But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.  (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.  (15) For this we say to you by the words of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.  (16) For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. and the dead in Christ will rise first. (17) Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (18) Therefore comfort one another with these words. 

The apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Thessalonians.  Apparently Paul spent a short time there when founding the church but they believed the gospel he preached.  Somehow the word had spread to the faithful there that they had missed the second coming of Christ – that the day of the Lord had already begun. This led to fears for themselves and questions about what happens to those who die before the Lord returns. So Paul now writes this pastoral letter to comfort and erase doubt of the sure hope of salvation to all who believe in Christ.

The Thessalonians retained something of their old superstition of death but Paul reassured them all the faithful are to be raised again because of the resurrection of Christ. Death is not a final destruction but the practice of Scripture is to describe the dead as sleeping which refers to the body, not the soul. “If we believe“ that Christ died for us and was resurrected we are now partakers in His resurrection and in eternal life with Him. Paul had meant to comfort them in the gospel, not to terrify them – Paul further assures them that not only the living faithful but also those believers who died would partake in salvation. He urges them to wait  in patience and to be prepared at all times for that thief in the night, death.

We have hope in our resurrection provided we are members of the faithful in Christ and Paul commends us not just to this comfort but to comfort others. Our resurrection is linked to the resurrection of Christ.