In an email, a friend told me she had been thinking about world suffering, and she was wondering how God decides who suffers and who is saved from suffering. After I replied to her question on suffering, she then asks another very insightful question.

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On December 30, 2014 6:03 PM my friend writes,

Everything you said makes sense. But a little overwhelming. One thing I don’t understand is the part about no more death. Does that mean that there will be no new life, like babies?

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December 31, 2014 8:45 AM

What an amazing question [I replied]. I have never considered that. “Does that mean that there will be no new life, like babies?” My gut, and from what I know about God, tells me, no, that’s not what it means. But, let me think about it and put the scriptures together in my mind. I do know that the bible calls death an enemy.

1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

But what about babies and new life? I love that question. I will be thinking about it all day :^)

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On January 3, 2015 12:50 PM I get back with her,

So I have given your question a bunch of thought. I even talked to a friend about it. She is into the 1000 year reign and Armageddon. Me, not so much. What I came up with is I don’t know what life will be like once death is destroyed. I know when Jesus Christ comes back that the dead in Christ, those people who have believed in Christ but didn’t live to see his return, will raise from the grave. The Christians that are alive at the time of Christ’s return will “be caught up together with them in the clouds.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [dead], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep [are dead] in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep [dead]. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

When this happens we will get a new body. A spiritual body.

1 Corinthians 15:50-57 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible [body] must put on incorruption, and this mortal [body] must put on immortality. So when this corruptible [body] shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal [body] shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I don’t know what our new life will be like after the last enemy, death, is destroyed, or whether there will be new life, like babies. I do know that what we have to look forward to will be better than anything we could possibly imagine.

I used to day dream about my idea of a perfect eternal life. My fantasies were in a constant state of development. Every day held the excitement of something new. I think my favorite eternal life was to have the dog of my youth, Shorty, by my side, relaxing on large piles of dirt in a lonely construction site, wearing low riding jeans and a clean white shirt; but without the agony, instability and pains of the past. And a must-have in all my imaginings is Hagan Das ice cream. All I want to eat, whenever I want to eat it. Chocolate chocolate chip. Yep, so much to look forward to. Those simple musings brought me comfort. A really wonderful thought is that when Jesus Christ returns, when all tears are wiped away, when there are the new heavens and the earth, it will be better than anything I can imagine. Much better.

So although I do not know what life will be like after everything is said and done, I have no doubt it will be magnificent! Beyond anything I could ask or think. I look forward to whatever it may be.