‘Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not ALL sleep, but we shall ALL be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye’, 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 51.
Paul, an apostle, wrote these comforting words to Christians living in the 1st century. They are still a comfort to Christians today, particularly when they are passing through difficult times, such as the current pandemic, when millions of loved ones are passing away. The Greek word for ‘mystery’ means ‘something that has been hidden that has now been revealed’.
The Bible often refers to death as ‘sleep’. When a person closes their eyes in sleep, we expect them to wake, refreshed. Christians believe that the moment they close their eyes in death, they open them to spend eternity with the Lord Jesus in heaven. Far from being the end of all things, it is the start of a new life, with Christ, which is far better than anything life on earth has to offer! Certain things about us will remain the same, e.g. we will retain our identity. However, thankfully, the moment Christians die (sleep), ‘we shall ALL be changed’ – we will have bodies that are like that of the Lord Jesus and suited for life in heaven. We will never sin, sorrow or suffer pain again! We will willingly worship and serve the Lord forever!
We will not ALL sleep (die) – the Bible teaches that the next event for those Christians currently living is the imminent (at any moment) return of the Lord Jesus to the air to take them to be with Him in heaven. At this great event, they will also meet in the air those who, having passed away, are already with Him, 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verses 16 & 17.

What a blessed Hope! Beyond all human hopes promised today. May you know the joy and peace only found in the God of Hope. Read these Scriptures for yourself.