Question: Today I happened to read this:
“But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God Isaac, and the God of Jacob,’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” (Matthew 22:31-32).
On the surface, this passage would seem to speak against the idea that the patriarchs are dead, but instead that they have some sort of present existence. I can only surmise that you would explain this by saying that Jesus is speaking of that which will be as if it currently is—so great is the reality/truth of the promise of the resurrection. In other words, God’s plan/promises will be accomplished, and so just as Abraham pre-existed [in the mind and plan of God], Abraham has a sort of post-existence in the mind of God? Otherwise, I cannot think of a way in which this could be explained without the patriarchs actually having some sort of current “being” in the presence of God.
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Author: Philip P. Kapusta
Keywords: Going to heaven, God of Abraham, Heaven, Immortal soul, In heaven, Life in heaven, Souls in heaven, Eternal soul, Immortal spirit, Heaven going, God of the living, God of the dead
Bible reference(s): Matthew 22:31-32, Mark 12:26-27, Luke 20:37-38
Source: Philip P. Kapusta.
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