I Thessalonians 4:17-18 describes a monumental event following the Great Tribulation in which the conquering Christ will return and resurrect His saints from the dead and instantly transform those who are alive into spirit beings—those having the Christ-like capability of fathoming the motives of the human heart without the carnal tendency to hate and seek revenge. Because our Lord has the power to resurrect the dead, we are to follow our Leader as soldiers in His army, executing the evil rebels who have hopelessly tainted their hearts with sin, unable to repent. The command not to kill applies to the fleshly, carnal tendency to hatred which God's resurrected saints will no longer have, but instead the saints will desire to give as many of these burned-out reprobates the ultimate chance to repent, choosing to live permanently under God's sovereignty (something that will have to wait for the Great White Throne Judgment). As God's resurrected saints and part of the 144,000 (Revelation 14:4; Revelation 19:14-13), we will assist the Captain of our Salvation to bring an end to Satanic world rule forever. Although the return of Christ and the Day of the Lord will involve horrendous events far beyond the scope of our experience, we know in the ultimate plan and purpose of God that all will work out for good for those called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).