1 Thessalonians 4:14-16
For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.

What happens when we die? Do we enter the grave in a sort of soul sleep until Jesus returns? Do we live as spirits forever? Will we be able to recognize each other? Let’s consider these questions.

• Our souls—the believer’s spirit that lives inside the body—will crossover from death to life (John 5:24). When we (our souls) are absent from the body, we will be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).
• At death our bodies will be interred, awaiting the resurrection of the dead.
• When Jesus comes again, God will send believers who have died (“fallen asleep”) with him (1 Thessalonians 4:14).
• Then the “believers who have died will rise from their graves.” Our bodies will rise from the grave and meet the Lord in the air to join with our spirits, and we will be with the Lord forever (1 Thessalonians 4:16b).

Forever in heaven we will live in our recognizable, resurrected bodies, just like Jesus. We will delight in indescribable joy as we live life eternal, praising God, enjoying each other, and doing the eternal work that God prepared for us to do. Nothing can defeat the believer. Nothing can hold us down. Not even the grave! We will rise!

Heavenly Father, thank you for this promise of resurrection. Thank you that when we know Jesus as our Savior, absolutely nothing can hold us back or hold us down. May we live today with the peace, confidence, and joy of those who will live forever. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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