“For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died” (1 Thessalonians 4:14 NLT).
Our faith is anchored in the historical fact of Christ’s death and resurrection, giving us a future hope in God’s power to “bring back” our believing brothers and sisters who have died. This is not myth nor make believe, but God’s revelation to us through Christ. As Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die” (John 11:25-26).
Christ defeated sin, death and the grave, so that we who believe might share in His victory. And this future life is not a non-corporeal existence that some imagine, but a real physical existence in a resurrection body. Christ is the prototype of this future existence, the firstborn from among the dead, and someday we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2).
Until then, we join creation in “groaning” as we long for the Day when we receive our new glorified bodies as the Lord has promised us (Rom. 8:23).
PRAYER: Dear Father, we long for the Day of Your Son’s return and for our new resurrection bodies built for eternity with You. Until then, strengthen us by Your Spirit to always serve You and to declare the Good News to the nations. In Jesus’ name, amen.