I Thessalonians 5:6 – So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
Welcome back, dear readers! In our last few posts we have been examining the doctrine of physical death and resurrection. 
Specifically, Paul describes sinners as people who are spiritually asleep. Because of their rejection of the gospel, they will be surprised by (and unprepared for) the return of the Lord.
However, this will not be the case for Christians. We are spiritually awake. We are fully cognizant of the fact that, at the time appointed by the Father, Jesus will return to earth to claim his bride and judge the world.
Here in verse six, the word ‘so’ acts as a bridge between the prior explanation of Paul and the conclusions he will reach in the following verses.
In other words, because of the fact that Christians do not live in spiritual darkness and because we are very well aware that Christ will return to the world as both Savior and Judge, certain things should be true in our lives.
First of all, we need to take great care not to fall asleep like the heathen. This is a concerning command because it implies that we can become cold or complacent or apathetic in our Christian lives. In fact, Jesus told the disciples that this very thing would occur right before his return:
Matthew 24:12 - And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall grow cold.
In this verse ‘iniquity’ includes the sins of those who persecute believers, the lies/deceptions of false teachers and the sin/wickedness that prevails in the lives of Christians.
Notice that the increased level of sin causes the Christian’s love of Christ to grow cold. In essence, it puts him or her into spiritual slumber!
If this happens to enough Christians, their local church can become spiritually asleep just like unbelievers. This appears to have been the case for the church in Sardis:
Revelation 3:1-3 - …”I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.”
Here is a sobering thought – Jesus isn’t speaking these words to the world; he is addressing his own church!
But there is also good news. Jesus warns his followers and gives them a chance to wake up and change.
As individuals, it is critical that we do not become careless in our personal holiness. When we indulge in the lusts and sinful pleasures of this life, they drive a wedge into our relationship with Christ. They cause us to grow complacent about spiritual things.
When we grow complacent, we are no longer diligent in our stewardship/service to the King. We miss opportunities to bring him glory, to share the gospel message, to defend the truth and to fight the good fight of faith. 
In short, we become like salt that has lost its saltiness (Matthew 5:13) or we become like a lamp that has been hidden (Matthew 5:15-16). Our relationship with Christ turns into nothing more than a mere profession of religion. When this happens we are spiritually sleeping!
In light of this possibility, we are commanded to ‘keep awake’ (your translation may say ‘watch’).
This means that each one of us must be on our guard against the tricks of the devil. We must actively monitor our hearts, thoughts, affections, words and actions. If we find something amiss in our lives, it is important for us to immediately repent. This will close the door of access that the enemy has opened into our lives.
There are also things we can do to avoid his attacks altogether. For instance, we can repel him by filling our hearts and minds with the word of God, by exercising our faith, by speaking words that bring life, and by staying in the presence of God through prayer and worship.
Not only are we to be awake, we are to be sober or sober-minded. To be sober-minded is to have a clear, rational, balanced understanding of life. It involves being free of literal intoxication (poisoning from drugs, alcohol, etc) as well as spiritual intoxication (poisoning or mental impairment due to sin, worldly passions, etc).
The Christian who is sober-minded is spiritually mature and able to think clearly. They can see potential dangers or snares that our enemy has laid for us. It includes the ability to recognize both lies and half-truths. The sober-minded Christian is characterized by sound reasoning and good judgment; they are able to resist emotional extremes.
As Christians, we need to remind ourselves that we live in this world, but ultimately we are not part of it. We have been bought with the precious blood of Christ and we belong to him.
1 Corinthians 6:20 - For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Those who are spiritually sober will be ready for the return of Christ at all times. They walk humbly through life with a realistic understanding of their own talents, gifts and abilities, which they dedicate to the Master’s use.
Before we move on, let’s touch on one side note – being sober-minded does not make you sour, gloomy or unable to have any fun. In reality, the opposite is true – we have the joy of the Lord, which is a strength to us during times of trial. God has given us a garment of praise in place of a spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3), which ultimately results in his glory.
The world finds happiness in favorable circumstances and material possessions, which are both as fleeting as the wind. They can be here one moment and gone the next. But joy and peace are part of the Christian life regardless of the circumstances we walk through.
Plus, Jesus himself said that we should approach his kingdom as little children. If you are around kids at all, you know they love laughter and fun.
I Thessalonians 5:7 – For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.
Some sinners are thoughtless and careless. They slumber over moral and spiritual subjects. If they consider the spiritual realm at all, it is with dreamy unconcern.
