1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 | How Should We Live in the Midst of Life?
Living in Light of Christ's Return: How to Find Purpose in the Present
The way we live our lives reveals what we believe about the future. Some of us focus on immediate concerns—the next meal, email, or weekend. Others dream of career achievements, ideal families, or making a difference in the world. But when we define our own purpose, we also shoulder the burden of our significance, often leading to anxiety, regret, or constant dissatisfaction.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Paul addresses how Christians should live in light of Christ's return—an event that should shape our present conduct just as much as it gives us hope in the face of death.
What Does the Bible Say About the Day of the Lord?
Paul begins by discussing "the times and seasons" and "the day of the Lord." This isn't about calendar dates but refers to the end of the age when Christ returns. The Thessalonians wanted to know when this would happen, but Paul emphasizes that timing isn't the point—preparation is.
This day will come "like a thief in the night"—suddenly and unexpectedly. While people are saying "peace and security," destruction will come upon them "as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman." Once it begins, there's no stopping it, and "they will not escape."
Why Does God's Judgment Matter for Christians Today?
This sobering truth serves two purposes:
Encouragement for the persecuted: For the Thessalonians facing persecution, this promised perfect justice. Those abusing power will be brought to account. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
Warning for everyone: The injustice we despise in the world is ultimately rooted in our own hearts. "The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart." We need not just the wrong in others to be made right, but the wrong in us as well.
How Does Our Identity in Christ Change How We Live?
Paul shifts to identity: "But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of the light, children of the day."
Darkness in Scripture describes life apart from God, characterized by sin clouding our minds and directing our actions. But Christians have been "delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of His Beloved Son" (Colossians 1:13-14).
A Christian isn't just a nice person but a new person—someone who through faith in Christ has been forgiven and transformed. This new identity should lead to new behavior.
What Does It Mean to Live "Awake and Sober"?
Paul urges believers to "not sleep as others do" but to "keep awake and be sober." This means living with clarity, purpose, self-control, and alertness.
Think of it like a businessman during the Civil War who realizes Confederate money will soon be worthless. The wise response would be to invest in what will have lasting value. Similarly, Christians should invest their time, treasures, and talents in what will matter when Christ returns:
Investing time in knowing Christ and loving others
Using resources to care for the poor and spread the gospel
Employing talents for kingdom work, even if it means foregoing worldly advancement
This way of living might seem strange to others, but it's actually the most clear-minded approach when we understand what's coming.
How Do We Maintain This Focus in Daily Life?
Paul gives us the answer in verse 8: "Put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation."
Like a soldier's armor, these spiritual qualities help us live out our calling:
Faith in Christ gives security greater than anything the world offers
Love from God frees us from self-fixation and enables us to love others
Hope of resurrection makes worldly concerns "grow strangely dim"
When we struggle to follow Jesus, it's not because we expect too much from Him, but too little.
What Is Our Ultimate Destiny in Christ?
Paul concludes with our final destiny: "For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with Him."
Like a mother bird who sacrifices herself to protect her eggs from a forest fire, Christ absorbed God's wrath that we deserved. The day of judgment will not be one of wrath for believers because there has already been a day when God's wrath fell—on Jesus at the cross.
Our salvation isn't just escape from something but life with someone—the life we were created for. As Psalm 16:11 says, "In your presence there is fullness of joy, and at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
Life Application
How should we live in the midst of life? According to:
The future judgment - when perfect justice will be poured out and all wrongs made right
Our fundamental identity - as people saved from darkness and made children of light
Our final destiny - when we'll experience the fullness of salvation through Christ
This week, examine your life priorities by asking yourself:
What am I investing my time, talents, and treasures in? Will these investments have eternal value?
In what areas of my life am I still "sleeping" or living as if Christ's return doesn't matter?
How can I better put on the "armor" of faith, love, and hope in my daily decisions?
If Christ returned today, how would He find me? What one change can I make this week to live more aligned with my identity as a child of light?
Remember, we don't live differently to earn salvation, but because we've already been saved. Our present conduct flows from our secure future with Christ.