Here is a synopsis of what I shared last night so you can better understand why I have taught you as I have in the past and will do so in the future.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 LEB
Now we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you will not grieve as also the rest, who have no hope.
Early Christians were afraid of what happened to those who died before Christ returned.
Paul wanted them to know the truth so they could have hope.
Paul’s truth was a very positive truth, but from it we can draw an applicable lesson even when the truth isn’t pleasant.
Severe pain can open one up to possibility which opens the door for hope.
This is the kind of pain that left unchecked leads to despair.
The door to hope can only truly open when one confronts the unvarnished truth.
Hope without truth is wishful thinking which, when it goes unfulfilled, leads to cynicism and the death of hope.