What is the gospel according to 1 Thessalonians 4:14, and what does it mean to believe it?
According to 1 Thessalonians 4:14, the gospel is that Jesus died and rose again. To believe it means truly believing that message to the place where God has imparted salvation. Since Jesus and God are synonymous, God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
Les teaches from 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 that this passage extends the revelation of the mystery he calls being caught up. Paul does not want believers ignorant about those who have died physically, who are asleep, so they need not sorrow as others who have no hope. The pivotal statement is, “if we believe that Jesus died and rose again.” Les identifies that as the gospel, and says believing it means believing it to the place where God has now imparted salvation. Then, even so, those who sleep in Christ or in Jesus, who have died, God will bring with Him. The passage presents Jesus and God as synonymous—the same God, the same Jesus.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
More Questions
Does 1 Thessalonians 4:14 show that Jesus and God are the same?
1 Thessalonians 4:14 is one of those Scripture portions where Jesus and God are synonymous — the same God, the same Jesus.