Them Which Are Asleep

Temple Baptist Church - 11-8-2015

1 Thessalonians 4:13

Introduction:

A.  There are many times when Paul addressed the possible ignorance of God’s people on certain subjects. 

1.  Paul’s desire was “I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren.”  I would never presume for a moment that the saints of Temple Baptist Church would ever be ignorant in these areas but, as our children grow up, they must be biblically taught just like you and me. 

2.  Our taking certain biblical doctrines for granted can lead to those subjects no longer being preached upon and us raising a new generation that is ignorant on biblical doctrine.  There is nothing actually wrong with ignorance as the word refers to someone who has not been taught. 

3.  I think it was Will Rogers who said, “Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.”  I may have the quote wrong but the precept is right. 

B.  Paul, in verse 13, deals with an event that we will all face if the Lord has not returned in our lifetime.  I will not use a lot of verses on death because it is a subject all too real to us older folks.

Genesis 2:17  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Hebrews 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

C.  The question must be answered: Does man have only temporal life or does man have life after death?  There are several different viewpoints that I want to address in this introduction:

1.  There is the viewpoint of the atheist or agnostic that man dies as the dog dies (never more to have a conscience state) and the body goes back to dust.  Their reasoning is that everything came into existence through the Big Bang and Evolution.  Their perspective is that man is just an animal of higher intelligence instead of Divine design.  This is the fool of Psalms 14:1 which says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”

2.  There is the viewpoint of the unsaved man who believes that there is a God but chooses not to place his/her faith in Him.  This individual is not a fool but is certainly foolish!  Their perspective is that of “no hope.”   They understand that they will never see their loved one again and mourn with great loss.

3.  There is the viewpoint of some who believe that, if you are not one of their number, your body goes back to dust and your soul is annihilated by God. 

4.  There is the viewpoint of some that when man dies, their soul sleeps in the grave until such a time as God resurrects both it and the body. 

5.  There is the biblical viewpoint (which is the correct one) that, when man dies, the body goes to the grave and the spirit back to God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 12:7  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

D.  There is much misunderstanding concerning the subject of death.  The words “sleep” and “asleep” found in the Bible are confusing to the casual reader as the answer can only come through rightly dividing the Word of Truth.  We read here that the lost have no hope but those of us who are saved have a living hope that is eternal.

1.  Every person who has ever been on this earth has eternal existence.  God breathed eternal life into the body of Adam.  That life that God gave to Adam came from God and will never cease.  It was not just physical life as the Bible says that Adam became a living soul.

Genesis 2:7  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.  (Living means to preserve, revive, or to keep alive.  Our life is derived through the life that God gave to Adam.  God does not need to breathe the breath of life into each of us.  The word “breathed” means to inspire or inspiration.  God breathed out, which is expiration, and breathed in to Adam, which is inspiration.  Inspiration means to infuse.  As God once inspired or infused life into the Bible, it remains inspired to this day through preservation.  Thus it is with man, God infused life into Adam and it remains infused in mankind through preservation.)

2.  As the soul and spirit of the saved will always be alive with the Lord, the soul and spirit of the unsaved with always be alive in hell.

3.  To be absent from the body for the saved is to be present with the Lord.  2 Corinthians 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

4.  To be absent from the body for the unsaved is to be present in hell.  Luke 16:22-23  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;  (23)  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

E.  In our verse for tonight, we find several things:

1.  The Surety of Death.

Ecclesiastes 12:7  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

1 Corinthians 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Hebrews 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

2.  The Sorrow of Death.  Notice the difference between the death of two of David’s sons.

a.  The sorrow of those who have hope – “that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”  Psalms 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

b.  The sorrow of those who have no hope – “which have no hope”  Hebrews 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

3.  The Sweetness of Death.

a.  Sweet to the Lord - Psalms 116:15  Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

Job 14:14-15  If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.  (15)  Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

b.  Sweet to the Saint - Philippians 1:21-23  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  (22)  But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.  (23)  For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: