Will we think about family and friends that are still living on earth? We simply don’t know, for Scripture doesn’t tell us that BELIEVERS will be thinking of them. But we do have one example of an UNBELIEVER who died and in Hades he was thinking about his family. I’m referring to the “rich man” in Luke 15:27 who said to Abraham, “I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment” (NKJV). It is obvious this man, who died without trusting in Christ as his Savior, thought immediately of his unsaved loved ones and desired Abraham to send Lazarus (who had died and gone to heaven…see verse 22) to witness to them of God’s salvation. But we read nothing about Lazarus “thinking of his family” so it is best to avoid speculation. We do know that we will be very much occupied with heaven itself and especially with the One who died so we could go to heaven. To illustrate this let’s read Revelation 5:6, 8-9: “And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, STOOD A LAMB AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN SLAIN…the twenty four elders FELL DOW BEFORE THE LAMB…and they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals.; FOR YOU WERE SLAIN, AND HAVE REDEEMED US TO GOD BY BLOOD.” Our Savior, the Lamb of God, will be our main focus in heaven! Our minds and our hearts will continually be drawn out in worship to Him for “redeeming us to God by His blood.”

Will I remember my life here? I would again refer to Luke 16 where Abraham said to the rich man, “Son, REMEMBER in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.” This surely teaches us that the unsaved will remember their life here on earth. They will remember how God had blessed them with earthly blessings, and they will no doubt recall every time God tried to witness to them of the salvation He was offering to them in Christ crucified and risen. But will believers remember their life on earth? I believe they will. Scripture may not state this DIRECTLY, but it is surely IMPLIED in several passages. I will quote 2^nd Corinthians 5:10 and 1^st Corinthians 3:13-14 that support this view: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive THE THINGS DONE IN THE BODY, according to what he has done, whether good or bad…EACH ONE’S WORK WILL BECOME CLEAR; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test EACH ONE’S WORK, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.” Here we learn that all believers will appear before Christ to have their life on earth manifested and every GOOD DEED and WORK OF SERVICE for Christ will be rewarded. It’s possible we will have forgotten many things that we did in our life on earth, but Christ (Who knows all things) will faithfully reveal all and everything that was done for His honor and glory, and in His strength, will receive its just reward. I would add 1^st Corinthians 13:12 to support this view: “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.” Our knowledge THEN (in heaven) of Scripture, God’s dealings with us in grace as He led us into truth, and many other things we experienced on earth will far surpass the feeble knowledge we have right NOW (on earth).

Will there be Bibles in heaven? There are two passages which come to mind. In Psalm 119:89 we read, “Forever, O LORD, Your WORD IS SETTLED IN HEAVEN.” And in 1^st Peter 1:24-25 we read, “All flesh is as grass…the grass withers and its flower falls away, but THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.” The Bible, which is “the Word of God,” will never pass away! I’m not sure we will have actual Bibles in heaven, but God’s Word will be an integral part of our experience in heaven. We will no doubt meet the men whom God inspired to write the Bible; we will be able to converse with them and enjoy the truth of God’s Word together. And let’s remember, the Bible is “God’s written Word” and its main theme is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is “the Living Word.” John 1:1 declares, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Verse 14 goes on to say, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” He is called “the Word” because He is the Person in the Trinity/Godhead who reveals God to us. So, we will have the written Word and the living Word in heaven to learn more about God and to cause our hearts to well up in eternal praise to Him Who is worthy!  (395.3)  (DO)