I Thessalonians 4
12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead) , that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with HIM.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (go before) them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord HIMSELF shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
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Some will still be alive on this present earth when Jesus returns through the clouds. Jesus will send HIS angels to gather HIS elect and to take HIS elect from off this earth which God will destroy with fire.
Matthew 24 Jesus says:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And HE shall send HIS angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together HIS elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
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Jesus says:
John 18:36 ... MY kingdom is not of this world: if MY kingdom were of this world, then would MY servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is MY kingdom not from hence.
We are only living on this earth temporarily. God has created a new heaven and new earth for HIS people.
Revelation 21
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and HE will dwell with them, and they shall be HIS people, and God HIMSELF shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And HE that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
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Before we are taken to the new heaven and the new earth, we will be given new "spiritual" bodies.
I Corinthians 15
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
(Blink! That is how fast we will be changed by God into our new spiritual bodies.)
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
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Knowing these truths, we do not strive with this world over those "very temporary things of this world."
Like our ancestors we live "as strangers and pilgrims" on this earth, waiting for Jesus to come and take us to the new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
So we live here honestly, for our Father God is honest and we are HIS children.
And we learn to wait patiently (longsuffering) for the return of Jesus and the new heaven and new earth where Jesus will take us.
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