1 Thessalonians 5:1-28 (NLT)
1 Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you.
2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.
3 When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.
4 But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.
5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.
6 So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.
7 Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk.
8 But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.
9 For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.
10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.
11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.
13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.
14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
16 Always be joyful.
17 Never stop praying.
18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.
20 Do not scoff at prophecies,
21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.
22 Stay away from every kind of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
25 Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a sacred kiss.
27 I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.
28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Though there are still things in this life for which we hope as we seek to fulfill our purpose on earth, there is a greater hope that gives meaning to every aspiration and direction we pursue. No matter how exciting, significant, or inspiring any earthly destiny may seem, it will eventually pass away. Beyond it all stands the glorious appearing of our Great God and Savior.
He is faithfully returning for both those who remain and those who have passed on, raising us physically just as He has already made us alive spiritually. This is not a distant myth or an occasional comforting thought. If we are to be ready for His coming, this hope must be woven into every plan, every schedule, and every pursuit, shaping and informing all other hopes.
Just as vigilance is exercised whenever we lock our doors and set alarms to guard against a thief, so continual spiritual vigilance must be applied to our thoughts and actions. We must reject attitudes, desires, and behaviors that would not be pleasing to Him at His return. This affects how we treat others, the attitudes we cultivate, our emotional responses, and our spiritual awareness. As we yield to His presence, every form of evil is replaced by the holiness He makes possible through His grace.
Just as He is faithful to receive us when we come to Him, He is also faithful to prepare us in holiness. If we are to experience exhilaration and joy rather than regret and remorse at His coming, we must embrace this truth as central to our identity in Him.
The victory over death and the promise of resurrection unto eternal life require a deep awareness that this hope must never be displaced by the temporary treasures and distractions of this world. The tokens and trinkets of earthly life cannot compare with the reward that awaits those who belong to Him. Only through the continual readiness He provides can we stand with confidence at His appearing.