AN ETERNAL HOPE

1 Corinthians 15:12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

1 Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

In this difficult and evil day we are living in, let us not be seduced into becoming so earthly minded we are of no heavenly good.

For a time Christian people were accused of being so heavenly minded they were of no earthly good, but, if that was ever the case, it was not because a view of heaven was the problem, but a lack of something very important. For the Bible has instructed us to – Colossians 3:1-2 and Matt. 6:19-21

1 Seek things that are above

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set our affections on things that are above. (Not on things on the earth)

Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 To lay up treasures in heaven.

Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

The reason? Our hearts should be in heaven.

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

These verses of scripture are very clear. Even so, it may be difficult for men to comprehend how they are to apply such words to their lives, after having heard so many messages about building the kingdom of God on the earth and so much focus has been placed on earthly prosperity.

But remember the words of Jesus -

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Jesus came to earth for the purpose of giving his life to restore man to a relationship with Himself and the Father. He went to the cross for this purpose and instructed us to also take up our cross and follow him. We are to follow Him and His example of laying down our lives that others might also live and have a relationship with Him. Those who receive Him and that relationship with Him have a pre-planned destination. This destination is that heavenly place, where we will be with Him forever.

Abraham understood this and considered himself a pilgrim and stranger on the earth. Speaking of him and his descendants we are told -

Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth

Hebrews 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

So it is evident by the words of God, that men of old, who were men of faith, had their eyes set somewhere far beyond this earth.

How can we reconcile this truth with the fact that, until we die, we must live on this earth? How do these facts affect how we live in the here and now?

Did not, even these men of old, build up their homes and possessions?

The answer is not really as difficult as it might seem. We live here and now with the purpose of eternity always in mind.

If you are a parent and have a young child who you want to see go to college one day, you may make a financial plan and work to ensure that the necessary funds will be there when your child is old enough and ready to go to college. But while you are saving and building your resources, if you are wise, you will spend each day of your life, living with, loving, enjoying and building up that child. You will hope to build his self worth, form a strong relationship with him and do all that is in your power to see him become a happy, confident person of good character. This you will do from the day of his birth, until the day he is ready to go off to college. In other words, you will begin preparing him, from the day of his birth, for the day he must go out on his own. But to do so, you will have to be with him in the here and now. You will have to be present here and now.

But even before there is a child to raise there must be conception and birth. You will, hopefully, fall in love, give of yourself to another, conceive, bring life into the world, and love every day you have with him or her, while preparing him for his destiny. All of these things will make up the life you live and you hope to find joy in it every day.

So it should be for the child of God. First comes believing in and falling in love with God, then a commitment is made to Him and you are born again, you become His child. You then lay down your life to see new birth, (souls born into His kingdom), to build the family of God. Then each day is family building. This should be joyous living, even though sometimes it is hard work.

Each day we should be living to build the precious each others that are part of our family, the family of God and to see new births happen as often as possible. But to do this, will require taking care of everyday needs, even personal needs as you go.

You need a home in which to live, raise your children, and in which to fellowship with others. Each day, as you live and raise your own children, preparing them for their futures, though you must live in the present, you are fully aware of the goal ahead and always in preparation for that goal. At the same time, we also build the family of God, with an eye on the sky, so to speak. We live, love and work today, while looking forward to the return of our Lord, always ready should He call at any moment.

What is our goal and the desire of our hearts? Eternity with the Savior in a better place to which we are en route and eternity with the loved ones we are living our lives, with and for, right now. Our precious each others are the treasures that are being laid up in heaven.

This is why, if we only have hope in this life, we are most miserable, because in this life we are in preparation for an eternal future. If all we get is the preparation and never reach the goal, what is that?

In order to be so heavenly minded you were of no earthly good, you would have to have your mind on heaven and getting there yourself, while completely ignoring the instructions of God, that let us know what our activity on earth is to be. Our activity in the here and now is to be building the family (the kingdom) of God and preparing them and ourselves for eternity with them and our Lord. The kingdom of God, is the place where God rules. Where is He to rule? In His people. In His own family, of which He is the head!

Everyday life for the believer is a family building life. It is sowing the seed, which is the Word of God, so that conception and birth can take place. It is labor pains, that involve pressure and extreme focus and work. But it is repeated times of exhilaration and overflowing joy, each time we see new birth take place. It is relationships that are rewarding, in spite of the work that is involved. We live our lives, first in relationship with God, then too, in relationship with His children, our spouses, brothers and sisters. We fellowship and share, for this is part of being a family. This is a very important and real part of our life on earth which will have eternal value. And all of our life, all of our work on earth, is to be with a constant view of where we are headed. If we love others now, we work to see that they will be with us and God forever. This is our hope and goal.

