Assurances of Christ’s Return for Believers

1 Thess 4:13-18 can be read in its entirety here. This passage addresses the second coming our Lord.

The Lens through which to view such a passage

When we read passages on Christ’s return, we have to remember that if God wanted us to have the chronological details of how things happened during the end, he would have laid it out for us in scripture. But the purpose of studying such verses is to not get caught up in the timing or in the particular order of how things would happen. It is more so for us to know with certainty that Christ is coming again, to make sure we are ready for His return, to give us hope in difficult times and to prepare us with having an eternal perspective with whatever we face. Paul words to the Thessalonians encourages us with hope regarding our victory at Christ’s return.

The Thessalonians Believers Concern

Writing to the Thessalonian believers who were young in their faith, Paul clarifies a few points on a concern that they had. We read of their concern in verse 13 “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.”

After the Thessalonians were introduced to faith in Christ, for anyone who passed away, those left behind were uncertain of what to understand of this with regards to Christ’s return that was yet to happen.  So, Paul assures them that their friends and loved ones haven’t missed out on the great event they are all anticipating, the return of the Lord. The most probable reason for their concern was what they earlier believed, the Greco-Roman view of life after death was that the Spirit of those who passed continued on in the afterlife, but Haydes was a joyless gloom for those souls. They balked at bodily resurrection and lacked hope for any kind of joy filled life after or even reunion once a friend or family member passed.

When Jesus appeared to His disciples after his resurrection, we read in Luke 24:36-39 “They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” Jesus makes it clear that he is not just a spirit, as he could be touched and even ate in front of them. (1 Corinthians 15: 35-58 speaks a lot about the resurrected body and if you are keen, please read to refresh your memory on what it says.)

Philippians 3:20-21 says “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,  who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.“

The Hope we have

Paul emphasises in 1 Thessalonians 4:14: since we believe Jesus died and rose again, we also believe God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. “Falling asleep” is a metaphor for death, but it carries the hope of resurrection—they are not gone forever, only resting as if they will wake again.

Unlike others around them, the Thessalonians were not to be grieving deaths of their loved ones without hope. Just as Paul assured the Thessalonians of the hope they have, we too have hope; a sure and certain hope. We believe that those who have died in Christ have gone to be with Christ (2 Cor 5:6-8), and that they will come with Christ when He returns.

Our hope is completely based on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because He died for our sins and rose from the dead, the moment we die, we go home to be with the Lord, and then we shall come back with Him at His return (cf. John 11:25-26 and John 14:19).

Our Assurances

1 Thessalonians 16-18 “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore, encourage one another with these words.”

These verses gives us three assurances – Firstly is that the Lord will return. The Lord Jesus shall return spectacularly from heaven with power and authority. Those who believe in Him, will not be left behind. The trumpet call will signify the time for judgment. As a result, those who aren’t Christians will mourn, for Christ has come to judge the world in righteousness.

But besides coming to judge the world in righteousness, what will the Lord Jesus do at His return (for us, these are words of hope)? (1 Thess 4:15-17). This is our second assurance – He will bring back those who died and were with Him in glory, and He will cause their dead bodies to rise. Thus, their eternal soul will be clothed with a new body. Also, we who are alive on earth when Christ returns will be lifted up to Christ and be given a new body as we ascend (1 Cor 15:51-53). The word rapture does not appear in scripture but comes from this section of scripture. The term ‘caught up’, to meet Christ in the clouds at His return. The word in Latin is ‘rapio’ and is foundational in giving us the word rapture.

The third assurance we get is the hope we have and are to give others through this truth. This is one of the great things we celebrate – death is temporary! We are to encourage and comfort each other with our glorious hope. Besides encouraging us, it ought to spur us on to be faithful in following the Lord and serving Him will all our might, for our labour in the Lord is not in vain – not in the light of our glorious hope.

Friends, with the ups and downs of what the world can present us every day, those who believe in Christ, have an unshakeable Hope. Our Sovereign, powerful, mighty and immutable God is not tossing and turning with the events of each day but will be coming to collect His people to Him. Stand strong, stand firm and be filled with the Spirit staying encouraged with Hope for the Lord’s return.

God Bless.