What is the meaning of 1 Thessalonians 4:15? By the word of the Lord Paul grounds this teaching in divine authority, not human speculation. • As in “I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you” (1 Corinthians 11:23), the apostle relays revelation straight from Christ. • Scripture itself claims this God-breathed origin (2 Timothy 3:16), echoing the Spirit-carried prophets (2 Peter 1:21). • Because the source is the Lord, we can take every detail literally and confidently. we declare to you Paul and his companions openly share what the Lord has shown them. • “We are ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20), speaking with urgency and clarity. • Earlier he reminded these believers, “You know the instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4:2). • The message is meant to comfort (1 Thessalonians 4:18) and stabilize hearts shaken by the death of fellow saints. that we who are alive and remain Paul includes himself among potential eyewitnesses of Christ’s return, underscoring its nearness. • “We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51)—some believers may bypass death altogether. • Jesus promised, “Whoever lives and believes in Me will never die” (John 11:26), pointing to this same hope. • The phrase highlights continuity: those still breathing share the same destiny as those already departed. until the coming of the Lord The spotlight is on the personal, visible return of Jesus. • “This same Jesus… will come back in the same way you have seen Him go” (Acts 1:11). • He will appear “on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30), and “every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:7). • For believers, the coming (parousia) means reunion and completion, not judgment. will by no means precede The living will not gain an advantage over the dead in Christ. • The emphatic wording mirrors Jesus’ “heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35); the order is fixed. • “The dead in Christ will be raised first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16), then the living are transformed “in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52). • God’s plan honors every believer, proving His impartiality and perfect timing. those who have fallen asleep “Fallen asleep” gently describes believers who have died, emphasizing temporary rest. • Jesus used the same language of Lazarus (John 11:11-14) and Stephen’s passing “fell asleep” (Acts 7:60). • Their bodies rest, but their spirits are “at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). • Resurrection reunites body and spirit in glory (1 Corinthians 15:42-44), guaranteeing that not one saint is overlooked. summary 1 Thessalonians 4:15 assures believers that Christ Himself revealed a precise order for His return. Those alive at that moment will not outpace those already asleep in Jesus. Instead, the Lord’s voice will raise the dead first, then instantly transform the living, uniting all His people together forever. This promise, rooted in the unbreakable word of the Lord, comforts grieving hearts and fuels eager anticipation for the glorious appearing of our Savior. |
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