1 Thessalonians 5.6-The Child of God Must Not Sleep as the Non-Believer But Stay Alert and Sober-Minded (Doctrinal Bible Church in Huntsville, Alabama)

Doctrinal Bible Church

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Sunday November 24, 2024

First Thessalonians Series: 1 Thessalonians 5:6-The Child of God Must Not Sleep as the Non-Believer but Stay Alert and Sober-Minded

Lesson # 73

1 Thessalonians 5:1 Now, brothers and sisters, concerning those particular distinguishable periods of time, yes, specifically, those particular distinguishable prophetic events, each and every one of you possesses absolutely no need whatsoever for any of us to write to any one of you at this particular time. 2 For you yourselves, each and every one of you possesses an accurate comprehensive knowledge that the Lord’s day, in the same way as a thief during the night, is certainly about to take place. 3 While, they are saying, “peace and security,” then sudden destruction will certainly come against them like the labor pains experienced by a pregnant woman. Consequently, they will not by any means whatsoever enter into the state of escaping. 4 But each and every one of you, brothers and sisters absolutely do not belong to those who live in the darkness so that the day would take any one of you by surprise like a thief takes someone by surprise. 5 For each and every one of you belong to a particular group of individuals who are sons possessed by that which is characterized by the light. Consequently, each and every one of you belong to a particular group of individuals who are sons belonging to that which is characterized by the day. Each and every one of us absolutely does not belong to those who are sons belonging to that which is characterized by the night, nor sons possessed by that which is characterized by the darkness. 6 Indeed therefore, each and every one of us must continue to not be asleep as the rest. But rather, let each one of us continue to stay alert namely, let each one of us continue to be sober-minded. (Pastor’s translation)

1 Thessalonians 5:6 contains three statements.

The first asserts that Paul, Silvanus and Timothy and each member of the Thessalonian Christian community must continue to not be asleep as the rest.

This prohibition is figurative language for not being alert to what is potentially dangerous situation conceived of as being asleep.

In context, the word is related to the imminency of the prophetic events connected to the day of the Lord taking place.

Therefore, this prohibition expresses the idea that Paul, Silvanus, Timothy, and the Thessalonians must continue to not sleep in the sense that they are not alert to the imminent danger of the prophetic events connected to the day of the Lord taking place.

Notice, I say “continue”, which implies that Paul, Silvanus, Timothy and the Thessalonians were already obeying this prohibition.

“The rest” (hoi loipoi [οἱ λοιποὶ]) appeared in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 and retains the same referent here in 1 Thessalonians 5:6 in that it refers to the rest of the human race which is not Christian or in other words, the word is referring to the non-Christian community.

Therefore, this first assertion in 1 Thessalonians 5:6 is comparing Paul, Silvanus, Timothy and the Thessalonians with the members of the non-Christian community.

Specifically, it is comparing the non-Christian community with Paul, Silvanus, Timothy and the Thessalonians not existing in the state of being alert with the regards to the imminent threat of the prophetic events connected to the day of the Lord taking place.

This first assertion in 1 Thessalonians 5:6 presents the result as an inference from the previous assertions in 1 Thessalonians 5:5.

Therefore, a comparison of the three assertions in verse 6 with the four in verse 5 indicates that Paul, Silvanus, Timothy and the Thessalonians must continue to not sleep as the unregenerate as a result of belonging to God’s kingdom and Christ’s millennial reign.

It also indicates that they must continue to not sleep as the unregenerate because they are emphatically not members of Satan’s kingdom and present reign upon the earth.

It also indicates that they must continue to not sleep as the unregenerate because they belong to God’s kingdom and Christ’s millennial reign and are absolutely not members of Satan’s kingdom and reign.

This reference to sleep refers to spiritual indifference as well as apathy and to carnality.

It implies immorality and a life that seeks to live independently of God and is a life therefore devoid of a relationship with God and speaks of spiritual lethargy in the sense of being insensitive to the things of God.

The second statement in 1 Thessalonians 5:6 exhorts each member of the Thessalonian Christian community to continue with Paul, Silvanus and Timothy in staying alert.

