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Hi, nostr: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 , I appreciate your note.

I hesitated to respond before I had a chance to check it out in context, but as it turns out that does not change my reply. While my default assumption is to respect Heiser's opinions, I can't go with him here. He starts by questioning the "traditional" assumption that the heart of the issue in this passage from Matthew is sex:

> ““Appeal is usually made to Matthew 22:23–33 in this regard, under the assumption that verse 30 teaches that angels cannot engage in sexual intercourse:”

I'm with him so far. This is *clearly* an *assumption.* But he then immediately follows that with an assumption of his own:

> “The text does not say angels cannot have sexual intercourse; it says they don’t.”

Nowhere in the Matthew text or context does it say anything of the kind; this is pure extrapolation on Heiser's part. He then carries this assumption further, applying an incomplete and unwarranted logic:

> “In like manner, life in the perfected Edenic world also does not require maintaining the human species by having children—everyone has an immortal resurrection body.”

While this is a "true" statement in and of itself (i.e., by the incredible kindness of Jesus our God and King, we WILL have immortal resurrection bodies), and while it is true that "maintaining the human species" would consequently be a given WITHOUT reproduction, it absolutely does not follow that expanding the human population and presence in the universe is uncontemplated or in any way illogical or forbidden.

As I make the case in the fictionalized article I cited to begin this thread, NOWHERE in scripture do we ever find God rescinding the creation mandate for humanity to "be fruitful and multiply and fill *the earth* (Hebrew "eh'-rets" which Paul renders in Greek as "cosmos" in Romans 4:13)."

Marakesh 𓅦 1y ago

Good response, and I thought you might say that. 😉

It had occurred to me after reading Heiser as well that why would the human population that enters the resurrection simply be maintained rather than expanding? When you look at how vast the universe is, it seems to me that it might be God's intent that we go and fill it, and that probably requires more than those redeemed humans from this life who enter the resurrection.

It just seems odd to contemplate sex without marriage (as a Christian; I know unbelievers and adulterers do it all the time, in this life). Heiser accepts the idea that "the sons of God" in Scripture are angels and that they can and have in the past reproduced with human women, so if that's true, why wouldn't there be sex in the next world?

Thanks for responding and I hope you are well.

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Discussion

Duncan Cary Palmer 1y ago

Hey, Friend!

> "...why would the human population that enters the resurrection simply be maintained rather than expanding?"

Exactly. There is absolutely no logical or biblical reason.

> "When you look at how vast the universe is, it seems to me that it might be God's intent that we go and fill it, and that probably requires more than those redeemed humans from this life who enter the resurrection."

Have you never wondered what we'll be doing for *eternity*?🤔 And, even if the current population of our planet were all redeemed, there are far too few of us! We must expand in order to subdue the rest of the universe.

> "It just seems odd to contemplate sex without marriage (as a Christian)..."

I understand your discomfort; but, have you read my article?😯

Our endless future will NOT be "without marriage!" It will, according to scripture, be WITH and IN the ultimate, complete, *fulfilled* state of marriage... The TRUE marriage that God, from day one, intended all of our earthly marriages to be a model and a foretaste of.

I really appreciate your open and thoughtful discussion. As heirs and followers of King Jesus, our future is blindingly bright in every possible way.😃🚀😄💜🫂💖😆👍