Addressing the members of the church of Christ, the followers of the Lord Jesus, the apostle says "Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). From the Divine viewpoint, so far as the earthly existence is concerned, these are reckoned dead, and alive as new creatures in Christ. It is these dead who die in the Lord. Theirs is a sacrificial death, and they “die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31), until they have finished the dying process in actual death. But now, from a certain time, those of this class who die, in place of sleeping in the tomb, at the moment of death enter into the glorious heavenly state where their works will continue with them.
Paul refers to this when he says, "Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump" (1 Corinthians 15:51,52. From that time forward, the faithful followers of Christ have entered at once into their reward.
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