It expresses the idea that Paul, Silvanus and Timothy as well as the Thessalonians must stay in a constant state of readiness in light of the imminent threat of the prophetic events connected to the day of the Lord taking place.

It is expressing the idea that they must remain alert or vigilant in prayer and continue to make it their habit of experiencing fellowship with God in contrast to the members of the non-Christian community.

It indicates that Paul, Silvanus and Timothy are exhorting each member of the Thessalonian Christian community to continue with them to exist in the state of being alert in light of the imminent threat of the prophetic events connected to the day of the Lord taking place.

This second statement presents a strong emphatic contrast between the non-Christian community existing in the state of not being alert to the imminent threat and danger of the day of the Lord and Paul, Silas, Timothy and the Thessalonians being alert and sober-minded with regards to this threat upon the world.

The third and final statement in 1 Thessalonians 5:6 is an addition to the second and is also an exhortation, which implores each member of the Thessalonian Christian community to continue to be sober-minded.

This speaks of having a godly state of mind or a godly way of thinking as a result of obeying the Spirit’s teaching in the Word of God which He inspired according to Second Peter 1:20-21.

Therefore, it speaks of being sober-minded as a result of experiencing fellowship with God as a result of obeying the Spirit inspired commands and prohibitions of Scripture and in particular those connected to the gospel.

This third statement is therefore figurative language for being influenced by the Spirit which is commanded of every church age believer in Ephesians 5:18.

It speaks of being sober spiritually as a result of experiencing fellowship with God which is accomplished by obeying the Spirit’s voice in the Word of God.

This constitutes obeying the commands to be influenced by the Spirit in Ephesians 5:18 and letting the Word of Christ richly dwell in one’s soul in Colossians 3:16.

Therefore, this third and final statement in 1 Thessalonians 5:6 speaks of being sober-minded as a result of obeying sound doctrine and specifically it speaks of Paul, Silvanus, Timothy and the Thessalonians being influenced by the Spirit as a result of obeying the Spirit’s teaching in the Word of God which He has inspired.

Thus, it expresses the idea that Paul, Silvanus and Timothy as well as the Thessalonians must continue to be sober-minded in light of the imminent threat of the prophetic events connected to the day of the Lord.

It is expressing the idea that they must remain sober-minded by continuing to make it their habit of experiencing fellowship with God by obeying the Spirit inspired commands and prohibitions connected to the gospel as it is related to the child of God.

This third and final assertion presents a strong, emphatic contrast between the non-Christian community existing in the state of not being alert to the imminent threat of the day of the Lord and Paul, Silvanus, Timothy and the Thessalonians being alert and sober with regards to this threat upon the world.

Also, this third and final statement is advancing upon and intensifying the second because of Paul’s use of the figure of ellipsis, which indicates that nēphō (νήφω), “sober” is intensifying or advancing upon the idea expressed by grēgoreō (γρηγορέω), “must stay alert.”

The latter expresses the idea of staying alert to the imminent day of the prophetic events of the day of the Lord taking place, while the former expresses the idea of being sober-minded by remaining in fellowship with God.

Now, nēphō (νήφω), “sober” intensifies grēgoreō (γρηγορέω), “must stay alert” and makes it more emphatic because it is telling the Thessalonians how they were to stay alert, namely by remaining sober-minded by remaining in fellowship with God.

The idea expressed by this figure is that Paul, Silvanus, Timothy and the Thessalonians must each continue to stay alert, namely by continuing to be sober-minded in light of the imminent threat of the prophetic events connected to the day of the Lord taking place.

So this exhortation to be sober-minded refers to remaining in fellowship with God by being filled with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18 And do not permit yourselves to get into the habit of being drunk with wine because that is non-sensical behavior, but rather permit yourselves on a habitual basis to be influenced by means of the Spirit. (Pastor’s translation)

This obedience also constitutes obeying the command to let the Word of Christ richly dwell in your soul (Col.3:16).

Obeying the Spirit’s teaching in the Word of God which constitutes being filled with the Spirit is synonymous with the command in Colossians 3:16 to let the Word of Christ richly dwell in your soul since both produce the same results and the Spirit inspired the Scriptures.

This obedience enables the Spirit to reproduce the character of Christ in the believer and of course the love of God (Gal. 5:22).