This is probably the deepest question within each of our hearts. We are not concerned about theory; we want to know what is going to happen to us. Will we still be the same persons we are now? Will we remember what happened to us in this life, and continue after death? Will the friendships we build in this life continue through eternity. What we are really asking is: Does resurrection mean that we will continue to have personal identity? Will personality survive the grave? 

Thank God, the Bible gives us an emphatic “yes” in answer to these questions. Many evidences are provided throughout Scripture for the continuity of our individual identity:  

 Jesus Christ has always been the same person though in different bodily form.

Jesus Christ has always been the Son of God with His unique personality. He was the pre-incarnate Word with the Father before creation and until He came to earth as a baby (John 1:1-14). He lived among us in a limited human body for 33 years. Then He was crucified, died, buried, and was raised from the dead with a new body. Resurrection had made some changes, but He was still the same Jesus they had known. He picked up with His disciples where He had left off and continued His preparation of them to be His witnesses. Jesus remained the same person through all His changes, and so shall we. 

 “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). 

 (Note: the Greek word for “same” means “one’s very self, unchangeable”) 

 “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:18).  

 Job asked and answered his own question about the continuance of personality. 

Personality means being a real person-being yourself and not somebody else. You have individual existence with unique personal characteristics. The total combination of characteristics which mark you as you and distinguish you from anybody else is your personality. Now listen to Job’s question and answer: 

“If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands “(Job 14:14, 15, emphasis mine).  

 “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me” (Job 19:25-27, emphasis mine).  

 What could be clearer! Job would be himself. Note, too, that the Hebrews considered “the reins”  (kidneys) as the seat of personhood, especially in our ability to make choices? Job has clearly prophesied the continuance of his ability to respond in personal ways, to recognize others, and to make decisions.  

 Jesus compared resurrection life to that of the angels. 

Angels are individual spirit beings. They have definite identity and are not confused with one another. A few of them have names recorded in Scripture: Gabriel, Michael, Lucifer, etc. They have personality, but their activities and relationships are different. Marriage is an earthly picture of the union between Christ and His Church. The need for this picture will be past once we are with Christ.  

“Jesus answered and said unto them. Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven (Matthew 22:29,30).  

 Paul stated that our resurrection bodies will have different glories. 

The same God who created us with different bodies and personalities in the first place, will give us a new body as it pleases Him-one that fits our own personality. The God who makes every single snowflake different and every blade of grass different, will not suddenly decide to make us all alike in resurrection bodies. Paul said:  

 “But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. All flesh is not the same flesh: hut there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in corruption” (1Corinthians 15:38-42, emphasis mine).  

These are only a few of the many Scriptures which teach the continuity of personality. We will not only know each other as we did here, but more so. Paul says  

“we will know as we are known-with perfect knowledge” (1 Corinthians 13:12).