1950 This Means Everlasting Life - A2Z.org

THE REMNANT OF KINGDOM HEIRS 231
9 This definitely says that the Kingdom heirs
who belong to the body of Christ are first resurrected
from death "during his presence" . It is
when the Lord of lords himself descends from
heaven, turning his attention downward to this
earth at his second presence, that "those who are
dead in union with Christ will rise first" . A remnant
of the 144,000 members of Christ's body are
still left surviving on earth during his presence .
It is that they might be witnesses to his kingdom
in obedience to the commands of God . They must
serve as witnesses of Jehovah God . Isaiah 43 :10-
12 ; 44 :8, ASV So the members of this remnant
are the "happy" ones who "die in union with the
Lord from this time onward" . Yes, they must die,
being baptized into his death and sacrificing all
right to perfect human life in the new world . They
must fulfill the strict requirement for life with
Christ Jesus in heaven : "Trustworthy is the saying
: Certainly if we died together, we shall also
live together ; if we go on enduring, we shall also
rule together as kings." 2 Timothy 2 :11, 12, NW
The members of this remnant die, but they do not
need to sleep in death as all those Kingdom heirs
did who died prior to Christ's harvest work . They
are the ones meant when the apostle says that
"we shall not all fall asleep in death" . The remnant
do not die to sleep awaiting the beginning of
Christ's parousia. Since he is then present, the
moment of their death in the flesh becomes the
moment of their resurrection change to life in the
9. Why must the remnant die? Why do they not sleep
in death?