Vulnerability of Believers in Sleep and Spiritual Warfare
Vulnerability of Believers in Sleep and Spiritual Warfare
Scripture uses sleep as a metaphor for spiritual lethargy, not physical rest itself. When Jesus found his disciples asleep in Gethsemane, their drowsiness stemmed partly from natural fatigue—the late hour, the Passover meal—but "the chief reason of their sleepiness was their sorrow" [2]. This physical sleep illustrated a deeper spiritual condition: an inability to remain vigilant during Christ's hour of trial.
The Nature of Spiritual Sleep
Spiritual sleep among believers manifests in "a non-exercise of grace; in a sluggishness to and in duty; in a contentment in external exercises of religion; in lukewarmness about the cause of Christ" [1]. This condition differs fundamentally from the biblical phrase "fallen asleep in Christ," which refers to physical death of believers who remain in communion with Christ [3]. The terminology itself carries theological weight: "In Christ's case the term used is death, to assure us of the reality of His suffering; in our case, sleep, to give us consolation" [3].
The parable of the wheat and tares warns that spiritual drowsiness creates opportunity for the enemy: "while men slept" describes the state of "good men, ministers, and churches" when tares are sown among the wheat [1]. This sleepiness arises "from a body of sin and death; from worldly cares; weariness in spiritual duties; a cessation from spiritual exercises" [1].
The Call to Vigilance
Paul's exhortation "let us not sleep as do others" [4] distinguishes believers from those in spiritual darkness. The metaphor extends to drunkenness as well, representing "those who do not exercise self-control; they will be surprised by the day of the Lord" [6]. Believers who "indulge themselves in carnal lusts and pleasures, and are careless and thoughtless about the coming of the day of the Lord" adopt the posture of the unconverted [4].
Yet Scripture also acknowledges God's communication through dreams and visions during natural sleep. Job 33:15 describes divine warnings given "when deep sleep falleth upon men" and "in slumberings upon the bed" [5]. The vulnerability lies not in physical rest but in moral indifference [6]—a state where "grace lies dormant as if it was not" and believers "grow backward to, and slothful in the discharge of duty" [4].
Sources
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 13:23: But while men slept,.... Good men, ministers, and churches; whose case this sometimes is to be asleep in a spiritual sense: and which sleepiness lies in a non-exercise of grace; in a sluggishness to and in duty; in a contentment in external exercises of religion; in lukewarmness about the cause of Christ; in an unconcernedness about sins of omission and commission; and in a willingness to continue in such a state; and which arises from a body of sin and death; from worldly cares; weariness in spiritual duties; a cessation from spiritual exercises; an absenting from ”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 26:39: And he cometh unto the disciples,.... The three he took with him, Peter, James, and John, after he had finished his prayer, and findeth them asleep: many things might contribute to, and bring this drowsiness upon them; as the great fatigue they had had in preparing the passover in the day, the plentiful meal they had eaten at night, though without excess, and the lateness of the night, it being now probably midnight; but the chief reason of their sleepiness was their sorrow, as is expressed in Luk 22:45, what Christ had said to them of his soul troubles, and what ”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 15:18: fallen asleep in Christ--in communion with Christ as His members. "In Christ's case the term used is death, to assure us of the reality of His suffering; in our case, sleep, to give us consolation: In His case, His resurrection having actually taken place, Paul shrinks not from the term death; in ours, the resurrection being still only a matter of hope, he uses the term falling asleep" [PHOTIUS, QuÃ&brvbrstiones AmphilochiÃ&brvbr, 197]. perished--Their souls are lost; they are in misery in the unseen world.”
- 1 Thessalonians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Thessalonians 5:6: Therefore let us not sleep as do others.... As the rest of the Gentiles, as unconverted persons, who are in a state of darkness, and are children of the night; let us not act that part they do, or be like them; which professors of religion too much are, when they indulge themselves in carnal lusts and pleasures, and are careless and thoughtless about the coming of the day of the Lord; and get into a stupid, drowsy, and slumbering frame of spirit; when grace lies dormant as if it was not, and they grow backward to, and slothful in the discharge of duty, and con”
- Job (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Job 33:15: I. In a Dream In a Dream - when deep sleep falleth upon men - Many, by such means, have had the most salutary warnings; and to decry all such, because there are many vain dreams, would be nearly as much wisdom as to deny the Bible, because there are many foolish books, the authors of which supposed they were under a Divine influence while composing them. II. In a Vision In a Vision of the night - in slumberings upon the bed - Visions or images presented in the imagination during slumber, when men are betwixt sleeping and waking, or when, awake and in bed, they are wra”
- 1 Thessalonians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Thessalonians 5:7: 5:7 Sleep refers to moral indifference (5:6), and drunk is a metaphor for those who do not exercise self-control; they will be surprised by the day of the Lord (5:4; Matt 24:48-51).”