining that, though there will be "no marriage or giving in marriage" this in no way says "that man and woman who are married will not be entering heaven." The texts is seemingly making marriage redundant; it is not, however, making the participants in the marriage redundant.

So the man and wife (not the unbelieving wife, I have moved on) will enter heaven, but their marriage would now have become "dissolved."

[Byblos]

Thank you Danny for clearing that up for me (might I add that the confusion was solely on my part, not with your position per se).

[N4SC]

Your question implies that you think that there will still be marriage in heaven, when there won't be. We will all be the bride of Christ, and there won't be any individual relationships. That said, if the scenario you're asking about is true, then no, God won't "keep them together" if one rejects Him. Those who accept Him will be saved, all others won't be.

[DannyM]

Thank you Danny for clearing that up for me (might I add that the confusion was solely on my part, not with your position per se).

No problem Byblos. You know, human nature intrigues me. I sometimes debate on a spiritual/philosophical board over here (I assure you it is not a patch on this site and doesn't get anywhere near to stimulating my heart and mind as this site does. Not that I needed to say that. But heck, I just did!) and some people on there seem to thing of me as an evangelical fundamentalist. But on here it seems for some I am not evangelical enough! I love it. I love this board and the views of the Christians on here. I also like a bit of rough and tumble, as you may have guessed. But it is all done in love and good faith. I hope everyone I encounter knows that.

God bless