Who is Ready for the Meeting?

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 
 
What happens when we die physically? Do our bodies remain in the ground? What about our souls?
 
Prophetic truth has a utilitarian reason. It is to condemn the hearts of sinners. It is to empower Christians to holiness, and to provide hope and solace to Christians in the hour of death. This letter was composed to urge Christians to live purified lives while they await the return of Christ. 
 
Why had such a large number of believers died and what might befall them when Christ returned was the question that the Thessalonians asked Paul. Paul needed to clarify that passing was not the end. He writes to explain that they should not feel hopeless. All people grieve and feel sorrow with the passing of a loved one, but we do not have to feel as unbelievers feel. At the point when Christ returns, all Christians will be brought together, alive or dead, and will never have to endure suffering or die a physical death ever again. 

• Genesis 3:19, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
• Ecclesiastes 12:7, Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
• Ephesians 2:2, Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
• 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.

  
Do we believe that Jesus was raised from the dead? As Christians, we should believe Christ arose. And as He is risen, so will we rise from the dead. We must remember that there are three deaths, the physical, the spiritual, and the eternal. 
 
The physical death is to be absent from the body. The body ceases to function. Many believers have and will see a physical death. Spiritual death is of a carnal mind, being separated from God. This is a non-believer's position. The eternal death is to be eternally separated from God.

• Luke 24:5-6, And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
• 1 Corinthians 15:18, Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
• Ephesians 2:1, And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
• Revelation 20:14, And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

 
Paul wrote to invite Christians to comfort and energize each other when a friend or family member passes on. The love that should unite Christians in this life is the love that will join believers at Christ's return.

• 1 Corinthians 15:52, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

 
Each Christian who has died since the hour of Christ until the exact instant He seeks His congregation will be revived. It does not make a difference what condition that body is in; it will be raised and be as He is. Those of us who remain living will be raptured after the dead in Christ have been restored.

• Matthew 24:30, And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
• Acts 1:11, Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
• 2 Thessalonians 1:7, And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
• Acts 1:9, And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
• Psalm 116:15, Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

 
We will all meet Christ in the air. What a meeting it will be! As Paul had given comfort to the Thessalonians with the resurrection promise, so should we give each other that same comfort of the great hope.