The dead in Christ
are the believers who have died.
The dead in Christ shall rise first.
Them which sleep in Jesus
will God bring with him.
The dead in Christ are those who belonged to Jesus when they died. Paul uses the phrase in 1 Thessalonians 4. He also calls them them which are asleep and them which sleep in Jesus. Their bodies rest. Their hope is sure. At the Rapture the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then those who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
- They are not lost. They sleep in Jesus.
- They rise first, before the living are caught up.
- The resurrection of Jesus is the ground of their hope.
- They will always be with the Lord, together with the living believers.
The dead in Christ shall rise first. Sorrow is real, but it is not the sorrow of those who have no hope.
The dead in Christ shall rise first.
Them which sleep in Jesus
will God bring with him.
And so shall we ever be with the Lord.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16 is the primary text: the dead in Christ shall rise first.
- They are the same as “them which are asleep” and “them which sleep in Jesus.”
- They rise before the living believers are caught up.
- God will bring them with Him.
- The church is not to sorrow as those who have no hope.
- The Identity – Believers who have died.
- The Picture – Asleep in Jesus.
- The Order – They rise first.
- The Promise – God will bring them with Him.
- The Result – Always with the Lord, together with the living.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16 – “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.”
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 – “Concerning them which are asleep… them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”
- 1 Thessalonians 4:17 – “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.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:20 – “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:23 – “Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.”
The dead in Christ shall rise first.
Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them.
The dead in Christ are the believers who have died. They sleep in Jesus. They will rise first. Comfort one another with these words.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.