For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so those who have fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
Asleep in Jesus ...  Stibbs construed the prepositional phrase in this passage as modifying "God will bring," rendering it: "Even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep";[26] but this would seem to be both arbitrary and awkward.  While true enough that the resurrection shall be accomplished "through Jesus," the thing in view here is that community of souls who are "asleep in Jesus."  This passage does not deny the general resurrection of all the dead, but the general resurrection of unbelievers is not mentioned.  The glorious promises of this passage are for them that sleep Jesus."  Thus, again, the supreme importance of being Christ" appears as a mandatory prerequisite of receiving any Christian blessing.  The apostle John wrote: "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord  (Revelation 14:13); and the same teaching is in Paul's words here.