Many sincere Christians believe that upon death a believer goes to heaven to live with the Lord. They even teach that those who died are conscious and are “looking down” upon those of us on earth. This teaching opens the door to spiritualism and evil spirit impersonation of the dead (familiar spirits). What do the scriptures say about those who are “asleep in Christ”?
The epistle to the Thessalonians gives great hope concerning our life in Christ.
I Thessalonians 4:13-18:
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
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.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Note that “them which are asleep” and “them also which sleep in Jesus” are also called “the dead in Christ.”
The Greek word translated “asleep” and “sleep” in these verses is koimaō. It is where we get the word “cemetery.” I remember visiting the Sligo cemetery in Ireland and seeing the grave of the poet W. B. Yeats. Those in a cemetery are said to be “asleep” in death.
Let’s see how this Greek word for “sleep” is used in the New Testament. The verses in each category are listed in the order of the New Testament books of the Bible.
Literally Sleeping
The Greek word of “sleep” in I Thessalonians 4:14 is at times used of literal sleep. Shortly after Jesus’ crucifixion, the religious leaders in Jerusalem bribed Roman soldiers to say they were literally asleep while guarding the tomb.
Matthew 28:13
Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
Before his death, Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Although he asked Peter, James, and John to stay awake, the pressure was too much for them. They literally fell asleep.
Luke 22:45
And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow.
Jesus Christ used the common Eastern euphemism of describing death as “sleep” when he told his disciples about Lazarus. They did not understand, but thought that Jesus was speaking of literal sleep.
John 11:12
Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
The Apostle Peter showed amazing composure when he was chained to two Roman soldiers and imprisoned. He had a literal good night’s sleep until an angel woke him to leave his chains behind.
Acts 12:6
And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
“Asleep” as a Euphemism
Now let’s see how the Greek word for “sleep” in I Thessalonians 4:14 is used to describe physical death. Both the Greek and Aramaic texts of the New Testament use the idea of “sleep” as a euphemism for death. This is a “softer” way of stating something that is harsh or difficult to bear. Although Matthew 27:52 mentions “the saints which slept,” this verse does not appear in a Greek text and is considered by scholars to be added to Matthew’s gospel by scribes at a later date.
Even though his disciples misunderstood him at first, Jesus plainly stated that he was using this euphemism regarding his friend Lazarus.
John 11:11-14:
These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
After he boldly proclaimed Old Testament truths in light of the saving work of Christ, Stephen was stoned to death by the council of religious leaders in Jerusalem. Stephen “fell asleep” in Christ.
Acts 7:60
And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Paul preached to those in Antioch in Pisidia about Jesus Christ. He showed that David’s prophecy of the Messiah was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Paul used this common euphemism to describe David’s death.
Acts 13:36
For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption.
The translators of the King James Version took this euphemism for sleep and made it literal when describing the responsibility of widows.
I Corinthians 7:39
The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead [“asleep” in Greek], she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
Some believers in the Corinthian church were not receiving the proper benefits of holy communion. This caused many of them to be sick and to eventually die. Again, the euphemism for death is used.
I Corinthians 11:30
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Jesus Christ was seen in his resurrected body by more than five-hundred people. Most of them were still alive when Paul wrote his epistle to the Corinthians. But some had died—they were “fallen asleep” in Christ.
I Corinthians 15:6
After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
Some false teachers said that Jesus Christ had not been raised from the dead. Paul showed that if anyone believed that lie, they had to believe that those who died had no hope of being made alive in Christ.
I Corinthians 15:17,18:
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
Paul boldly refuted that lie. Christ was the first up from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have died in Christ.
I Corinthians 15:20
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Just as in I Thessalonians 4, Paul tells the Corinthians that not every born-again believer will die before the return of Christ. Some will be alive at his return. But all of us will be changed and get a new, spiritual body.
I Corinthians 15:51
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.
Peter wrote about scoffers who did not believe the Word of God. They mockingly said that nothing had changed since the Old Testament “fathers” died. Again, Peter uses this euphemism for death.
II Peter 3:4:
And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
The expression “slept with his fathers” referring to death is used 36 times in the Old Testament (I Kings 2:10; 11:21,43; 14:20,31; 15:8,24; 16:6,28; 22:40,50; II Kings 8:24; 10:35; 13:9,13; 14:16,22,29; 15:7,22,38; 16:20; 20:21; 21:18; 24:6; II Chronicles 9:31; 12:16; 14:1; 16:13; 21:1; 26:2,23; 27:9; 28:27; 32:33; 33:20).
We have seen that to be “asleep” in Christ refers to a Christian who is dead. However, there is a time coming when we will “wake up”! That is our great hope for the future.
In Part 2 we will see how and when those who are asleep in Christ will get up.
