By Don Willis
“Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:18). Jesus is coming again! Hallelujah! What a wonderful reality. Death could not contain Him. Jesus arose triumphantly from the grave. As He ascended into the heavens, He promised to come again.
We have comfort in our hope, because Jesus died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:1-3). Otherwise, we would still have our sins.
We have comfort in our hope, because the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). This is the same gospel that endureth unto the end (1 Pet. 1:25). The gospel that could save souls in the first century (Jas. 1:21) will still save souls in the twentieth century.
We have comfort in our hope, because Jesus will raise the dead (1 Thess. 4:16). Death is not the end of those who love the Lord. The grave is the temporary dwelling place of the body until the time of the general resurrection.
We have comfort in our hope, because those raised with Jesus shall “ever be with the Lord. ” Jesus said He was going to build a mansion, and would come again and receive us unto Himself (Jn. 14:1-4). Heaven is a wonderful place.
Some have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13). They are not the children of God. They have never obeyed the commands of Christ (Jn. 14:15; Mt. 7:21-23). They have never been born again (Jn. 3:3). Only you have the choice to obey Jesus, and should do so immediately – in order to have this blessed hope!
Guardian of Truth XXXI: 8, p. 245
April 16, 1987