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1 Thessalonians 5:1 "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you."
The informed believer is at rest in troubled times because of the certainty of the information he has been given, upon which he can rely. The Lord is coming, that is a fact. There is to be no speculation concerning dates, as to the events described, nor as to the day of the Lord. We have the Lord's word on that:
Not knowing the time is to keep us ever watchful (Mark 13:33 ). Paul does not write concerning the effect on those outside the church.
This day will overcome them with the shock of a burglary. The unbeliever will be occupied with false peace saying:
Pangs of judgment cannot be escaped by those who do not obey the Saviour. Just when men will be saying, "never had it so good," judgment falls on them, like the sudden judgment of Belshazzar (Daniel 5 ), and on Herod (Acts 12 ), and the rich fool in Luke 12. Let us so live and witness that people will be disturbed now by the convicting and convincing Spirit of God, and brought to salvation and informed restfulness. God's family live, looking for:
- they cannot be surprised by what they look for. Look for that day with childlike restfulness.
We are not to be lulled into inactivity and lazy indifference by false propaganda of "peace, peace" and materialistic contentment - but be alert - the Lord is coming. No matter who gets intoxicated, whether by too much drink, television-drunk, food drunk, or literature drunk, and all the other ways people are robbed of their senses and vitality, we are not of the "they" of the night. We are sons of the day, and are to be sober in the light of His Word, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. (1 Thessalonians 5:8 )
Our threefold armour is faith in Christ, hope of consummated salvation at His appearing, and love that serves the Lord and benefits others. Our living in faith will make us more active in love - our head preserved with hope, will keep us from the idle dreams of the worldly. We are to be kept ready for that great day.
Though believers were once the "children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3 ), they are now reconciled to God through faith in Christ Jesus, and saved from the wrath to come.
Because we have the salvation of our souls now, our sure hope is the realisation of the redemption of our body upon the return of Jesus Christ.
To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. In the first coming Christ dealt with the sin question once for all; in His second coming He will take redeemed sinners to Himself in the consummation of their salvation. We wait the redemption of our body. (See Romans 8:23-25 ). Our lowly body will be conformed to His glorious body (Philippians 3:20-21 ). Believing in His substitutionary death is the means of full salvation.
What does it mean to you not to sleep, but to watch and be sober in readiness for His coming?