Sobriety. 1 Thessalonians 5:7-8.
Dear Royal Priesthood,
As we continue to consider the implications of the coming day of the Lord, we are called to sobriety in our approach to life.
Careless (v. 7). Those who are of the night will sleep and get drunk at night. The problem with such behavior is that it gives one a false sense of security. A person may sleep very peacefully while his house is being broken into and all his valuables carted away. A drunk person can have a bravado that belies the problems that drove him to drink, in the first place. It is foolish to depend on the unreal and let one’s guard down, but that is what those who ignore Christ are doing.
Careful (v. 8). Those of the day remain sober. This enables them to judge situations correctly and respond to them appropriately. People of the light take precautions so that they will not be caught unawares. They protect themselves with the breastplate of faith and love. A breastplate was a piece of armor that protected the chest, where most of the vital organs are. Faith, by which we rely solely on God, and love, with which we are able to relate to others sincerely, without hypocrisy, are the protection against spiritual and emotional upheaval. For a helmet, protecting the head, the most critical part of the body, without which there is no life and no direction, is the hope of salvation.
This hope is the assurance that God will be true to his promises and bring all who have put their faith in Jesus to his heavenly kingdom. When we are in Christ, our way of life ought to reflect that identity and the hope that comes with it. What do people see when they look at you?
Your Loving Pastor Chris.