“A Month of Thankfulness” Devotional Series (Day 27)

“Concerning Them Which Are Asleep, That Ye Sorrow Not, Even As Others Which Have No Hope.”

SIH’s Think On These Things: 1 Thess 4:13-18

 

Paul, as he was led by the Holy Spirit of God, wrote comforting words for any of God’s people who are suffering from the death of a saved loved one.  His message of comfort is found in 1Thess 4:13-18 …

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
Christians can be comforted in the death of a beloved saint.  Great hope can be had by those who are missing a saved loved one.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
As followers of Christ, we believe that Christ arose from the tomb after three days and nights.  If Christ arose as an act of the power of God (Acts 2:24), this is proof that the resurrection of the saints is possible as well.  Also, since the Word of God clearly promises that the saved shall be raised (Matt 24:31, Phil 3:20-21 etc), there should be no doubt on behalf of His people of the future resurrection of the saints who have gone on before us.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:
Paul then reminds us that whether our body is in the grave or still alive on the earth, we will all be taken by Christ at His coming.  This wonderful promise of the resurrection and the following glorification of the saint’s body applies to all of God’s people.

and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
At the time of His return, He will return with the spirit of those saints that have passed away.  At that time, these spirits will be reunited with their (now glorified) bodies. If we are alive when His return takes place, we will be taken to be with Him and it will be at this time that we will be reunited with our loved ones.  If we pass away before His coming we will be reunited with the spirits of our loved ones in heaven at the time of our death (when our spirits leave our bodies and ascend to heaven).  Not only will we be reunited with those who know and love but we will also be united with the many saints of the Old and New Testament as well as all of the members of our spiritual family.  What a wonderful blessing that will be!

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
As Christians, we find great comfort in this promise from God’s Word.

Let’s say thanks to our Lord for the wonderful promise of being reunited with deceased loved ones and the great saints of old that we have come to love through the pages of His Word.

May the Lord bless us as we “Think On These Things”.

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