But there are other emissaries of Satan who stay awake at night actively seeking to do evil. Paul describes them as those who are drunk. These people promote and indulge in every kind of evil and wickedness, hiding their shameful actions under as much cover as possible. They seek to snare the unwary into being drunk too.
I Thessalonians 5:8 – But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you know that God has provided us with a set of spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:13-17). This armor has both offensive and defensive components.
However, in this particular instance, Paul only makes note of two items – the helmet and the breastplate.
The helmet and the breastplate are both defensive pieces of equipment. They protect two of the most vital parts of the body – the head and the heart.
Breastplate of faith and love: In Ephesians 6, the breastplate is described as the breastplate of righteousness, but here Paul calls it the breastplate of faith and love. Is this a mistake or a discrepancy? Of course not! Scripture tells us that the righteousness imputed to man by Christ Jesus (which is for our justification/salvation) can be described as ‘faith working by love’:
Galatians 5:5-6 - For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love.
Bible scholars note that faith in Christ is the motivation which works inside our hearts, while love towards God and mankind is the outward manifestation of that same faith. Together these two virtues help guard us against every kind of evil. Therefore, they result in righteousness. 
Helmet, the hope of salvation: The presence of Holy Spirit has been given to us as a down payment or an earnest of our future salvation (II Corinthians 1:22 & 5:5, Ephesians 4:30).
So, in a sense, we possess salvation now even though we have not yet experienced the full manifestation of it. Paul already told us that when Christ returns, he will summon us to himself in the sky, and once that happens, we will never be separated from him again (I Thessalonians 4:17). That is when the full manifestation will occur.
Until that time, we live by faith in hope. The hope of salvation sustains our courage during the trials of life. It gives us the strength to continue fighting the spiritual battle.
Once again, we find Paul making mention of the three most important Christian virtues – faith, hope and love (I Corinthians 13:13).
Faith enables us to endure the difficulties and disappointments of this life, because it allows us to ‘see’ Christ and his glorious plans. Love motivates us to actively and diligently show the love of God to others, while overlooking their faults, and thus bring them into the kingdom of heaven. Meanwhile, hope allows us to anticipate the final end of all things. On that day (the return of Christ), the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and we shall reap the rewards of our stewardship in this life. Hallelujah!
I Thessalonians 5:9 – For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
When God sent his Son into the world, he acted out of perfect mercy and perfect love. His primary motivation was to save the world, not condemn it:
John 3:17 - For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Scripture is very clear that it is God’s will that no one should spiritually perish, but that everyone would be saved through the ministry of Christ (II Peter 3:9) and enjoy all the benefits of being a child of God.
What could be greater than salvation? It delivers us from the wrath of justice, the penalty of the law, the bondage and tyranny of Satan, the root and fruit of evil and from our own corrupt hearts. It procures our pardon and atones for our sin. It reunites us with the Father. Thank you, Jesus!
Notice that God has ‘destined’ (your translation may say ‘appointed’) us to salvation. The word ‘destined’ does not speak of hastiness or some kind of knee-jerk reaction. It indicates a well thought out and perfectly executed plan.
God, in his divine and perfect council, determined that his Son would be the Mediator between God and man (both Jews and Gentiles), before the foundations of the earth were laid (I Peter 1:18-20, Revelation 13:8, Ephesians 1:4). The plan of salvation was determined long before man allowed sin to enter the world. Thus, we can rest assured that it was ALWAYS God’s plan for us to be delivered from judgment.
So… since God does not destine/appoint men and women to suffer his wrath/judgment, who does?
Sadly, sinners appoint themselves to punishment and suffering when they willfully and obstinately refuse to believe and obey the gospel message.
God has appointed all of mankind for salvation, but he will still allow us to choose our own destiny. Those who choose life in Christ are energized and motivated to be sober, to put on the armor of God, to fight the enemy and to watch for the Lord’s return.
I Thessalonians 5:10 - …who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
What does Paul mean by saying whether we ‘wake or sleep we will live with him’?
Not surprisingly, scholars offer differing interpretations. Here are a few:
One theory says that Paul is referring to the literal states of sleep and wakefulness in our daily lives. Those who hold this view believe the meaning is that believers are always safe and secure, regardless of what is going on around us. Should we perish or should Christ return, the outcome is the same - we are assured of our salvation.
