The Benefits of Christ at Death (WSC 37)

Q. 37. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?

A. The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory; and their bodies, being still united in Christ, do rest in their graves, till the resurrection.

Paul has some interesting language in 1 Thessalonians 4-5. He refers to death as “sleep.” Why?

He says in verse 10 that Christ died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

What does he mean?

Perhaps we need to back up a bit. After all, before we can understand what benefits believers receive from Christ at death, we first need to know what death is!