What does 'sleep' mean? And what is going to be changed? and this happens at the LAST trump and that is when Christ returns for the harvest. Now unless one 'sleeps' they are going to still be here on that DAY when the 'change' occurs for everybody.... The flesh body will be shed.
[What does ‘sleep’ mean?]
1THESS 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
(Those believers who have tied in this grace age of Jew and Gentile church and whose bodies are in the grave will be raised from their graves along with those of us who are alive in the moment the Lord raptures His Church, the born again believers He has save for some 2000 years when He overcame death, hell and the grave and ascended into the heavenlies and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father.
The remainder of 1st Thessolians 4 must be studied in context with all Scriptures, the knowledge of this translation was given to Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles only when God began the Church of Jesus Christ. It is hard for those of us of the fallen race of Adam and under the curse of the creation(GE3) to understand the word of God and His miracle power as we are corrupted from our birth.
“Sleep” and “die” are the same....no one is in heaven yet, contrary to popular belief. When people die they are ‘asleep in the grave’ until the 2nd coming of Christ.