‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead but of the living. (Matthew 22:32)
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were three generations of one family, and the Israelites are the descendants of Jacob. Throughout the history of Israel in the Old Testament, God frequently reminded them that He is their God, starting with their ancestors, who believed in Him, followed Him, and worshiped Him. God is the God of the family, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and also the God of every family among us. Not every descendant of Abraham deeply knew God. His grandson Jacob, who is Israel, experienced various ups and downs in life before gradually coming to know and honour Him. However, the God of their ancestor Abraham continually sought His descendants, establishing a relationship with them, making the God of the family also the God of each individual member within the family.
This verse not only reminds us that God is the God of the family, but also that He is the God of the living, not the dead. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are all deceased, but Jesus referred to the God of these ancestors as the God of the living, not the dead, to refute the Sadducees’ claim that there is no resurrection. He pointed out that their ancestors are alive and will experience resurrection. Many people believe that death means disappearing and ceasing to exist. However, many people of faith, regardless of their religion, believe that after death, a person transforms and exists in another form, though those still living are unaware and cannot perceive it.
For Christians, what exactly happens after death? God is the God of those who have passed away as well as the living. Although the bodies of those who have died decay, their lives continue in a different form or existence. As Paul said, “I desire to depart and be with Christ.” Life without a body awaits the end of the world. At that time, God will grant us bodies that will no longer decay and our lives will be complete. But now, life without a body is still with the Lord, in a state of rest with Him.
Some people imagine the afterlife in terms of space, needing a place or a space for those who have passed away. But do they immediately enter heaven, or only enter it at the final resurrection? There seem to be different interpretations. However, I am certain of one thing: from the moment we believe in the Lord, we are already with the Lord. Eternal life is life spent forever with God. Those who live in faith are with the Lord, and those who have passed away are also in Christ. At the end of days, in paradise, they will have resurrected bodies and be with the Lord even more.
Since God is the God of the living, both our ancestors and we are with the Lord through faith. Although we exist in different forms and those still living cannot temporarily communicate or connect with those who have passed away, we are united through the Lord. Even across different times and spaces, we can sing hymns, read Scripture, and remember the lives of believers, experiencing fellowship and communion in the Lord.
I believe in the communion of saints, which represents the connection of believers throughout history and from different places, united in the Lord, sharing and receiving grace from Him.
Rev Wai Chor Chiu