Saturday, June 25, 2016

Those Who Sleep In Jesus God Will Bring with Him 1 Thessalonians 4:14



One of the great questions by the Thessalonian church members was, “what happens to fellow believers when they die before Jesus returns”? Paul the apostle began to address this question by not wanting them to be ignorant and sorrowful concerning those “which are asleep”, and in chapter four and verse fourteen of his letter, he began to explain what happens to those who “sleep in Jesus” where we read:

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

The verse begins, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,...” Paul began with the word, “For” which means “as, because, even, indeed, no doubt, seeing then and verily” “if” which is conditional and means “forasmuch as or whether” “we believe” or “think to be true, are persuaded of, place confidence in, and the trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in something” “that Jesus” whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” and refers to “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate” “died” or “perished, was slain and lost His life”“and rose again” or “caused to rise up, appear, bring forward, leave and stand forth from the dead”. Paul gave a qualifier for this benefit. There must be a belief “that Jesus died and rose again” before we know the promise found in the next portion of the verse.

The verse goes on to say, “...even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” Paul continued, “even so them also” which refers to “in this manner, thus and in this way indeed, even and” “which sleep” or “” “in Jesus” which refers to “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate” “will God bring” which is the Greek phrase “agō theos agō” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit leading, taking and bringing to a point of destination or place” “with him” or “along with God Himself”. Paul promised the Thessalonian church members that those who died and believed that Jesus died and rose again will “God bring with Him” when He comes again.

When we meditate upon Paul's words, we immediately realize the importance of believing “Jesus died and rose again”. Without this belief, people who “sleep” do not have the promise of God bringing them with Him. People who know the Lord Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior can know with confidence that this promise of the Holy Spirit through Paul the apostle is absolutely true. If we have people in our lives who “sleep in Jesus” we can be assured, they shall return with Him as well. Oh the comfort of the word of God that is available to us if we simply believe in the Lord Jesus. May the Lord help us to have confidence in His words, and may we know for sure, those who “sleep in Jesus” are even now presently with Him.

Next time Paul shares about those who “are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.




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