WHEN YOU DIE WHAT THEN?
"When You Die What Then?" is based on two
letters Paul wrote to believers at Thessalonica
about A.D.50.
Among other things it tells believers what
happens when they die. Chapter numbers and our
comments are in brackets and quotes are from
the N.I.V. Bible.
(If you are not a believer you can become one
by turning completely from your old way of life
and trusting Jesus Christ (who died in your
place to save you from the deadly consequences
of that life), for your new life of obedience
to Him. Do it now by saying something like this
to Him. Dear God, I have been going my own way
but now I want to turn to go yours. I believe
you will forgive me my past sins and give me a
new life as a member of your family. I believe
the way to do this is through trust in your Son
Jesus Christ. Thanks for accepting me.
The following is for you as a believer).
From now on your work will be produced by
faith, your labour prompted by love and your
endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus
Christ.
You are loved by God who has chosen you because
the Good News (that God Himself in the person
of Jesus Christ loves you enough to die for
you), came to you not just as words, but with
the power of God the Holy Spirit and therefore
deep conviction and joy.
Live on this basis (with the power and love
God the Holy Spirit dwelling in you gives) and
you will be a model for believers everywhere to
follow. They in turn will tell how you turned
from your old life to serve the living and true
God as you wait to meet His Son from Heaven
whom He raised from the dead - Jesus, who will
rescue you from the coming wrath. (On Judgment
Day).
(1 Thess. Chapter 1)
You may suffer and be insulted,but with God's
help, you'll continue to tell others the Good
News in spite of strong opposition. You have
been approved by God and entrusted with the
Good News. Your job is not to please men but to
please God who tests your heart. So don't use
flattery as a mask to cover greed, or look for
praise from men. (Man's approval means nothing,
God's means everything).
Don't be a burden to other believers (for
example, expecting them to pay for you). Be
gentle with them like a mother or father
caring for their children. Love them, delight
to share not only the Good News with them but
your life as well, because they are so dear to
you. Toil and endure hardship night and day
if necessary, so you can bring the Good News
to people free of charge.
Others must be able to testify as well as God
Himself, that you are set apart for His use
only, that you are just, honest, upright,
innocent and blameless. Encourage, comfort
and urge others to live lives worthy of God
who calls them into His kingdom and glory.
You received God's word (including the Good
News), as it actually is, the word of God at
work in all believers and not as the mere word
of men.
You'll suffer for this. Hostile people
killed the Lord Jesus Christ and displeased God
by heaping up their sins to the limit. God's
wrath came upon them. Such people will oppose
you and try to stop you spreading the Good News
so people can be saved. You may find yourself
torn away from believers and though you make
every effort to see them, find Satan stopping
you. Such people are your hope, your joy, the
crown in which you will glory in the presence
of our Lord Jesus Christ when He comes.
(1 Thess. Chapter 2)
Strengthen and encourage such people in their
faith so that they won't be unsettled when they
are persecuted - and tempted by Satan as all
believers are destined to be. When you hear of
their faith and love and how they are standing
firm in the Lord you will have joy in God's
presence because of them. Pray earnestly night
and day for such people that you will be able
to supply anything lacking in their faith when
you see them.
May the Lord make your love increase and
overflow for others. May He strengthen your
heart so you'll be blameless and set apart for
God's use only, when our Lord Jesus Christ
returns "With all His Holy Ones".
(1 Thess. Chapter 3)
It's God's will that you be completely pure and
clean, that you avoid sexual immorality, and
learn to control your own body, setting it
apart for God's use and honouring it. This
means no pre or extra marital sex. No
passionate lust for you, like the heathen who
do not know God. The Lord will punish people
for all such sins. God called you to live a
pure, clean life set apart for His use. To
reject this instruction is to reject God who
gives the Holy Spirit.
Concentrate on loving other believers more
and more, this is what God teaches. Make it
your ambition to live a quiet life minding your
own business and working with your own hands,so
that your daily life will win the respect of
non believers and you will not be dependent on
anybody.
Jesus died and rose again and when He returns
He will bring with Him those who have died
believing in Him. He will come from heaven
"with a loud command, with the voice of the
Archangel and the trumpet call of God". Then
believers who are still alive "will be caught
up together with them in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air". So you will be with the Lord
forever. Encourage other believers with these
words.
