Paul's Exhortations to the Thessalonian Church Volume 31

Paul Reminds them How Christ 2nd Coming will Occur Part 4

1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. KJV

Paul now draws a conclusion based on the fact, the reality that these believers in Thessalonica and we believers today and of every generation and era are not any longer in darkness (Colossians 1:13-14), then they/we should not 'sleep', as he declares with these words, "Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober." (1 Thessalonians 5:6) (KJV). That is, spiritually sleep or be unaware or unalert to the constant threat or source of danger they/we are under from our enemy the devil, but instead they/we must be aware just as the Apostle Peter informed us to be with these words, "Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant {and} cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon {and} devour. Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset--rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world." (1 Peter 5:8-9) (Amplified Bible).

The little English phrase 'let us watch' is translated by one Greek word gregoreuo meaning to keep awake, that is, watch (literally or figuratively): - be vigilant, wake, (be) watch (-ful). The English word 'sober' is translated by the Greek word nepho meaning (figuratively) be discreet: - be sober, watch. In other words, just like the individual person or the business corporation watches carefully and attentively looking out for danger or dangerous people or groups of people intent on stealing their hard earned property and resources, so must these Thessalonian believers and we believers today be more watchful spiritually of the devils wiles or trickery intent on deceiving us into ruin spiritually, not that he can cause us to lose our salvation in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, but he can steal away the joy of our salvation and cause us to cry out like King David did with these words when he wrote, "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit." (Psalm 51:12) (Amplified Bible).

Therefore, Paul warns them/us again that our responsibility is to watch and not be blinded or blindsided like those who are not even looking for the 2nd Coming of Christ nor do they even believe it will ever occur, for these people are as Paul describes to them/us with these words, "For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night." (1 Thessalonians 5:7) (KJV). In other words, those who are not true believers (they that sleep) live their lives as if there will never be a coming judgement to the earth of human sin and human sinners, some are atheist, some are agnostic, but most are just neglectful, negligent, and nonchalant going about there lives just as others before them have done not realizing that they are all ready under God's Judgement from the moment of conception and birth into this sinful world because of inheriting sin from their father Adam the first man who sinned and passed down sin to all men (as we declared in the previous study/commentary Romans 5:12).

The Apostle Paul wants to wake up these believers spiritually that they might fully understand what the spiritually sleep do not understand and guard themeselves/ourselves accordingly, so he now says, "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation." (1 Thessalonians 5:8) (KJV). The English word 'breastplate' used here by the Apostle Paul is translated by the Greek word thorax meaning the chest, that is, (by implication) a corslet: - breastplate. The Apostle Paul during one of his imprisonments was chained to a Roman soldier for 2 years and he had much time to observe these different soldiers who would guard him as they put on their armor and this 'breastplate' was a solid piece of metal that covered up or protected their torso guarding all the vital organs from harm. Therefore, in the spiritual realm, for us our 'breastplate' is not of metal but that of our faith in Jesus Christ as our only Savior from sin and that of His love (agape) for us, to us, and in us from Him that protects us from the fiery spiritual darts of the wicked one the devil that are constantly shot at us all day each and every day.

The little English phrase 'for an helmet' is translated by one Greek word perikephalaia meaning encirclement of the head, that is, a helmet: - helmet. The second most vital area of the human body that needs to be guarded or protected from attack is the head and likewise in the spiritual realm the mind/soul must be protected from attack and harm by our hope or Greek translation elpis, that is, confident expectation 'of salvation' Greek translation soteria, that is, rescue and safety or deliverence fron sin, darkness, and the devil, just as the Psalmist King David wrote with these words, "The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen {and} firm Strength in Whom I will trust {and} take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower." (Psalm 18:2) (Amplified Bible).

"We are not only called to Work, but we are called also to fight; and that we may not be surprised, we must watch; and that we may be in a condition to defend ourselves, we must be sober; and that we may be enabled to conquer, we must be armed: and what the breastplate and helmet are to a soldier’s heart and head, such are faith, love, and hope to us. Faith enables us to endure, as seeing him who is invisible; love excites us to diligence and activity, and makes us bear our troubles and difficulties pleasantly; hope helps us to anticipate the great end, the glory that shall be revealed, and which we know we shall in due time obtain, if we faint not." Adam Clarke

"The breastplate, like some of the ancient hauberks, made of steel and gold, is framed and forged out of faith and love blended together, and faith and love are more closely identified in fact than faith and hope, or than love and hope. For faith and love have the same object—and are all but contemporaneous. Wherever a man lays hold of Jesus Christ by faith, there cannot but spring up in his heart love to Christ; and there is no love without faith. So that we may almost say that faith and love are but the two throws of the shuttle, the one in the one direction and the other in the other; whereas hope comes somewhat later in a somewhat remoter connection with faith, and has a somewhat different object from these other two. Therefore it is here slightly separated from its sister graces." Alexander MacLaren

"Vigilance is the process of paying close and continuous attention and it does not come to us naturally, but it must be cultivated by way of prayer, reading and studying the Word of God and faithfulness to Christ Jesus our Lord, for it was our Lord Jesus who knew this would be a difficulty for us in this world so he warned us to get us to be persistent and to persevere despite all things as He said with these words, 'But take heed to yourselves {and} be on your guard, lest your hearts be overburdened {and} depressed (weighed down) with the giddiness {and} headache {and} nausea of self-indulgence, drunkenness, and worldly worries {and} cares pertaining to [the business of] this life, and [lest] that day come upon you suddenly like a trap {or} a noose' (Luke 21:34) (Amplified Bible)." Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…