1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 – Verse of the Day 1/26/14

Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians to believers who were concerned that they might die before Jesus returned. Many worried that if they did not live until Jesus’ came to take His followers to heaven that their earthly death would prevent them from sharing in eternal life. Paul responds with words of comfort. Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead.  All will rise, whether dead or alive, and those with faith will receive eternal life with their Father in Heaven.

These are words of hope. We do not fear death, because we know that God has defeated sin and death through Jesus in order to give us eternal life. This does not remove the earthly pain we experience when loved ones die, but it does give us hope that death does not have the final word, and remind us that we have nothing to fear. Spend some time thanking God for the gift of eternal life and the hope we have in Christ.