1 Thessalonians 4:14

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him”

“For”: Such ignorance and hopeless is inexcusable, for” (Hendriksen p. 111). “If we believe that Jesus died and arose again”: This is the fundamental and foundational stone of Christianity (1 Corinthians 15:1-3; 17-19). The "if" in the sentence does not express any doubt, rather Paul is saying that such hopeless despair is completely incompatible with the person who believes in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Stott notes, “If God did not abandon Jesus to death, He will not abandon the Christian dead either” (p. 98). Because His resurrection is the proof and promise of our and the resurrection of every believer (1 Corinthians 15:23).

The resurrection of Jesus is not that hard to prove and neither is it difficult to believe in: The witnesses were credible men, who gained very little materially from preaching such. message (2 Corinthians 6:4 ff). Jesus definitely did die on the cross. Hence there is no room for any kind of "swoon theory" (Mark 15:44). The disciples did not see. vision or convince themselves that He had been raised, because hallucinations do not move bodies (Luke 24:36). The Jewish and Roman authorities had every incentive to keep the body in the tomb (Matthew 27:62). Nobody could have stolen the body, for the tomb was securely guarded. Where is the great and wise Jewish objection or argument against the resurrection? All we find is. poor excuse that would not even hold up in small claims court (Matthew 28:11). The very fact that people today try to explain away "what happened to the body" is proof that everyone, believer or unbeliever, Christian or skeptic, disciple and atheist all believe that on the third day the tomb that Jesus was placed in, was empty!

“Even so”: The Christian dead will be raised just as Jesus was raised. “If this is what we believe about Jesus, this is what follows from it” (Marshall p. 123). “Them also that are fallen asleep”: Deceased Christians. “In Jesus”: Lit., through or by means of Jesus. It is "in" or "through" Jesus that one is delivered from the terror of death (Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 1:17). To fall asleep in Jesus is to die "in the Lord" (Revelation 14:13). It is also through or by means of Jesus, that our souls will be reunited with our glorified bodies (John 5:28; John 6:44 “and. will raise him up on the last day”).

Morris observes, “In this context we are reminded of the historical facts of the death and resurrection. These things really happened. The Christian confidence is not the result of some philosophical speculation, nor the elaboration of. religious myth. Rather, it rests on. sure historical foundation” (pp. 140,138).

“Will God bring with Him”: The same God who raised Jesus (Romans 4:24; Romans 8:11; Romans 10:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10), will also raise all the Christian dead.. think some writers might be on the right track when they point out that Paul is saying something more here, than just the fact that deceased Christians will be raised. The phrase "bring with Him", may mean nothing more than the fact that the bodies of deceased Christians will not be left behind, but it may mean more. The real concern of the Thessalonians may have been, no so much the resurrection of their deceased friends, but whether or not deceased Christians would "miss out" on the glorious events at the Second Coming. Paul may be saying, that all the deceased faithful, will be present when Jesus comes, that is Hades will be immediately emptied out, and the deceased will be reunited with their resurrected and glorified bodies in the same realm and time that the living are changed and everyone, living or deceased will share in this great day. This would mean that when Jesus comes, we often forget that all the departed faithful will be coming with Him, to be reunited with their resurrected bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:17). This section of Scripture offers absolutely no support for the modern Premillennial idea of. rapture, that is,. silent and secret coming of Christ for Christians only, because the “coming” mentioned in this chapter is loud (1 Thessalonians 4:16); final (1 Thessalonians 4:17); is at the exact same time that Jesus comes to punish the wicked (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3); thus it is not merely for the living Christians (1 Thessalonians 4:14).