Death is a reality we all must face, but the hope of the Christian is the resurrection of the dead. The same God who resurrected Jesus Christ from the grave will also raise all the dead to life again. Only the just, the righteous, will rise at Christ's second coming. God will raise the martyred saints to eternal life, but the unjust dead will not be resurrected until a later time. If we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us when we die, we will be resurrected through the power of that same Spirit at His coming. In addition to the dead in Christ, those who are true Christians at His coming will rise in the first resurrection.

The concept of being "dead, in Christ" is intricately tied to the profound change that awaits true Christians at the return of Jesus Christ. Paul speaks of this transformation in I Thessalonians 4, offering hope by explaining what will happen when Christ returns. This hope extends not only to those who are alive at that time but also to those who have died as true Christians. Just as Jesus died, rose again, and was changed, we must believe that the same transformation will occur for us. At the last trumpet, with the shout of an archangel, those who have died in Christ will rise from the grave and ascend to meet Him who is returning from heaven. This resurrection is a change from mortal to immortal, from corruption to incorruption, marking the completion of God's creative work in His people. As Job expressed in ancient times, even in the midst of affliction, he held the hope that if he should die, he would wait in the grave until God would call and raise him up to real life, fully aware and transformed to speak with God Himself. This change, anticipated by saints through the ages, signifies the ultimate fulfillment of becoming like Christ, glorified and made immortal to inherit the Kingdom of God.