Will there be sex in heaven?

His answer is most simple, but He presses on them first the error of their own thoughts, due to their ignorance of the word of God and of the power of God. They were limiting God to the confines of their own narrow conceptions, as though in resurrection God must return man to conditions identical with such as prevail at present. Among other Old Testament scriptures, Isaiah 64:4 would have at least reproved their narrow thoughts. He tells them that in the resurrection marriage has no Place. Just as among the angels there is no question of difference in sex, so it will be in resurrection life. For resurrection introduces a totally new condition of things.

We find on another occasion that certain of the Sadducees came to Him, putting a difficulty, because of a woman supposed to be married to seven brethren. In the case reasoned on these seven successively died, and last of all the woman died also. In the resurrection then, they ask, whose wife should she be of the seven? The Lord at once points out that the difficulty was founded on ignorance of scripture or of the power of God. In the resurrection they shall neither marry, nor be given in marriage, but shall be like the angels; that is, like them in that respect, not in all things, for they will judge angels; but like them in so far as this, that there will be no distinction of sex — neither marrying nor given in marriage. "Neither can they die any more." But He adds, "They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, [or rather 'dispensation'] and the resurrection from the dead," etc. This would be an extraordinary expression, if all were raised at the same time. "They that shall be counted worthy to obtain that age;" for the last word does not refer to the material world, but to a special dispensation or age, which the unworthy do not obtain. Weigh the force of the phrase. The resurrection of the saints is in an age peculiar to themselves. "They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that age (the other dead are only raised after it), and the resurrection from the dead." The resurrection of Christ was not merely a resurrection of the dead, but out of the dead. He left them undisturbed in their tombs. There were certain saints who rose with Him, or rather came out of their graves after His resurrection; but the great mass of the dead were so far unaffected by Christ's resurrection. And so is it with the saints in principle. Theirs is to be a resurrection from among the dead. The rest of the dead must rise at another time; but they who shall be accounted worthy shall obtain that age, and the resurrection from the dead. They shall not die any more. Could God show more strongly, than by this language, a distinct and prior resurrection of the saints of God?

With simple, pointed words the Lord exposed their pathetic ignorance. Marriage is only for this world. He did not speak of those who die in their sins and will be raised for judgment at the Great White Throne; but only of those accounted worthy (by grace through faith) to obtain "that world," the glory of heaven, and the resurrection from among the dead. They neither marry nor are given in marriage (v.35). (Those unsaved will certainly not be married either, but will be raised only to be cast into the lake of fire.) Nor can death ever again touch those who have been raised, as at present it terminates the marriage relationship (vs.34-36). Moreover believers are as the angels which are neither male nor female, as we are told in regard to the new creation (Gal. 3:27-28). They are sons of God, having a relationship and dignity higher than all natural relationships, being sons of the resurrection, that is, introduced into a sphere that mere human intelligence has not penetrated.

Verse 1. "Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me," etc. That the subject of this chapter should have suggested itself to them is not at all surprising. They had been taught, as a rudimental doctrine of the gospel, the judicial setting aside of nature and its claims. How shallow soever their experimental knowledge of the cross, they knew at least its doctrinal intention, and had embraced it as the truth of God. They had learnt also, it may be well supposed, that in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage.2 Was it, then, incumbent on the believer, as one dead and risen with Christ, and a partaker of the heavenly calling, to demonstrate practically his severance from the world, by refusing to contract a tie which had for one of its chief objects the replenishing of the earth? 3 And again, if already married, did it become him to continue in that state in which the gospel had reached him in its soul-delivering power?

These and similar reflections were natural in their circumstances, and had no doubt found an expression in the enquiries addressed to the apostle. To all such surmisings on this subject he now returns the general reply: "It is good for a man not to touch a woman." The first thing to be noticed is the striking contrast which this positive declaration offers to the primitive oracle of God. When his Creator provided for the "earthly" man, He declared it not good for him to be alone.4 The woman was created for the man. But the believer, though still bearing outwardly the image of the earthly, is no longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit. He is in Christ; joined to the Lord by faith, and awaiting the moment of his change into the likeness of the heavenly, where sexes are unknown. Seeing, then, that in Christ there is neither male nor female,5 the apostle's answer is in strict keeping with the ground-truth of the gospel.

