One of the most-used passages at funerals and memorial services is 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. The end of that chapter tells Christians to “comfort [or encourage] one another with these words.” In these verses, Paul shares some facts about the return of Christ, and he wrote to encourage the Christians at that time that their loved ones who had already died would not “miss” the Second Coming. At the end of verse 13, Paul wrote that these Christians “may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” But, why would they have “no hope?” As we’ve already mentioned, some were holding a belief that those who died before Christ returned…