God wants us to have a rational and firm hope concerning our eternal destiny.  The foundation for our hope is the fact that “Jesus died and rose again” (4:14).  If that didn’t happen any argument or expectation for hope is shattered.  Building on the resurrection of Jesus we “believe…God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”  Paul distinguishes between Jesus “dying” and believers “falling asleep.”  When Jesus died He was buried for three days, and then He arose from the grave.  40 days later He ascended into heaven.  When a believer dies he, that is his spirit and soul, the immaterial part of him, is immediately present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).  His body is buried.  Until Jesus comes for His own, the believer’s body remains in the grave.  When Jesus returns for His own, the spirits and souls of believers who died will come with Him.  Their bodies will be resurrected first and caught up with the living believers to meet the Lord in the air.  The bodies of those who died will be reunited with their spirit and soul.  They, like those who were alive at Jesus coming, will instantaneously be made complete in an immortal state and be with the Lord forever. 

What a blessed hope this is!  Comfort each other with this hope.