With These Words

Therefore encourage each other with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:18, NIV 1984).

My Musings – This phrase should certainly make us want to see what preceded it. To see what the therefore was there for.

“Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17, NIV 1984).

We grieve, but not without hope for loved ones “who have fallen asleep in [Christ].” We are encouraged that one day, through death or when “the Lord himself [comes] down from heaven.” To be “together with them” as well as “with the Lord forever.” The “blessed hope.” Everlasting life.

My Advice – Some believe that “man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both…[that] all go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. [For] who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?” (Ecclesiastes 3:19–21, NIV 1984).

But this, the “same fate” is not true. We can know “if the spirit of man rises upward ” or “downward.” For “everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:1–2, NIV 1984).

It should be everyone’s desire to avoid “shame and everlasting contempt,” and to either “awake…to everlasting life” or “be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” The desire becomes reality for those who are “in Him.” It’s that simple, and it is the only way.