That Christ, Who ascended up into heaven with a glorified body, is coming back to bring us to that glory with bodies that will be raised from out of the graves, Paul presents to the Thessalonians and to us. And in I Thessalonians 5:6 he adds, "Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."
Now to be sober means to be watchful. One who has taken too much of a strong drink will not only fall asleep, but will also before this be in a condition wherein men can deceive him and lead him into troubles. The sad truth is that so often we become spiritually drunk by taking into our souls, and stirring up in our souls, the temptations which Satan presents to us through men or earthly things.
The pleasures of the world, the joys of the flesh, make us turn away from God, and cause us to find joy in wickedness. We are not only tempted to think but we also deceive ourselves into thinking, that sins are not forbidden us. We do not take hold of Paul's word that "the wages of sin is death" ( Rom. 6:23 ). By our actions we say that this and that sin is worthwhile and may be performed by us.
Let us rather heed Paul's word that we be sober. That means that we be watchful. We must watch out for the devil, who uses so many earthly things to make us live in a way that turns us from what is spiritually right to that which is devilish and is against our holy God.
Watch out for those temptations of Satan. Be careful, lest you lose your spiritual soberness. Instead, remain sober and spiritually clean, with a view to Christ's return.
Look for Christ's return with eagerness and in the confidence of what He promises us. Do not look away from that coming; and, avoiding spiritual drunkenness, pray: "Come, Lord Jesus. Come quickly." Then you are sober and will experience that joy of being with Christ in glory.
Read: I Thessalonians 5:1-11
Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
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Isaiah 39; Isaiah 40; Isaiah 41:1-16
Ephesians 1:1-23
Psalm 66:1-20
Proverbs 23:25-28
Quote for Reflection:
After having roused us to the struggle by the consideration of the enemy, and entirely removed every apology for slothfulness, He again confirms and strengthens our mind by reminding us of the King, whom we faithfully serve, and by showing that He is more powerful than all. THINE, he says, IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY. If the kingdom is His, we have nothing to fear, there being none that can oppose it, or wrest from Him the government. When He says, Thine is the kingdom, He shows that our antagonist is also subject to Him, although, so far as God permits, he makes opposition. For he is one of the number of God’s servants, though he belongs to the guilty and wicked; and he will not venture, in a single instance, to attack a fellow-servant, till he has received power to do so from the Lord of all.
~ Chrysostom
