Why Are The Dead known as "sleeping/asleep"?

[RileyG]

Hello!!

Why are the dead/departed known as “falling asleep/sleeping”. For example: For your servants that are sleeping now, give rest O God". etc. I’ve seen posts by many Orthodox and Eastern Catholics when someone dies they refer it to " X has fallen asleep in the presence of Christ".

Why is that?

Thanks

 

[Wandile]

Because as we profess in the creed , we look forward to the resurrection of the dead. So just as when you sleep you wake up; so too when one “dies” they may be said to fall asleep for they will one day rise again.

 

[RileyG]

Because as we profess in the creed , we look forward to the resurrection of the dead. So just as when you sleep you wake up; so too when one “dies” they may be said to fall asleep for they will one day rise again.

I see…

Are the damned in hell also “sleeping”?

 

[dmar198]

I see…

Are the damned in hell also “sleeping”?

One day they will be reunited with their bodies and thus they will live again, but they will never escape the eternal sentence of hell. By the same analogy that says the dead in Christ are sleeping, I think the damned in hell could also be said to be sleeping, but their sleeping would be the sleep of a never ending nightmare.

 

[DaveBj]

It’s a metaphor taken from the appearance of the body of someone who has died.

 

[Neofight]

It’s a metaphor taken from the appearance of the body of someone who has died.

Its a metaphor, but its more spiritual than metaphor.

Dead is dead. Asleep indicates we will wake up. Asleep (in Christ) is our state after physical death until we receive our glorified body after the resurrection on the last day.

At that point, we will “awaken” and live forever.

 

[RileyG]

Its a metaphor, but its more spiritual than metaphor.

Dead is dead. Asleep indicates we will wake up. Asleep (in Christ) is our state after physical death until we receive our glorified body after the resurrection on the last day.

At that point, we will “awaken” and live forever.

I think I understand now. Thanks for answering, all.