Under the sun, the new creation is manifested through the unaltered pattern of the old. Above it, there is neither male nor female, and no longer "flesh and blood." There is in this passage a blending of the old and new, some statements in the apostle's category being of permanent, and some of only temporal force. God will for ever be the Head of Christ; man in this body only is the head of woman; while in the glory ready to be revealed Christ is the head, not specifically of the man, but generally of the Church, which is His body and His bride. Headship should not be confounded with lordship. Christ is Lord of all, of the dead as of the living. He is the Head of the believing man, because Himself the true Adam, the image and glory of God — the pattern, therefore, and original of all who stand in Him by faith. Now "a woman in Christ" is a phrase unknown to the Spirit, though grace saves all alike. But there are women in the Church, which is the body of Christ, and the place wherein God's honour dwells. Being there, she owns an immediate subjection to the man, though both are heirs together of the grace of life. Lastly, the Head of Christ is God. Relatively to the Father, He is the eternal Son, co-equal in Godhead, but secondary in relation. As incarnate, and so "made of a woman," He was still the "only begotten of the Father," and therefore solitary in His perfectness, because "separate from sinners." As alive from the dead, He declares Himself to be "the beginning of the creation of God," thus filling the measure of pre-eminence by placing Himself, in His now abiding human form, at the head of that creation which He had first made and afterwards redeemed. As such, He is distinctively the Christ, or anointed One. But His honour and dignity proceed not from Himself, though it is His personal excellency that constitutes His title to pre-eminence. The form which He now wears, and will for ever wear, is a confession of One greater than Himself, not in natural relation only, but specifically as superior in name and place. The Head of Christ is God, who raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory.2

"The sons of this world," was His answer, "marry and are given in marriage; but they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. For [as we should read] neither can they die any more; for they are equal to the angels; and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection" (20:34-36). The Sadducees of that day, like many a person in subsequent ages, could conceive of nothing different from that which they had known. Here marriages take place. Hence in their thoughts, if there was a resurrection, marriages must also be contracted on high. Their deduction was fallacious. Marriages do not take place among the saints in heaven. And the Lord gives a reason for that, reported, as we find, only by Luke: "For [this important conjunction has been left out by the A.V.] neither can they die any more." Death reigns not there; hence marriage, by which the race is perpetuated on earth, has no place on high. Further, they are equal to angels, and all of them are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. The test case, so conclusive to those Sadducees against a resurrection, broke down at once. The condition necessitated for its validity will not exist. The Sadducees, trusting to their very limited knowledge, made shipwreck of the faith by denying a fundamental truth, as we now know that of the resurrection to be (1 Cor. 15:13-17). He who came down from heaven here declares the condition of saints in heaven, thereby showing the baselessness of Sadducean ground and the folly of their contention.

There is not a line in Scripture to say that the relationships of earth will be continued in heaven. We shall not rise as husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants, but in this respect shall be as the angels. We shall not be angels, as people vainly imagine, but like them in being free from earthly relationships. The believer will enjoy privileges, and heavenly relationships far above angels, and the passing relationships of the time state.

And the Gentile nations in the beginning of the millennium will also be converted. However, the human conditions of the earth will continue. The nations are not in a glorified state. Marriage will continue. Children will be born during the millennium. Indeed the earth will be populated as never before. Billions of human beings can be sustained upon our planet and they will come into existence by natural generation during the golden age of glory. Wars will be unknown. No longer will the flower of manhood be cruelly murdered by human passion in that legalized horrible thing called war. Earthquakes will no longer sweep thousands upon thousands into an untimely grave, nor can famines and pestilences claim their millions. Nor will there be the great infant mortality. Physical death will no longer be the universal rule, but rather an exception (see Isaiah 65:20).

There is only one other passage I would refer to on this point. It has always been a favourite with the weary pilgrim. I mean the Lord's own words to the penitent thief, "Today shalt thou be WITH ME in paradise." The sweetness, the comfort, the rest of heart which this assurance gives is beyond all expression. There "with the Lord" and with loved ones who have gone before, the soul rests, clothed in light, and breathing the air of heaven. The mother has found her firstborn, long, long gone before her, 'but never forgotten. And oh! what a fresh spring to her worship! "O, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together," will now be their joyous song. And there, too, the husband meets the wife of his youth, who was early called, but whose hearts were formed to love, not only for time, but for eternity. True, human relationships will be unknown there, but hearts and loves remain for ever.

Some may be wondering about marriage relationships for those resurrected. God says in Matthew 22:30 that "in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven." Christ will be our only Bridegroom. We will need nothing more to be completely fulfilled in every possible sense, just as the angels are fully happy with their unique place in God's creation.