June 28: Do not grieve as the rest

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.   (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 — New American Standard Bible)

When a true Christian dies or “falls asleep” (in the words of this passage) the body is separated from the spirit and soul. Our soul goes to be with the Lord Jesus, and our body is placed in the ground. Every Christian that has passed away is now in paradise, in the presence of Jesus. When Jesus comes again He will appear with them and their bodies will be resurrected and become glorious immortal bodies. At the same time, those who are alive when He comes will be instantly changed and all of Jesus’ people will go to be with Him forever. This is why Christians do not fear death — they have overcome it! We do not grieve like the rest who have no hope.

When you surrender you life completely to the Lord Jesus Christ, physical death is not what it is to the rest of the world. Most people dread death, and do all they can to avoid it. A funeral is a sad experience for them, the end of their life. But for us, death is not death at all. The only death that a Christian experiences is baptism in water, the death of the flesh. Physical death is simply the end of life on earth, and the beginning of life in paradise, and later heaven. In fact, when we are truly spiritual, like the apostle Paul, we don’t know whether to choose to stay on earth and do more for God, or die physically and go to be with Him.

These truths should comfort us, and at the same time motivate us to help others to know the Lord Jesus like we do. How freeing it is to have no fear of death.