Notice, again, the verses at the beginning of this study.

1 Corinthians 15:12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

1 Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

As can be seen from verse 12 of 1 Corinthians15, the writer was speaking of the resurrection. The resurrection is that time when those who have passed, who were 'in' Christ, are raised out of their graves to live physically once again. T is the time when all those who died as mortals are changed to immortality.

Paul went on to say, then, that if in this life only we have hope, we are miserable. Paul knew that when we die, our spirit goes to be with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

This being the case, why would he say, speaking of resurrection, that we are miserable if we have no hope beyond this life, if there was no resurrection? It is because Paul knew the importance of even our bodies being raised in victory, changed to immortality.

This is something Satan has wanted to steal from us. He has worked to make us feel guilty if we think of eternity with loved ones rather than only eternity with God. But what does the Bible say?

1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

Here, the apostle Paul prefaced an important bit of information, that he wanted the children of God to know and that he was about to give.

There was some particular thing that he did not want them to be ignorant of. It was a hope that the children of God were to have that the unbelievers did not have. He wanted them to know of and have this hope so that they would not sorrow in the way that others did, who did not have this hope.

What was this hope about? It was about those who are 'asleep.' This is the term used for those who die, who are born again children of God. Why are they called 'asleep' and not just dead? Because when you are asleep, you are going to wake up and get up once again. Every child of God who dies physically will one day awake and rise again.

So the apostle then goes on to give step by step information as to what is going to happen to those who have died, who are 'in' Christ. This was very important and he did not want us to go through life without this hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

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:

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.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Keep in mind that Paul is beginning to give detailed information in order that the children of God would not be ignorant concerning those who had died in Christ. The knowledge he is about to impart should keep them from sorrowing as others, who were unbelievers.

These verses have been read from pulpits many times as verses that tell of the rapture of the church. While this may not be incorrect, still, the purpose, the thing that Paul did not want us to be ignorant of, has too often been left out of the message. This is sad, considering that Paul's main objective is overlooked.

Let us take a close look at Paul's words and see the picture he is presenting, step by step, or line upon line.

First speaks of this hope. The next verse shows us that when he uses the term 'sleep' he is referring to those who have died.

1 Thessalonians 4:13+14 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

From what he told us in 1 Corinthians, we can see more clearly what he is referring to.

2 Corinthians 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Here we see Paul speaking of our spirit, which is that part of us that lives in our bodies. He is telling us that while we (our spirit) is in our body, we are physically absent from God. However, when our spirit leaves our body, it goes to be with the Lord. So then, it is our bodies that sleep when we die, but our spirits are alive with the Lord.

Again, the term 'sleep' is appropriate because God knows that, those who belong to Him, are going to get back up when he resurrects our bodies one day.

Now, going back to 1 Thes. we understand that Paul is about to give us important information about those who we love, who are asleep in Christ. Or, in other words, our loved ones who have died before us. He wants us to know about a hope that we have. Once we understand what this hope is, we should not need to sorrow in the way others do, who do not have the same hope.

He goes on to tell us in verse 14, - For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

Here he speaks of a time that Jesus is coming and bringing those who 'sleep' with him. What can this mean? What is 'with' him? Our spirit is with him, while our bodies are in the grave.

As he goes on in verse 15, Paul uses a Greek word that has been translated in such a way as to make it difficult to get his full meaning. Perhaps in the days of King James, this word was understood differently than the way it is used in the English language today. It is the word 'prevent.' He tells us -

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

The meaning of the word phthano, that is here translated – prevent - has this meaning (Strong's) - to be beforehand, i.e. anticipate or precede; by extension, to have arrived at:-... prevent.

What he is telling us, by the word of the Lord, is that when Jesus returns, those of us who are alive are not going to go, to met the Lord, before our loved ones who are asleep. Remember that he already told us in the previous verse, that he is bringing our loved ones 'with' him. Now he goes on to tell us how this is going to all play out.

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:

So, the Lord himself is going to descend with a shout, with the voice of the archangel. There will also be the trump of God at the same time. When this happens the dead are going to rise, first, or, that is, before anything else happens.

Here the word 'rise, in the Greek means (Strong's) – to stand up (literal or figurative, transitive or intransitive):--arise, lift up, raise up (again), rise (again), stand up (-right).

This word 'rise' is not referring to rising up into the air, but as we can see from it's meaning, it is speaking of standing up, rising again or to stand upright.

The meaning of this word is similar to the meaning of the word when speaking of Jesus rising from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

We know that this is not speaking of his ascension into the air but his rising from the dead.

