We, who are of God, believe Jesus Christ to be the "Messiah" of the Old Testament, the Son of God, the Eternal ruler. Jesus was with God before the creation of the heaven and earth and all things and all creatures were created by HIM (The Word). John 1 & I John 1
Jesus came to this world in the flesh in the form of a man but born of a virgin by the Holy Spirit and the will of God.
Jesus knew what it was to feel things as our flesh feels, pain/sorrow/temptations, but Jesus was without sin, paying for all our sins by laying down HIS own life according to the will of God and the plan of God.
God raised Jesus from the dead and God will raise us also from the dead. I Thessalonians 4
Indeed we are raised from the dead of this world when God reveals HIMSELF to us and causes us to be born again of HIS Spirit. We are changed from the person we once were, now having a desire toward God. We grow into the ways of God bit by bit as we continue to live on this earth and try to do according to the will of God in the various encounters of this life.
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As we live on this present earth, like the children of God who lived before us, we wait patiently for the coming of Jesus, the second time Jesus comes to gather the church to HIMSELF.
Jesus will come in the air with a great shout that wakes the dead and the dead in Christ will rise to meet Jesus in the air. (I Thessalonians 4)
Some people of God will still be alive on this earth when this happens and they will be changed immediately, in the twinkling of an eye, in a blink of the eye, leaving behind these current physical bodies which are subject to physical pain and decay of the flesh, and they will rise to meet Jesus and those who have been raised from the dead. (I Thessalonians 4 & I Corinthians 15)
Now all will have a new body as it pleases God. We will not have these current physical bodies. (I Corinthians 15)
Notice that Jesus does not come to this present earth but we rise to meet Jesus "in the air". (I Thessalonians 4)
This present heaven and earth will be destroyed by God. (II Peter 3) It will no longer exist.
There will be a new heaven and a new earth, the new Jerusalem spoken of by the apostle John in Revelation 21.
In the new heaven and new earth, there will be no sorrow, no pain as we have now for we will have "new bodies" which are not subject to the flesh as is this current physical body. (I Corinthians 15)
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As we wait for this second coming of Jesus, we glorify God as we walk in HIS light, going HIS way, doing what HE shows us to do.
The world glorifies itself as they seek personal greatness and achievement.
We glorify God as we do what God says to do. That is our role on this earth.
As we obey God, it is different and they notice that difference ... others would choose to rant and rave and demand their rights ... we are waiting patiently ... That is like a light, a beacon on a hill, shinning all around.
One major difference between us and the people of this world is like Jesus, our kingdom is not of this world. John 18:36
This world is their life ... it is all they have. So they grab it and squeeze it and try to get as much out of it as possible.
For us, things of this world don't usually live up to expectations. Even when we try them, they often fall flat for us and go dead.
And we realize there is another "country" set up for us by God. We are like the people described in Hebrews 11 ...
Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for HE hath prepared for them a city.
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So our role as we live on this present earth is to endure, glorifying God as we obey HIM in that which pertains to this present life. And we eventually come to realize we are just waiting for that which is "expected" ... the new creation, the new heaven and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, where there is no evil and no pain, and no sorrow as we have in this world. Where there is constant joy and rejoicing and it does not grow dim as it does on this earth. And it is forever, a concept most of us can't imagine.
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The following, which Paul told Timothy, is a very good plan for us also.
I Timothy 4:13 ... Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
This is a very good daily plan for us also that we might have a proper root system and be grounded and stay grounded in God as we live on this present earth.