Watch and Be Sober 1 Thessalonians 5:6

Paul told the Thessalonian church members they were not “of the night, nor of darkness” but were “children of light” and “of the day”. They were not to be as others who were unaware when the Lord returns “as a thief in the night”. In chapter five and verse six of his letter, Paul exhorted the Thessalonians to “watch and be sober” concerning the “times and seasons” they were in. We read:

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

The verse begins, “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others;” Paul began with the word, “Therefore” is a conclusion word which means “haply, no doubt, perhaps, so be, then, truly and wherefore” “let us not sleep” which in Greek is the phrase “katheudō mē katheudō” and means “fall or drop off to sleep as in slothful and indifferent” “as do others” or “even as, indeed and also as the remaining or the rest”. Paul challenged the Thessalonians to be unlike those who are “in darkness” and “in the night” who are unaware of the “times and seasons” in which they live.

The verse goes on to say, “but let us watch and be sober.” Paul continued with the word “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means “in contrast to, nevertheless, notwithstanding, in objection and exception” “let us watch” or “take heed lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake them” “and be sober” which means “be calm, collected in spirit, temperate, dispassionate and circumspect”. Rather than being “indifferent and slothful” as those who were not expecting the Lord Jesus' imminent return, the Thessalonian church members were to be circumspectly watching for it.

As we think through these words of Paul, we can hear the warning from him. Because so many act as though Jesus will never return, even though the “times and seasons” declare it, they will be “asleep” when He comes. We as believers in Jesus are to be fully aware of the “times and seasons”, and we are to be “watching” with “calm, temperate and circumspect” attitudes while we do. May the Lord Jesus help us realize since the Holy Spirit had Paul write these words for the Thessalonians to be in a state of expectancy, how much more should we be “watching” and “sober” today?

Next time Paul shares with the Thessalonians about those who “sleep in the night”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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