Heaven will be good even without marriage or sexual intimacy because God, the Author of all true pleasure, has prepared delights far greater than anything we experience on earth. Jesus teaches that in the resurrection, we will be like the angels, and earthly relationships and pleasures will be surpassed by eternal joy (Matthew 22:29-30). Earthly pleasures, like marriage and sex, point to deeper realities but pale in comparison to what God has planned for eternity. Just as a child who loves model airplanes will one day delight in flying a real plane, our current joys are only glimpses of the greater fulfillment to come. Paul reminds us that no human mind can fully imagine the wonders God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9). In heaven, our satisfaction will come from perfect, unbroken fellowship with God, where every longing and desire finds its ultimate fulfillment. The gifts we enjoy now are good, but the best is yet to come, and eternity with God will far exceed anything we have known.
A comedian once quipped, “If there is no sex in heaven, where is the reward?” Aiming for a quick laugh, he nevertheless posed a legitimate question. We often forget that sexual intimacy is one of God’s many creations. Furthermore, it is God’s gift to a lawfully wedded man and woman, and unless it is abused or misused, there is nothing dirty or vulgar about sex. Why, then, should there be no marriage and sexual intimacy in heaven?
Imagine a young boy who loves to build and collect model airplanes. Nothing pleases him more than to begin work on a new model kit. While other kids are playing basketball or immersed in video games, he lives in a world of miniature B-17s and Lockheed F-35s. In his mind, there is nothing better than a scale model airplane kit. Twenty years later, our young model builder is flying a Boeing 737. He loves his work. Nothing makes him happier than to be in the cockpit of his big bird. And guess what? He no longer builds little plastic airplanes, because real airplanes are far more fun.
The point is this: The pleasures of this world are wonderful, but they pale in comparison to the pleasures we shall enjoy in the next world. What delights us now points to a greater reality in eternity. What thrills us now might be little more than a plastic model airplane in the endless ages to come. Indeed, the Apostle Paul wrote, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (I Corinthians 2:9 NLT).
God has something better in store for us. Better than marriage? Yes. Better than sexual intimacy? Yes. And what is that? It is the full, unbroken joy of being in perfect relationship with Him, where every desire, every longing, and every pleasure is fulfilled in ways we cannot yet imagine. In eternity, our deepest satisfaction will not come from earthly experiences but from the infinite, eternal delight of knowing and enjoying God Himself. God has graciously given us good gifts in this life, but the best is yet to come. You won’t want to miss it!
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