Will there be such a thing as "gender" in Heaven?
The Bible states that God is called "Father". Some say the Bible doesn't explicitly address whether people will have genders in heaven, however, scripture gives us some important things to consider:
Gender is part of nature: Gender is more than just physical, but also spiritual, and part of how people relate to God. There would really be no reason or purpose for gender change.
If you will notice, Jesus retained His gender, after his death and resurrection. There is nothing in the Bible that indicates people will lose or change their gender. In fact, we will know our brothers and sisters and mother and father in Heaven, if they were saved and went to heaven. Further, human fatherhood only imperfectly reflects God's fatherhood.
In the Bible people ask Jesus how to pray and in Luke 11:1-13, Jesus taught his disciples to pray, "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,....". This prayer teaches six steps: address God as Father, praise God, acknowledge God's plan, ask for what you need, confess your sins, and repent.
Note that the Bible talks about Michael and Gabriel as archangels. There is nothing in the Bible that indicates angels are genderless, or that people will lose or change their gender. Paul states in 1 Corinthians12:13 ("For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.") This verse is more concerned with a "new covenantal identity" that denotes equality of value across social categories while not erasing gender distinction.
Paul has no need to declare the abolition of gender: ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male and female; point being.....'for you are all one in Christ Jesus’, which declares both that access to salvation is indiscriminate and that, in Christ, social categories have been relativised so as to afford all believers equal value, giving rise to a community of selfless servitude and love.
In 1957, Martin Luther King Jr.wrote, "Racial segregation is a blatant denial of the unity which we all have in Christ." He also alluded to the verse at the end of his "I Have a Dream" speech. Likewise, Paul is concerned with our new identity in Christ, conferred upon believers, when they receive the Spirit.
Now as far as reproduction, we will have no need, however that doesn't mean our whole gender changes. We will still be who we are and we will recognize each other, the Bible is clear on that. Even Jesus said, "If you have seen Me, then you have seen my Father, which is in heaven."
Will I still be "me" in heaven?
Yes, but our gender will not matter. The passage that bears on the matter of relationships in the kingdom of heaven, is again, Gal 3:28. "There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are "one" in Christ Jesus." That is, when we get to heaven, we will all be "one in the Spirit". None above the other.
Notice that scripture also says there will be no marrying or giving in marriage, Ephesians 5:22-33, and Revelation 21:1-4 - indicating no need for reproduction, so this is why we will look the same, so we can recognize each other in heaven, but we will receive brand new heavenly bodies, which will have no need for reproduction nor elimination. We will have brand new Spirit bodies, like the Lord, so in that respect, it seems we may be without the ability to reproduce, nor have those organs, as they will have been only been useful, here on Earth. In Heaven, we will be like the angels, which is to say we will be immortal and incapable of dying. There is no need to procreate.
Who's wife will she be?
Matthew 22:27-30 - "So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.” Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God. For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage."
What about if a trans person went to heaven, would they be the gender they identify with?
This is easy enough to answer, if you’re willing to search the scriptures. Matthew 22:29–30 - Marrying and given in marriage are references to male and female roles. I don't think we get here any other way. 😉
But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven”.
Our bodies will be made new, and since we know that we will have eternal life in heaven, we know that our bodies in heaven will not die. No more decay. No aging. There is no "time" in heaven. Second Peter 3:8 tells us that one day is like a thousand years in heaven. "But do not forget this one thing dear friends, with the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day."
One of the joys of Heaven, is that we will see and know our brothers and sisters in Christ. However, the greatest joy, will be seeing and living with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Gender is part of nature: Gender is more than just physical, but also spiritual, and part of how people relate to God. There would really be no reason or purpose for gender change.
If you will notice, Jesus retained His gender, after his death and resurrection. There is nothing in the Bible that indicates people will lose or change their gender. In fact, we will know our brothers and sisters and mother and father in Heaven, if they were saved and went to heaven. Further, human fatherhood only imperfectly reflects God's fatherhood.
In the Bible people ask Jesus how to pray and in Luke 11:1-13, Jesus taught his disciples to pray, "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,....". This prayer teaches six steps: address God as Father, praise God, acknowledge God's plan, ask for what you need, confess your sins, and repent.
Note that the Bible talks about Michael and Gabriel as archangels. There is nothing in the Bible that indicates angels are genderless, or that people will lose or change their gender. Paul states in 1 Corinthians12:13 ("For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.") This verse is more concerned with a "new covenantal identity" that denotes equality of value across social categories while not erasing gender distinction.
Paul has no need to declare the abolition of gender: ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male and female; point being.....'for you are all one in Christ Jesus’, which declares both that access to salvation is indiscriminate and that, in Christ, social categories have been relativised so as to afford all believers equal value, giving rise to a community of selfless servitude and love.
In 1957, Martin Luther King Jr.wrote, "Racial segregation is a blatant denial of the unity which we all have in Christ." He also alluded to the verse at the end of his "I Have a Dream" speech. Likewise, Paul is concerned with our new identity in Christ, conferred upon believers, when they receive the Spirit.
Now as far as reproduction, we will have no need, however that doesn't mean our whole gender changes. We will still be who we are and we will recognize each other, the Bible is clear on that. Even Jesus said, "If you have seen Me, then you have seen my Father, which is in heaven."
Will I still be "me" in heaven?
Yes, but our gender will not matter. The passage that bears on the matter of relationships in the kingdom of heaven, is again, Gal 3:28. "There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are "one" in Christ Jesus." That is, when we get to heaven, we will all be "one in the Spirit". None above the other.
Notice that scripture also says there will be no marrying or giving in marriage, Ephesians 5:22-33, and Revelation 21:1-4 - indicating no need for reproduction, so this is why we will look the same, so we can recognize each other in heaven, but we will receive brand new heavenly bodies, which will have no need for reproduction nor elimination. We will have brand new Spirit bodies, like the Lord, so in that respect, it seems we may be without the ability to reproduce, nor have those organs, as they will have been only been useful, here on Earth. In Heaven, we will be like the angels, which is to say we will be immortal and incapable of dying. There is no need to procreate.
Who's wife will she be?
Matthew 22:27-30 - "So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.” Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God. For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage."
What about if a trans person went to heaven, would they be the gender they identify with?
This is easy enough to answer, if you’re willing to search the scriptures. Matthew 22:29–30 - Marrying and given in marriage are references to male and female roles. I don't think we get here any other way. 😉
But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven”.
Our bodies will be made new, and since we know that we will have eternal life in heaven, we know that our bodies in heaven will not die. No more decay. No aging. There is no "time" in heaven. Second Peter 3:8 tells us that one day is like a thousand years in heaven. "But do not forget this one thing dear friends, with the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day."
One of the joys of Heaven, is that we will see and know our brothers and sisters in Christ. However, the greatest joy, will be seeing and living with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
