1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Those who died in Christ

We do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

One of the main reasons for Paul's visit was to inform the church about the events of those who either died in belief in the coming of a Savior, or for those who came to knowledge and faith in Jesus and were saved. Paul discloses to us that Jesus will come for all of those who were given to him and he will raise up first those who were dead to everlasting life and to those who had not tasted death, they too, will be called up to be with their Savior. This event is known as the rapture of the Church which is an event that occurs in the later days before the revealing of the Anti-Christ. All those who are in Christ will be brought out of this physical world and spared the time of wrath to come.

Daily Prayer: Holy Father, only you know the appointed hour of the rescue of the saints from the Man of Perdition. It is a comfort to know that my body and soul are protected from that day. Give me grace to eagerly await that day, the day of final deliverance. In Jesus name I pray Amen.