Welcome to Defenders, the teaching class of Dr. William Lane Craig.

For more information and resources from Dr. Craig, go to reasonable faith.org.

Last time, we began the final locus of our Defender's class, the doctrine of the last things.

And we began by looking at some of the biblical data

concerning the second coming of Christ. Today we want to continue our examination of those biblical

data. Look with me at 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 verses 13 to 5 and verse 8. Here Paul writes to these Greek

believers, but we would not have you ignorant brethren concerning those who have fallen asleep,

that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

But since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so through Jesus, God will bring

with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive,

who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangels call, and with the sound of the

trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left,

shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And so we shall always be with the Lord.

Therefore comfort one another with these words.

But as to the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need to have anything written to you, for you yourselves

know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When people say,

there is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child and there will be no escape.

But you are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief.

For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. So then,

let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep,

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