THE LORD’S COMING

Our brothers, we want you to know the truth about those who have died, so that you will not be sad, as are those who have no hope.  We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will take back with Jesus those who have died believing in Him.

What we are teaching you now is the Lord’s teaching: we who are alive on the day the Lord comes will not go ahead of those who have died.  There will be the shout of command, the archangel’s voice, the sound of God’s trumpet, and the Lord Himself will come down from heaven.  Those who have died believing in Christ will rise to life first; then we who are living at that time will be gathered up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will always be with the Lord. 

So then, encourage one another with these words.

(1 Thess. 4:13-18)