THE DEATH OF SAINTS.A SLEEP IN CHRIST. 1 Corinthians 15:16. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17. and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
IS BLESSED.
Revelation 14:13. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them."
IS GAIN.Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
REMOVES FROM COMING EVIL. 2 Kings 22:20 "Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place."'" So they brought back word to the king.
Isaiah 57:1 The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart; And devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil,
LEADS TO COMFORT.Luke 16:25 "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
CHRIST’S PRESENCE.2 Corinthians 5:8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
Philippians 1:23 But I am hard-pressed from both [directions], having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for [that] is very much better;
ILLUSTRATED.Luke 16:22 "Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
