| Once people fulfill Romans 10:9-10 they immediately obtain salvation, getting born-again not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever (1Peter 1:23). This is that word which springs out as fountains of living waters when the spirit-filled person begins calling upon the name of the Lord. (Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13). The fantastic and glorious truth of God's word reveals that these people will be saved from the great tribulation period as well as the Day of the Lord. Both of these future events, which are recorded in the book of Revelations, will not come to pass until after Jesus Christ returns for the body of Christ. This will be a very glorious day for God's children! The epistle of 1Thessalonians 4:13-18 opens up the truth of God's word on this glorious day. "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." It is God's will that we not be ignorant or lacking in knowledge concerning those who have died. And that we not sorrow as others who do not have this hope of the return of Christ. Only those who are born-again of spiritual seed from God have this hope of the return of Christ. "For if we believe that Jesus died and was rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." Because Jesus Christ died and God raised him from the dead, all who have died in the Lord Jesus will be gathered with him. God will bring all of His children with Jesus Christ. Read on. It gets really exciting!! "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." A couple of things need to be mentioned in order to help avoid confusion. The coming of the Lord refered to here is not the same as the Lord's Day as recorded in Revelations. Secondly, the word "prevent" comes from a earlier Greek word which refered to coming before something. In other words, they which are alive will not come before them which have died. Let God's word interpret itself in the context. Read on. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first." So there it is. We didn't even need to find the more accurate translation of "prevent." The dead in Christ absolutely shall rise first. Notice it does not say that God will descend. But the Lord Jesus Christ will descend. There's more. "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." First, the Lord Jesus Christ shall descend from heaven. Next, the dead in Christ shall rise first. Finally, them who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with the others to meet the Lord in the air. God also makes it very plain that all of God's children shall be forever in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ. This verse reveals a distinction between Christ's return for the Body, and the Lord's Day. On the Lord's Day, he will return to the earth. Whereas at the return of Christ, all God's children will be drawn up to him in the air. At last God concludes with this beautiful scripture. "Wherefore comfort one another with these words." A very natural part of life in this world is to remorse the loss of loved ones. God exhorts His children to comfort one another during those painful times. Lovingly reminding one another of their hope of the return of Jesus Christ. And that when that day comes, all born-again loved ones will be made alive again and rise up into the air with the Lord. Both the dead and alive will be given new individual bodies like unto Jesus Christ's glorious body. As it is written, "Who will change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all unto himself." (Philippians 3:21). In the name of Jesus Christ, Tim Burnett |
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| Forever in heaven with the Lord |