I Thessalonians 5:1-11 is a doctrinal exhortation concerning times and seasons. Thinking apocalyptically about the future seems natural to the human imagination. Imagining cosmic battle between good and evil, bringing to finality a battle that has been going on in the present, has been a staple of human literature in every time and culture. We can even give it a scientific veneer, such as a climate crisis, or a political one, such as democracy vs communism or the ever-popular religious version. Paul is raising the issue of eschatology. The hope of eternity with Christ, the attention upon doing the will of God on this troubled earth as it is already done in heaven, is not just optimism. The Christian hope centers upon the continuing plans God has for humanity and for this world. The resurrection of Jesus shows the life-giving Spirit is preparing the world for the great remaking and unveiling the future act of God will bring. The beauty, goodness, and truth that is present in this world will emerge out of this present darkness and into the light God will bring. It was part of common Hellenistic-Jewish church teaching that the return of Christ is both unknown and imminent. Yet this congregation had concerns in this area. The response of Paul is to remind them that the day of the Lord will be like a thief (Mt 24:43-44=Lk 12:39-40, II Peter 3:10, Rev 3:3, 16:15) and it will come suddenly, to shift the image, as labor pains come suddenly upon a pregnant woman, an image for those outside Christian community. In contrast, as part of the fellowship of believers, they are not in darkness regarding that day, so it should not surprise them as a thief, an eruption of the day of the Lord as we find in Amos. In contrast, the children of light and of the day are prepared. He encourages them, as in Mt 24:42, Mark 3:37, Luke 21:34, 36, not to be like those who have fallen asleep. They are to be awake and sober, for both sleep and drunkenness are for the night. To be awake and sober is to be prepared for the battle, putting on their armor (Rom 13:12, II Cor 6:7, Eph 6:10-17), Paul thinking in terms of his classic triad of theological virtue: faith and love as a breastplate, and hope of salvation from future wrath as a helmet. Such normative principles are the basis for the ethical exhortation of the church. Military armaments point to the spiritual armaments need for a different battle. This imagery leads Paul to remind them of the core teaching of the Hellenistic Christian community. God has appointed them to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Despite present suffering, the purposes of the Father will prevail. The God present to humanity in the historical person of Jesus will be the same God present to humanity at the end. We see in the face of Jesus Christ the one who shall also appear at the end, when human history is brought to its consummation. Our salvation is because Christ died for us, so that, whether awake/alive or asleep/dead at the return of Christ, we live together with him. Those who die move on at once from time to eternity, to the presence of the last day, to the return of Christ, to the resurrection and the judgment. The death of Jesus was followed immediately by resurrection, so the implication is that death will unite the believer with Christ and with the body of Christ. This individualized vision needs to find a movement from time into eternity, to an anticipated general redemption of humanity and of creation. He invites them in a pastoral way to encourage and build up each other with these basic teachings of the church.
Application
Many songs seek to invite us to reflect upon the Christian hope for the world. One hymn from 1912 written by Mrs. C. M. Harris, asks, “What if it were today?” What if he came in power and love to reign today? At that point, the dominion of Satan will be over, O that it were today! “Sorrow and sighing shall be no more.” The dead in Christ shall arise to meet Christ in the skies. “When shall these glories meet our eyes? What if it were today?” It concludes by reminding us that the coming day will find us faithful and true, watching in gladness rather than fear. We are to watch, for the day is drawing near.
The final verse of “It is well with my soul” asks the Lord to haste the day when my faith shall be sight, that the Lord will roll back the clouds like a scroll, the trumpet resound, and the Lord shall descend. Even then, it is well with my soul.
I invite you to reflect upon a beautiful song that I want sung at my funeral.
Bless the Lord, Oh my soul
Oh my soul, worship his holy name
Sing like never before, Oh my soul
I'll worship your holy name
The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
Bless the Lord, Oh my soul
Oh my soul, worship his holy name
Sing like never before, Oh my soul
I'll worship your holy name
You're rich in love and you're slow to anger
Your name is great and your heart is kind
For all your goodness, I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
Bless the Lord, Oh my soul
Oh my soul, worship his holy name
Sing like never before, Oh my soul
I'll worship your holy name
Bless the Lord, oh my soul
Oh my soul, Worship his holy name
Sing like never before, oh my soul
I'll worship your holy name
And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
10,000 years and then forever more
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I worship Your holy name
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I worship Your holy name
I worship Your holy name
I worship Your holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I worship Your holy name
I worship Your holy name
I worship Your holy name
Paul is also reminding us that our destiny ought to determine how we live today with faith, hope, and love. In his book Strength to Love, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." When we live by our values, we shine light into dark places and put love in the place of hate. Here is how George Washington Carver put it:
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.
A popular song put it this way:
If you see your brother standing by the road
With a heavy load from the seeds he's sowed
And if you see your sister falling by the way
Just stop and say, you're going the wrong way.
You got to try a little kindness,
Yes show a little kindness,
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness,
Then you'll overlook the blindness,
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets.
Don't walk around the down and out,
Lend a helping hand, instead of doubt.
And the kindness that you show every day
Will help someone along their way.[1]
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