Is there any scripture pro or con indicating whether or not those that have died in Christ and gone to heaven still remember the lives and relationships they left back on earth? I’ve been told by several people that I respect that they don’t because that might cause them to worry or suffer grief. And although that makes sense to me they can’t give me any scripture to back this up either way. Others have said that they do remember and bring up the story of Lazarus and the rich man, but is that all there is in scripture about this subject. I am wondering what your opinion on this might be.
Isaiah 65:17 says, “Behold I will create new heavens and a new Earth, the former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” In Rev. 21:1 John used this verse to open his description of the New Jerusalem at the beginning of the Millennium. In Rev. 21:4 he said that for its residents (the Church) there would be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away.
To me these two statements mean that by the time the Millennium begins any unpleasant memories from our old life on Earth will be erased so that nothing can inhibit the unrestrained joy we’ll experience in our new one. Whether or not this happens at the time of death for those whose lives end during the Church Age is not disclosed.