These thoughts barely scratch the surface, but here we go.
What would life be like if we lived forever and didn’t die?
If nothing could kill you, then could anything injure you?
If you did cut your finger, would there be a chance of infection? Infection
left unchecked would ultimately lead to death. That is not an option. Would the
cut hurt? Or, like now, would it slowly heal on its own? The other alternative
is that the injury would remain the same for eternity. If it kept hurting for
eternity, then endless life would be endless torment. Would your eyes progressively
deteriorate? Being symptoms of death, I don’t think wounds and chronic problems
could exist. Aging certainly would not. Physical suffering would be ended.
Would we have careers? Would you be a real estate salesman
for countless millennia? Would we work at all? Would we need to eat or have a
heated house? Would we need money? Starving to death is not a possibility. So
why work? Would we need to maintain our possessions? Would our property (like
an iPod) be temporary while we are enduring? Would Apple be in business? Why? What
is their motive for making an iPod if not for money? Could it be that the
motive would be love of music? Because music is pleasing? The thing in and of
itself, be it music, art, or poetry, would be its reason for existence. So
there might be work done so that our senses could be exercised, but not out of
necessity.
Would we measure time? Words like “year” and “then” would
disappear. Would history, the record of events over time, be recorded? Why
record what Paul Revere did when you could ask him. If I didn’t see you now, I’d
see you later. I’d have time for everything. There would be no such thing as
busyness.
Would we have family? Would we be married for billions and
billions of years? Would I be in an endless family unit? Would my kids be my
kids forever? Would I have grandkids, great grandkids, and then great, great
grandkids? Would they be kids forever? If not, at what point would babies stop “aging?”
What would be the difference between a baby, a seventeen year old, and an 84
year old man? At what age would a child stop changing and be in a static state?
This seems to rule out child bearing which may rule out sexual relations. If we
don’t have sex there, it tells me two things. First is that those who enter
into this life are a numbered lot. Secondly it tells me there are pleasures
that are greater than sex to be had. But it seems each individual would know
and relate to every other individual. Memories of relationships in this life
would likely exist and special bonds may be held because of it.
***
Supplemental
Reading: Biblical glimpses
of life without end:
“ Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection,
and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live; and
whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. Believest thou this? She
saith unto him, Yea, Lord” John 11:25-27
“And I saw a new heaven and a new
earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is
no more… and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be
no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the
first things are passed away… And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of
the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp
thereof is the Lamb…
and there shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an
abomination and a lie: but only they that are written in the Lamb's book of
life…” Revelation 21:1, 4, 23, & 27
“…
and they shall see his face; and his name shall be on their foreheads. And there shall
be night no more; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun; for the
Lord God shall give them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever… Blessed
are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of
life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. Without are the dogs, and
the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and
every one that loveth and maketh a lie.” Revelation 22:4-5, 14-15
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all
shall not sleep, 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 must put on
incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this
corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on
immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is
swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy
sting? The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law: but thanks
be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1
Corinthians 15:51-57
