1 Thessalonians 4: 13-15
“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” vs. 13
Early in his missionary journeys, Paul believed in the immanent return of the Lord Jesus. But, as time passed, he began to hear that some believers had concerns. They were wondering about loved ones who had recently died. Would they miss out on the glory of Christ’s return? Was there any hope for them at all? Paul doesn’t have all the answers, but he does have strong convictions and he shares his ideas in his very first letter. He tells his readers that he does not want them to “grieve as others do who have no hope.” Those are important words for all those who have questions about death. It’s not at all uncommon even for followers of Jesus to wonder about those who have died. We have questions about heaven and new life…sometimes the images we’ve grown up with are no longer satisfying. In the culture more and more people are saying that dead is dead, and that to talk of new life is just wishful thinking. Paul’s words remind us that it’s okay to grieve but, the grieving of a believer is grounded in hope–and that makes a big difference. We may not have all the answers, but we do know one important thing: in Christ, death never has the last word!
Thought for the Day: What happens when we die?
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