Some Questions about I Thess 4:13-18

The souls of those who die in Christ go directly to be with the Lord. However, they are spirit beings without bodies. Here Paul is talking about the resurrection of the body. When Christ returns, the bodies of the dead will be resurrected first and rejoined with their immortal soul. Then those who remain will be taken up, body and soul.

 

I think it deals with the bodies being resurrected because he has already said in verse 14:

So the dead in Christ are with Him but will be reunited with their bodies on his return. Maybe 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 deals with this also.

 

You might find this interesting: http://thereignofchrist.com/i-thess-4/

 

I think most have said what is happening. The resurrection spoken of is physical. The Lord at His return brings with Him all who "sleep" in Jesus and those who are alive at His coming are caught up in the air to meet them and ever be with the Lord. The teaching is that those who remain alive at the Lord's coming shall not prevent, or preceed, those who have already died in Jesus.

We are all raised at this last day together.

 

No doubt this is the physical resurrection of the body.

 

Both phrases are used historically to mean basically the same thing but having minor but different emphasis.
As can be seen it their usages here. The phrase 'fallen asleep' is refering to the looking ahead to the time in which they will completely be whole and awaken (ie. looking with expectation or antisipation). This is why Paul tells them not to mourn those who have fallen asleep in vs 13 and parallels it with 14 speaking of Jesus death and resurrection. Verse 15 brings the two points of life and death together by speaking of 'us' being 'alive' and them who 'sleep'.

The only passage in this which speaks of them being 'dead' is where it is specifically elaborating on the physical condition of the person changing.
This depiction goes back up to vs 14 in which Jesus 'died' and rose again (ie. the resurrection) and us who have died being risen to life in like manner.

'Dead' speaks to the condition of the mortal body and 'fallen asleep' speaks to the spiritual expectation of the believers body (ie. to soon awaken). - at least these are my thoughts.

 

That's talking about Christians who have already died. They are called; "asleep in Christ" as opposed to unbelievers who are simply dead.

 

Just to add a mix to the thread, I would like to point out this passage...

Many see verses 1-3 showing a contrast of two bodies. In this view, the two body contrast is dropped in verses 5 and onward. If this be true verse 3 tells us we will never be without a body of some kind.

 

Thanks for that link.

 

Considering this, and verse 2, and I could be wrong, I take verse 3 to mean that we will be clothed in our heavenly home without a body until resurrection.