Rose (Strong's) - Egeiro eg-i'-ro (through the idea of collecting one's faculties); to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e. rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence):--awake, lift (up), raise (again, up), rear up, (a-)rise (again, up), stand, take up.

How can a dead body stand up once again? How can a dead man collect his faculties again? Only if his spirit re-enters that body. When the Lord descends with a shout, he will be bringing our loved one's spirits with him so that they can re-enter their bodies and they can – stand up again. Praise the Lord! And this is going to happen before any of us rise into the air to meet our Lord. See what Paul says next. -

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.

Now notice carefully how the apostle uses the word 'then' after he tells us that the dead are going to stand up again, first. Then...

This word 'then', in the Greek, means – (epeita, ep'-i-tah) - thereafter:--after that (-ward), then.

So then, after the dead come back to life and stand up again – after this happens – we who are alive are going to be caught up – together - with our loved ones who have just stood up once again, and - together - with them - we are going to meet the Lord in the air.

Notice that speaking of our leaving together, Paul uses the term 'caught up.' Notice the vast difference in this term and the word 'rise.'

Caught up (Strong's) – harpazo (har-pad'-zo) to seize (in various applications):--catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).

At this point, we are going to be seized, taken by force, up to be with the Lord!

The dead are not going to be caught up to meet the Lord before us. We are not going to be caught up to meet the Lord before them. But we are all going to be caught up together. Paul wanted us to know about this blessed reunion that is going to take place when the Lord comes for His own.

But, he does not stop there. After telling us that we are going to be 'caught up' together with our loved ones who have been asleep in Jesus, Paul uses two very important words that I feel are usually overlooked. He uses the words – and so.

Look at the meaning of the word 'so.' So, (Strong's) – houto (hoo'-to), in this way (referring to what precedes or follows):--after that, after (in) this manner, as, even (so), for all that, like(-wise), no more, on this fashion(-wise), so (in like manner), thus, what.

“... and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

In this way – shall we ever be with the Lord. In what way? TOGETHER!

This is the blessed hope that Paul wanted us to know about, so that we would not sorrow in the way unbelievers sorrow, when their loved ones die. When an unbeliever loses a loved one, the word 'lost' seems appropriate. Indeed they can well say “I have lost my mother,” or whoever it may be. But when the loved one of a believer who is also a believer, dies, it is appropriate to use the word 'sleep.' For indeed they are going to rise up again. And we who are in Christ do not 'lose' our loved ones. We are only temporarily separated from them until the day that the Lord descends and they are awakened to rise and be reunited with us!

This is why Jesus could say what he did in Matthew 22:32. He says “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

Now, we know that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob died long ago. And yet Jesus says he is the God of these men who died long ago but that he is the God of the living, not the dead. What sort of a statement is this? A very true one. For while the bodies of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob 'sleep,' these men are very much alive, in the presence of the Lord. When Jesus descends with a shout, he will bring them with him. Their bodies will be awakened, changed to immortality and they will reenter their bodies to stand up again and to be caught up into the air with the rest of the saints who are ready to meet the Lord, at His coming!

The children of God are to live their lives edifying and building each other up in the most holy faith, in the here and now as they live their daily lives. But all that we do is to be done with a looking forward to the return of our Lord and Savior. Knowing that He is coming and that it could be any day. Preparations are to be in order. First we see that we are prepared individually, then we seek to see that others come into the family of God and are prepared to meet him as well.

Knowing these things should give us hope and joy that what we do here on earth has eternal value. We are not just spinning our wheels, going nowhere.

We can have a home and family. We can enjoy life on earth. But inside our homes, inside our relationships, is to be eternal purpose. May we be so aware of eternity that the lives we live here and now have greater purpose and greater joy than they could otherwise have.

Work for those things that have eternal value, not the things that will pass away. If you have a home, make it nice with the goal of loving and serving others within it's walls so that soon and very soon, you and those you love can be together in a better home, in the presence of God – FOREVER.

Avoid all the things that war against your souls, remembering that you are on a journey to a better place and you want nothing to hinder you reaching your goal – to forever be with the Lord and those you love.

1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Yes, if in this life we live, work on relationships, fellowship and minister, but it is only of value temporarily, we can easily lose heart and become miserable and depressed. But this is not the case! We have eternal hope, even concerning our loved ones. So let us do what the apostle Paul instructed us to do in verse 18.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Do not sorrow as the unbeliever. Your loved ones are going to return from heaven, stand up again and leave with us, when the Lord catches us up and brings us to His presence! Be comforted my brother and sister. Find joy and rejoice! Your loved ones are not just your past but a great and joyous part of your future with the Lord!