What does 'fallen asleep in Christ' mean?
'Fallen asleep in Christ' refers to believers who had embraced Christianity and Paul's gospel—those who have died. The phrase describes believers whose eternal destiny depends on Christ's resurrection, because if Christ was not raised, they too are as doomed as anyone else, since without resurrection power there is no eternal life.
Les explains that "fallen asleep in Christ" means believers who had embraced Christianity and Paul's gospel. In the passage, Paul reasons that if Christ was not raised, then those who have fallen asleep in Christ are just as doomed as anyone else, because without resurrection power there is no eternal life. Les emphasizes that Christ was literally, physically dead and buried three days and three nights, and God raised Him from the dead the third day according to the Scriptures. This is the threefold aspect of the gospel: the eternal Creator God took on human flesh, died, shed His blood, was buried, and rose again. Les also notes that if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. He contrasts this with liberal preachers who claim Christ was not really dead but only unconscious. The resurrection is proof positive that He was really dead and is the basis for eternal life.
Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.