We have read over and reflected on what Paul said about the death of a believer in 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18. Now let’s try to understand what he articulated.
It is clear God wants us to have a rational and firm hope concerning our eternal destiny. The foundation of that hope is based on the historically verified fact that “Jesus died and rose again” (4:14). If that didn’t happen any argument or expectation for hope would be shattered.
Building on this foundation we are able to affirm, “So we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” It is not clear why he makes a distinction between Jesus “dying” and believers “falling asleep.” When Jesus died He was buried for three days, 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 body of the believer remains in the grave. In a sense it is dormant or asleep.
When Jesus comes for His own, the spirits and souls of believers who have died will come with Him. Their bodies will be resurrected first. Then their bodies will be caught up with the living believers to meet the Lord in the air. At the time of that meeting the bodies of those who have 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. We will be with the Lord forever.
What a blessed hope this is! Comfort each other with this hope.
