It is difficult to interpret the phrase whether we are awake or asleep.
Is this only about people on earth who are either awake or asleep? Or is this about two groups of people, of which the one group lives on earth and the other group has already died (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13)?
Considering the immediate context (1 Thessalonians 5:6), one firstly need to think of those people still living on earth. These people get, in this verse too, an encouragement to remain awake or to quickly wake up again. The verb to sleep
used in our verse also argues for the fact that we have to think here of people living on earth. A different verb for sleep
is used elsewhere in the New Testament (e.g. 1 Thessalonians 4:14) to point to those who have died.
Christians can also fall asleep and forget that they must stay awake. On earth there are active adversarial powers (see 1 Peter 5:8–9)!
A delightful view is offered here to us: to live with Jesus, our mighty Saviour. That promises to be a glorious eternal life.
10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.