Articles
Comfort One Another With These Words
There are a few families at our congregation that are grieving recent passings of loved ones, and I want to share some verses that are given to be of comfort in these situa-tions. Comforting verses like these are al-ways good for us, whether we are dealing with a recent loss or a loss that we had dec-ades ago. In fact, one of the verses that we will be looking at in this article says “Therefore, comfort one another with these words.” If you’d would open your Bibles to 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18 and follow along as we go through this article, I believe it will be most beneficial!
Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, begins speaking in v13 how he doesn’t want the reader to be uniformed about those who are asleep. He actually is specific to who he is talking to in this verse as he says “But we do not want you to be uniformed, brothers and sisters…” This message is directed to children of God so they can be informed about those who are asleep. Notice again it says asleep. I find that so powerful and something we’ll continue to look at throughout this article. That our brothers and sisters of have passed from this life, are not dead but asleep. They are alive! Again, we will touch on this more later. As we continue in v13, we see Paul specifically wants to inform the brethren about those who are asleep so they will not grieve as the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. Christians do not have to nor need to grieve like those of the world because we have a hope. The Greek word for hope here is Elpis which according to Strong’s Lexicon “primarily denotes a confident expectation or trust in God's promis-es. It is not merely wishful thinking, but a firm assurance based on the character and faithfulness of God.” Doesn’t this just add such a great comfort! When we think about those who lived for Christ and have passed from this life, we as Christians have hope. But it’s not hope like I hope it snows in the middle of July (although with Ohio/Kentucky weather who knows what’ll happen!) or I hope I ace this test I didn’t study for. It’s that I am confident that because of the greatness of character that our God shows every instant, that those have passed on are not dead, but await eternity with God as we who still live in the flesh do.
Continuing on in v14, we see Paul write that if we believe Jesus died and rose from the dead, then we also believe that God will bring those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. Those who have been believers and have passed on being brought with Jesus! God hasn’t forgotten them or left them without care. Even though they aren’t living in the flesh, they are not dead, but God knows and cares about them. Notice how Paul begins v15. “For we say this to you by the word of the Lord…” This isn’t wishful thinking on the behalf of Paul. That he wishes this was the case or this is how he envisions it. No, what Paul is saying is by the word of the Lord. It is factual as fac-tual can be, as all Scripture is. What Paul is speaking to is that those who are living on earth when the Lord comes, will not go before those who have fallen asleep in the judgement. Again, God has not and will not forget about our brethren that have passed on. He will give them eternity with Him for their faithfulness as He will for those who He finds living faithfully on the earth when He comes. What a comfort!
In v16-17, we find the ultimate comfort, the ultimate culmination of these verses. That the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. Can you imagine what that’ll sound like? What it will look like? I know we can all try to do our best to imagine what it will look like, but even those who have the best imagination can’t touch on surface of how beautiful this will be. Notice the end of v16 and the entirety of v17. The dead in Christ will rise first. They will rise first and those who are alive, who remain on earth will be caught up together with those who have died physically. They will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. It is such a blessing to have a relationship with God on this earth. To talk to him, to read what He says to us, and to have fellowship with His people. It is truly awesome, but it won’t compare to what we read here in v17. We will meet the Lord in the air, those that have fallen asleep through Jesus and those still living in the flesh when Jesus returns. What a moment that will be. A moment that will never end, as the rest of v17 tells us we will always be with the Lord. Always my brothers and sisters! Eternity with our God. A concept that we can’t truly comprehend yet again, but one all mankind will experience, whether a life was lived for God or not. What comforting words that are contained in 1st Thessalonians 4:13-17, words that we are to comfort each other with as v18 says, which we quoted in the first paragraph of this article.
I also want to offer comfort to those who have may a friend or rela-tive in mind that they have personal doubts on what that person will spend eternity. The Lord is a just, loving, merciful and gracious God. He will make the right judgement concerning all people that have ever and will ever exist. Take comfort in that He always makes the right choices. Our God is so good as we have seen in the verses we examined in this article. Take comfort in His word and be on guard to live a life for Christ, as it is blessing to do so in the flesh and some-thing we will have for eternity with God because He is so gracious!