(1 Thess. Chapter 4)
Only God knows what day this will be, but it
will "come like a thief in the night". Non
believers will be saying peace and safety, but
destruction will come on them suddenly. But
Christ's return won't surprise you. So be
alert, self controlled, putting on faith and
love as a bullet proof vest and the certainty
of going to heaven as a safety helmet. No wrath
on Judgment Day for you. Instead you'll be
saved by our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for you
so that, whether you are alive or dead,you will
live with Him. Encourage other believers with
these truths.
If you are in a group of believers,respect any
who are leaders and "hold them in the highest
regard in love because of their work". Live in
peace, warn the idle, encourage the timid, help
the weak, be patient with everyone, ensure
nobody pays back wrong for wrong, always try to
be kind to each other.
Always be joyful, "pray continually, give
thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's
will for you in Christ Jesus". Don't quench or
dampen down the fire of the Holy Spirit. Don't
despise a prophecy or teaching from God, but
make sure it lines up with God's word as set
out in the Bible. "Hold on to the good. Avoid
every kind of evil."
May God Himself, the God of peace, cleanse and
purify you through and through. "May your whole
spirit soul and body be kept blameless at the
return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who
calls you is faithful and He will do it." The
undeserved favour of our Lord Jesus be with
you.
(1 Thess. Chapter 5)
God's undeserved favour and peace to you from
God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
May your faith grow stronger along with your
love for other believers and your perseverance
under trials. God will give you relief from
these trials in due course. God will punish
with everlasting destruction, those who don't
know Him and don't obey the Good News of our
Lord Jesus. This will happen when Christ
returns from heaven in blazing fire with His
powerful angels. On that day you will marvel at
His majesty and power.
May God "count you worthy of His calling" and
by His power,may He "fulfill every good purpose
of yours and every act prompted by your faith".
May the name of our Lord Jesus be glorified in
you and you in Him, according to the undeserved
favour "of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ".
(2 Thess. Chapter 1)
A secret power of lawlessness is at work in the
present world. God is restraining it at present
but when He stops, a lawless leader will be
revealed. He will come "in accordance with the
work of Satan displayed in all kinds of
counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders and in
every sort of evil that deceives those who are
perishing. They will perish because they
refused to love the truth and be saved".
Because of their action, God "sends them a
powerful delusion" to believe the lie and be
condemned for not believing the truth and
delighting in wickedness.
The man of lawlessness "will oppose and exalt
himself over everything that is called God or
is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in
God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God."
When the Lord Jesus Christ returns He will
gather you to Himself, reveal the lawless
leader and "overthrow him with the breath of
His mouth and destroy him by the splendour of
His coming".
God loves you and "from the beginning chose you
to be saved through the purifying work of God
the Holy Spirit and through belief in the
truth. By believing the Good News you share in
the glory of our Lord Jesus. So stand firm and
hold to His teachings.
May our Lord Jesus Himself and God our Father
who loved you and by His undeserved favour gave
you eternal encouragement and good hope,
encourage your heart and strengthen you in
every good deed and word".
(2 Th. Ch 2)
May God's word spread rapidly and be honoured.
May you be delivered from wicked and evil
opponents. The Lord is faithful. He will
strengthen and protect you from the devil. May
the Lord direct your heart into His love and
Christ's perseverance.
Don't waste time with believers who are idle or
don't live according to God's word. Work for
your pay and pay for your food. Don't expect
others to pay your way. "If a man will not work
he shall not eat". Warn believers if they are
idle and never tire of doing what is right.
Now may the Lord of Peace give you peace at all
times and in every way. The Lord be with you.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
(2 Th. Ch 3)
HERE ARE SOME MAIN POINTS FROM THESSALONIANS:
1. The Good News (of God's love for you at
Calvary) came to you with the power of God
the Holy Spirit bringing deep conviction and
joy. God will enable you to live a pure,
clean life now.
2. Pass the Good News on free of charge even
though it will involve suffering and
hardship. Strengthen, encourage and pray for
believers, especially those who are
persecuted by Satan.
3. When Jesus returns to earth all believers
will be with Him and see non believers
destroyed. At that time a lawless leader
claiming to be God will also be destroyed.
4. Warn idle believers who don't live according
to God's word.
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