Hope in the Face of Death

Paul writes to answer the question, “What happens to our loved ones if they die before Jesus returns?” He reassures believers that those who have died in Christ are not lost; from our human perspective their bodies die, but from God’s perspective they are only asleep until Jesus comes to wake them. When Christ returns, the dead in Christ will rise first, and then those who are alive will be gathered with them to be with the Lord forever. In this, grief and hope can coexist—we are free to grieve deeply, yet we do so with profound hope. This hope anchors us in the promise of resurrection and helps us live with an eternal perspective.