Question of the Week: What does the Bible mean when it says, “The Dead in Christ will rise first”?
Verses: 1 Corinthians 15:51-54, Ephesians 4:8, 2 Corinthians 5:8
The term “In Christ” is a title used to describe those who have put their hope for salvation in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This applies to Old Testament saints as well as those currently being saved. What we look back on and remember, they looked forward to. The work of salvation still applied. The only difference was their position in time to receive it. When an Old Testament saint died in Christ, they were looking forward to God’s promises at Abraham’s side in the Grave. When a New Testament saint dies in Christ, they are immediately in the presence of the Lord. The difference between the two was because the Old Testament saint didn’t have their sins forgiven yet. Once they were, they were taken to Heaven personally by Jesus in a victory parade for 3 days. That’s what Jesus was doing when His body was in the tomb. To refer to anyone, past, present, or future, as in Christ means they are saved. Upon the moment of their death, or the time of the Rapture, they will be brought into the presence of the Lord. The difference between those two is simply the fact that the saints who have died are already risen and in God’s presence. Those who are alive when the Lord takes them home won’t die like their loved ones. They will simply be brought to where they already are.
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