Death and Dying - 1 Thessalonians 4-5

 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (ESV)

The Coming of the Lord

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

There is not secret that God’s Word informs the believer they have different experiences than the non-believer.   Even when it comes to death and dying, God does not want our sorrow to look like the worlds.  God wants us to sorrow differently.    Before Paul wrote the above passage he had already told the church about the difference of our sorrow as compared to the that of the non-believing world:

2 Corinthians 7:10 (NASBStr)

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

We can rejoice that even in the deepest pain of mankind, facing a death of a loved one, God provides us with a comfort that is unmatched by the world.   In fact, one of the first truths Jesus ever stated to an audience in His teaching times was this:

Matthew 5:4 (ESV)

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

This is the second of eight Beatitudes.   To understand the Beatitudes you have to know the structure of the Beatitude.   The little word “for” is a big word in the Greek when it comes to knowing the meaning of each Beatitude. It is a “because” phrase.   The Beatitude does not say we are blessed “because” we mourn.   We are blessed “because” the believer is “comforted” in all their mourning.   No matter the mourning, but especially mourning due to loss.   The word “blessed” is the Greek “makarios.” The Greek philosopher would not use the word “makarios” when speaking of human beings.  It was such a high and lofty word.    They thought only the gods could experience “makarios.”   Yet, here, in His first sermon ever preached, Jesus is using it eight times to tell us that believers can have the most glorious of blessings and it is even provided by Christ in times of great sorrow.   Paul picks that theme up in the above passage from 1 Thessalonians.  He writes to tell the church to not sorrow like the world.  We have a hope about future uniting with loved ones “in Christ” when Christ returns.   Profound, but more than that.  It is an assured makarios (blessed) gift from God.   Claim it by faith. It does not remove heart ache, but it elevates the spirit as we allow the Holy Spirit to apply the truth to our hearts and minds via faith.