A second theory says that the terms ‘awake’ and ‘asleep’ refer to the spiritual states of believers. Those who hold this theory say that some Christians are fully awake in their walk for Christ, while others are ‘sleepy’ - poor Christians but Christians nonetheless. They believe the overall meaning of the passage is that all true Christians will be saved on that day, regardless of the quality of their walk with Christ. They emphasize that salvation depends upon the sacrifice of Christ, not the degree of wakefulness of the believer. Therefore, salvation cannot be hindered by a drowsy spiritual life.
A third theory maintains that in this verse, Paul circles back to the issue he addressed in chapter four, verse 13. As we noted when we studied that verse, there was a false belief circulating among the church that those who died before the return of Christ were either omitted from heaven altogether, or they entered heaven at a significantly later time resulting in a loss of some eternal benefits.
But after much teaching on this subject, Paul concludes that it does not matter whether a Christian is awake (alive) or asleep (dead) when Jesus returns to earth; all those who count on him as Savior will be joined to him forever. All will accompany him to heaven at the same time. Thus, he is Lord of both the living and the dead; death cannot keep us from his presence.
Romans 14:9 - For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
Would you like to take a short side trip with me? If so, read on. 
Have you ever heard of something called ‘soul sleep’? It is a theological concept found within some sects of Christianity (Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists and others).
These groups believe that when a Christian dies, they enter something called ‘soul sleep’. According to this point of view, the soul does not go to heaven or hell, it stays in the grave in a state of sleep or unconsciousness. While in this state of limbo, they are not aware of anything around them, including the passage of time. Those who hold this theory believe that every dead person will remain in that state until the Lord returns. At that time, they will rise to undergo judgment and then be sent to either heaven or hell.
Those who oppose this theory believe that when a Christian dies, their empty body remains in the grave, but their spirit/soul goes on to heaven, where it lives with Christ. When Christ returns, their spirits/souls are reunited with their bodies. Then, their bodies are transformed into new bodies which are suitable for eternal life.
I mention this because I Thessalonians 5:10 is one of the key verses that speak AGAINST the validity of soul sleep; even if we are dead, we ‘live together with him’. There are other scriptures that seem to discount this view as well. For instance, Paul expected to be with Christ immediately upon his death (Philippians 1:23); he makes no mention of a period of limbo before meeting the Lord.
The good news is that regardless of which view you believe, Christians can expect to spend eternity with Jesus.
In conclusion, we find that Paul’s discourse on this subject served a number of different purposes:
- It corrected the false beliefs that were circulating in the church.
- It gave comfort to those who had loved ones that had already died.
- It prompted an earnest expectation of the second coming of Christ, which provided encouragement to the believers.
I Thessalonians 5:11 – Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Paul ends this portion of his letter by telling the Thessalonians to comfort and encourage each other with this doctrine – but which doctrine is he referring to?
He may be referring to the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, or that of the second coming of Christ, or the thought of being with Christ (and our loved ones) forever. In truth, all these doctrines bring great solace to Christians of every generation.
He may also have been telling them to encourage each other to be spiritually awake at all times, watching for the return of Christ and guarding against spiritual slothfulness.
Regardless of the specifics, the overall meaning is that by discussing these ideas together, or reminding one another of them, we can build each other up in faith, hope and love.
Let me offer you some encouragement, relief and strength:
In today’s post the apostle Paul continues to discuss the eventual return of Christ as well as the death and resurrection of the saints and the importance of faith, hope and love.
In studying this portion of scripture, I ran across this rather startling statement in the Pulpit Bible Commentary:
“The early Christians were mistaken in regarding that time [the return of Christ] as at hand, and we perhaps may be equally mistaken in regarding it as distant.”
Wow – this observation brings up some important and relevant questions.
When was the la
st time you thought about or meditated on the reality of the return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, or your own state of spiritual watchfulness?
What if Christ returns before the end of this year? How will he find you - Asleep at the wheel? Consumed with the cares of this life? Or the diligent and faithful steward you want to be?
The fact is, consideration of the return of Christ (and/or the reality of our own eventual death) helps to keep us spiritually awake and active. Therefore, it is a good thing to regularly consider.
Now think about this: When is the last time someone you know lost a loved one to death? Did you avoid that situation all together or did you feel uncomfortable because you didn’t know what to say?
If so, then you clearly haven’t been meditating on the death and resurrection of the saints. True hope and comfort can be found in the knowledge that our loved ones will be raised to life again, at the return of Christ. Once we are all united with him, we will never again be separated. We will experience the eternal joys of God together.
Let me leave you with this question: How will consideration of the return of Christ influence the way you live your life this week?