1 Thessalonians 5:10
“Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Christ died for us so that, whether alive or dead, we may live together with Him.
What Does 1 Thessalonians 5:10 Mean?
Paul names the heart of salvation in a few words: Christ 'died for us.' His death was on our behalf, the price of our rescue. And it has a purpose that reaches beyond death itself: 'that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.' Whether we are alive at His coming or have died before it, the outcome is the same, life with Christ.
This gathers up the comfort of the whole section. Earlier Paul used 'sleep' for those who had died; here he assures both the living and the departed that Christ's death secures their life with Him. Death changes nothing about our final destiny, for the Lord who died for us guarantees that we will live together with Him. Notice the togetherness, 'live together with him.' The goal is not merely existence but communion, being with Christ and with one another in Him. The cross stands behind this hope; because He died for us, neither waking nor sleeping, neither life nor death, can keep His people from living with their Lord.