What Jehovah’s Witnesses Teach
Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that marriage is a sacred arrangement established by Jehovah God for mankind but that it will not exist in the resurrection. They base this on Jesus’ words at Luke 20:35-36, where he says that the resurrected ones “neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they are like the angels in heaven.” From this, Jehovah’s Witnesses conclude that there will be no need for marriage, sexual relations, or family ties in Paradise because God’s original purpose for marriage was to fill the earth. When this purpose is fulfilled, they believe that the marriage arrangement becomes superfluous.
Furthermore, they believe that after the resurrection, humans will live in a Paradise relationship where the focus is on Jehovah’s service and that human relationships will not be necessary in the same way as they are today. It is also suggested that sexual desire and need will disappear in the new world, so that people will not experience a longing for marriage or physical intimacy.
What the Bible Actually Says
Jesus says that the resurrected ones in Luke 20:35-36 that people after the resurrection will not marry or be married off, but he does not directly say that sex or sexual feelings will cease.
Jesus also says that humans will become “like the angels.” To understand what this means, we need to consider how angels’ relationship with marriage and sex is discussed in the Bible. Genesis 6:1-4 describes “the sons of God” (interpreted as angels) who came to earth and took women as their wives. This shows that angels have the ability to materialize and perform sexual acts with humans, even if this was not part of their original creative arrangement. The angels who did this sinned and were punished (Jude 6-7, 2 Peter 2:4). But that doesn’t mean that needs similar to sexual needs don’t exist in the spirit world—it just means that angels weren’t meant to have sex with humans. Seen in the context where Jesus is talking about marriage, and not sexuality, Jesus is probably referring to the fact that there will not be marriages in Paradise in the same way that angels are not married to each other.
The Bible also shows that humans will be resurrected to life on earth, not in heaven (Psalm 37:29, Matthew 5:5). In Paradise, all those who have ruled as kings in heaven during the 1000-year kingdom will have returned to earth (see chapter 4 about generation). If people are to continue to be physically alive, without being transformed into spiritual beings, it is natural to assume that their bodily functions, including sexuality, will still exist.
Why Sex Is Unlikely to Cease
The marriage arrangement in the Bible is closely related to the family arrangement and God’s command in Genesis 1:28 about “multiplying and replenishing the earth.” Once Paradise is established and the earth is filled, there will be no need for reproduction. This means that the purpose of marriage as a reproductive institution is fulfilled and it can therefore cease.
But this does not necessarily mean that sexuality disappears. Human beings are created with sexual needs and the capacity for intimacy, not only for reproduction but also for pleasure and love. After all, humans are created as men and women, and there is no reason to believe that humans will become neuter in Paradise. Nor does the Bible give any indication that God will modify humans so that they lose the ability to have sex or to feel sexual desire. Jehovah has never before removed a quality that he has created. The Bible gives no reason to believe that God will “remake” man in such a way after the 1000-year kingdom. Ecclesiastes 3:14 says, “Everything that God does endures forever.” This suggests that God’s creation will not be changed, but rather completed in harmony with His original purpose.
Why Sex Outside Marriage in Paradise Is Not a Sin
A common understanding today is that sex outside of marriage is a sin, but this is based on the current marriage arrangement. Since Jesus says that marriage will end in the new world, it is reasonable to assume that moral standards will also change.
We have many examples of things that were previously sin, for example for the Jews, no longer being sin for the Christians and vice versa. We see the same thing in the transition from the first humans to the Jews under the Mosaic Law. During the early generations of the Bible, it was not uncommon for people to marry close relatives. Adam and Eve’s children had to have children with their siblings, and Abraham married his half-sister Sarah (Exodus 20:12). Lot’s daughters had sex with their father and both became pregnant (1. (Exodus 19:38,36). Under the Mosaic Law, marriage between close relatives was forbidden (Leviticus 3:1). (Exodus 18:6-18), which shows a change in what is considered sin. Another example is that under the Mosaic Law it was forbidden to eat certain types of food, but which for Christians were no longer sin (Leviticus 3:1). See Genesis 11:4-12, Acts 10:9-15, and Romans 14:14). Similarly, based on Jesus’ statement that no one will marry, there is reason to believe that mankind’s current view of marriage and sexuality will change in Paradise.
The Bible does not tell us whether people will find a specific partner for all eternity, or whether it will be possible to have sexual relations with different people. We do not know. In the absence of marriage as we know it today, we must also be open to the possibility that God’s standards of intimacy may be different from those we live by now. Revelation 20:12 mentions that “books were opened,” indicating that new guidelines for life in Paradise will be made known to mankind.
When does the marriage arrangement end?
It is only after the 1000-year kingdom (Revelation 20:7-10) when Satan is released and it is decided who remains loyal that there can be a change in the status of mankind. When God’s purpose is fulfilled and children are no longer born, marriage will likely cease to be a formal institution. But this does not necessarily mean that all intimate relationships disappear.
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