June 22, 2025 - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 - "Dying in the LORD"

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

Most people don't think of hope in death. Natural minds don't want to consider it, because all they know is what’s going on in this life. But if the LORD has taught you of Christ and taught you His Gospel, then there is hope. That’s what Paul is writing about here under the inspiration of the Spirit. There’s so much confusion regarding the Lord’s coming again. It’s not confusion in the Word, but confusion in how men interpret it. A passage like this is written to bring comfort, not conflict, among the Lord’s people. You have to draw the line when it comes to the Gospel and Christ’s person and work. We stand firm there, but we must also confess that far more is being said today about Christ’s coming and what’s going to happen than ought to be said. This particular portion of Scripture, if we simply read it for what it says, gives us a clear view of who our Hope is!

How is the state of those who’ve died in the Lord described?

First, it refers to those who are asleep. That’s how it’s described throughout Scripture in reference to the Lord’s people. This was a widespread usage, particularly in Eastern cultures, to refer to death as sleep. “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2).

What is the comparison between sleep and death? When you’re asleep, you’re not aware or sensitive to what’s going on around you. There’s a separation from the real world—and in death, that is certainly the case. When you go to sleep, you are completely isolated from what’s happening in the world, if you’re truly asleep. In death, the body is laid to rest. But the idea of sleep also carries the expectation of rising again.

It could even be said of one who is not Christ’s that he sleeps, because the Scriptures say that all who die outside of Christ will be raised again on the judgment day and cast into hell. So, just like with sleep, death does not completely extinguish consciousness. There is a rising again, and existence continues. In that sense, death and sleep are comparable.

Second, Paul deals in this portion with how we are to respond to the deaths of those who have gone on. Remember, there was much persecution. Some may have died as martyrs. So, this is not speaking only of natural death, but of death for the Lord’s sake. What is their hope of glory? He writes, “that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” He’s not saying we must be stoic. The sense here is that we draw a line, especially in contrast to excessive weeping and wailing. Remember, these Thessalonians were used to some pretty wild funerals. However, we do not sorrow as those who have no hope. If we have confidence that they were the Lord’s, we can rejoice.

But what about those for whom we don’t have that confidence? Even then, we do not sorrow as those who have no hope. We don’t question God. We don’t question His justice. By God’s grace, we stand—like Aaron did when his sons were taken; he held his peace (Leviticus 10:3). Eli did the same (1 Samuel 2:34–36). He was more grieved over the Ark of the Covenant being taken into captivity than by the announcement of his sons’ deaths. Particularly when it is one who has died in the Lord, though it is sorrowful, there is that quiet hope—that when Christ died, He died for them, and in the resurrection, they will be raised again. God will raise up the dead bodies of the saints. How? By Christ. He is the God-Man. He is the Mediator. God has put all judgment into His hands. So, when that time comes, it will be His voice that we hear.

1 Thessalonians 3:13 says, “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” How is that possible? That’s the imputed righteousness of Christ. He’s now coming with them. That confuses some people. They say, “Well, He’s coming for them.” No—He’s coming with them, because they will be raised to be with Him.

Imagine if our eternal salvation depended on our holding on to Christ or maintaining a lively faith until the end, like some preachers say. No—it’s not us holding Him; it’s Him holding us. Some have died under a dark cloud. We know there are those who think that if you’re the LORD’s, you’ll never die under a cloud. But read the stories of saints who have gone before. Many died under hard affliction—so much so that they could not even see the sunshine. David wrote in Psalm 130:1, “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD” That is reflective of the cries of our Lord Jesus in the garden as He faced death on the cross.

There will be dark days. That’s why we rest in the Hope that isn’t built on how we feel at the moment we die. Can you imagine if that were the case? But our hope is based on Christ’s blood and righteousness as our only plea. That’s why the death of Christ is so vital—His doing, His dying, and His rising again. That is the believer’s only Hope. There will be wavering in this old flesh. There will be clouds. But oh, to know that if He died for me, He will bring me safely through. And when I sleep, I sleep in Him.

"Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;

Buried, He carried my sins far away;

Rising, He justified freely, forever;

One day He’s coming: O glorious day!"