Eternity with Christ

For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 NIV

Paul’s belief on the return of Christ reuniting both those alive and those “asleep” sharing in the glory of His coming is even affirmed by Jesus’ own word. “According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:15). Then he proceeded to expound on the details of how this event will transpire: “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). The purpose is not to give the exact and complete chronology of the event. The point Paul is emphasizing is that “those who have fallen asleep” will meet Jesus before those who live at His coming. Since both groups are in the Lord, they will then be together to be with their Savior for eternity and therefore equal in relation to Jesus. The conclusion of the matter, and the ultimate purpose for this discussion, is comfort and encouragement: “Therefore encourage each other with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18). Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, all those who believe in Him, whether dead or alive, will rise again to eternal life. If we live in Christ, we shall die in Christ, and if we die in Christ, we shall be raised with Christ when He returns. The clear teaching of Scripture is that at death, the Christian comes into the everlasting presence of God. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

Blessings,