Will There Be Scars in Heaven?
Will There Be Scars in Heaven?
Introduction: Have you ever thought about if there are going to be any scars in heaven? On the one hand, undoubtedly, we will have a brand New Body. Imagine that! The further we get down this road called life the more precious this becomes. Right?
Speaking of a new body, some people say when they go to the breakfast table they hear the “Snap, Crackle, and Pop,” but it is not their cereal! Well, anyway! I just had the privilege of preaching a dear 98-year-old man’s funeral a few days ago. He told me, “Pastor, what doesn’t hurt, doesn’t work!” He further said, “My get up and go, has got up and gone!!” Now he is with Jesus in heaven without any pain.
Will Jesus have the nail prints in His hands? Most argue in the affirmative that Jesus will indeed have the scars that He bore on earth, particularly the ones He endured during His crucifixion. Remember, Jesus Christ died a cruel death to pay a price that He did not owe being without sin. But because of His perfect “sacrifice,” which satisfied the righteous demands of a holy God, the debt we owed because of sin (Romans 6:23) can be paid in full through His redeeming blood. That is great news!
Consider the logical deduction among those who say that Jesus will have scars in heaven:
1) Look at the Gospel of John! (John 20:20, 25, 27, 28)—“And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord… Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.”
Remember, this is after Jesus had been crucified and then resurrected from the dead. In this passage, Thomas the doubter turns into Thomas the shouter! When Thomas personally witnessed the risen Christ’s Scars, he believed. Listen to his response. He said, “My Lord and my God!” Wow!! Have you gone from Doubting To Shouting?
2) Consider the writings of the old testament prophet Zechariah! (Zechariah 12:10, 11)—“…and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem.”
Zechariah, who was both a prophet and priest, writes specifically to the Jewish remnants who returned from Persian captivity of 70 years to Jerusalem for the purpose of rebuilding the temple.
However, prophetically speaking, his focus in the last chapters of the book are in regards to the “Day of Lord.” More specifically, he mentions Jesus Christ’s second coming. Since the Jews rejected His kingdom when Christ came the first time, it will be God’s will that they receive Him as their Messiah—Savior and Lord—when He returns.
On another note, however there are some Christians who are not sure about scars in heaven because they wonder why John in the book of Revelation does not make reference to the “scars” in the glorified Jesus Christ’s hands, feet, or side.
3) Read John’s description of the Glorified Christ! (Revelation 1:12-16)—“His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.” Perhaps, John is focused on the glorified Christ who no longer is hanging on a cruel Roman cross, but instead He has conquered death, hell and the devil! He’s Alive! While we do not want to ever forget the ultimate price for our sins—paid in full by Jesus Christ’s precious blood, our focus now should be on our Risen Lord and soon coming King!!
Conclusion: While there is good reasoning to believe that our Lord Jesus will have scars in heaven, it does not seemingly appear to be in Scripture that we will have any scars in heaven—no handicaps or deformities. Why? The answer comes echoing down through the centuries.
According to both John and Paul’s writing, we will have a body like Jesus Christ. “Beloved now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).
“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20, 21).
Well one thing is for sure, despite the debate about scars in heaven, God is going to wipe away all of our tears! There will be no more sorrow, suffering, or sin! Are you looking forward to that day?
For more teaching from the Bible visit the Until That Day YouTube Channel at youtube.com/untilthatday. Until That Day is an outreach ministry of New Rocky Creek Baptist Church. For the livestream of New Rocky Creek’s weekly services, visit facebook.com/newrockycreekbaptist every Sunday morning at 8:45 a.m.