This week’s text, 1 Thessalonians 5:8, focuses on the fact that believers are children of light. From last week’s blog, God expects His people to be alert and exhibit self-control. Unlike the unbeliever, we are no longer in darkness. Typically, nighttime is associated with sleep. Therefore, those who have not trusted God are spiritually asleep, having no sense of what is happening around them. This is not true for a believer. We have God’s Word and His Spirit indwelling us. As a result, we, the children of the day or light, are aware of the spiritual battle engulfing this world and God’s plans to end this battle shortly. All we have to do is read and study all God has said in Scripture. Our awareness bears responsibility. We are not to sleep as the world, but be alert that Christ will soon return. Until He comes, we are to live Spirit-controlled lives reigning in our sinful flesh as we live obedient to God’s Word daily. Today’s text continues with that theme.
“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)
The Holy Spirit gives believers two important daily living instructions in this verse.
As those “who are of the day,” we must first be sober. The word “sober” is mentioned twice in three verses, which means it is essential. The word “sober” simply means self-control. God expects us to reign in our fleshly desires. Our responsibility to live Spirit-controlled lives each day is not to be taken lightly. Every day, the struggle against the flesh is real. Even though we have a renewed spirit resurrected by the Holy Spirit, we still have our physically corrupt bodies to deal with. It is not until Christ returns that our bodies will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:52). Until then, we battle each day to reign in the lusts that our flesh desires. It is a battle. However, we can overcome the flesh by yielding to God through obedience.
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” (Romans 6:12–13)
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This is the excellent news of salvation. The moment we accept Christ as our Savior is when sin’s bondage over us is broken. That is the essence of Romans 6.
“Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:8–11)
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All Christ did on the cross made it so that sin no longer dominates our life. As He died, so we are dead now to sin. As He lives, so we live free to serve God. For this reason, the Holy Spirit encourages us to be sober (to control ourselves). Therein lies the challenge. Our spirit desires to obey God fully in conjunction with God’s Spirit. Yet, our flesh wants to fulfill its desires. A struggle that all believers experience. We are not alone in this struggle. Even the apostle Paul knew the grind was real.
“For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” (Romans 7:15–18)
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What, then, is the answer? How do we, as believers, overcome the flesh? We overcome the flesh by faithfully obeying the Lord and His instructions daily. That is the point of our text. Children of the day understand the gravity of spiritual battle. We are fully aware of the two great enemies that lurk in the darkness. They are self and Satan. Thus, we are not sleep or slumber; instead, we are to stay alert, constantly praying and seeking God’s help as we overcome enticements of the flesh and Satan’s temptations to disobey God.
There is another thing we must do each day, as noted in this week’s text.
“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)
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We must put on the spiritual armor God has provided. Two passages of Scripture offer us detail concerning this wonderful spiritual armor. Our text is one. The other is in Ephesians 6. The passage in Ephesians provides greater detail. It lists not only a breastplate and helmet but also the warring believer’s sandals, belt, shield, and sword. The emphasis of the Ephesian’s passage is we are to stand steadfast against the wiles of the Devil.
However, our text emphasizes that we are to stand sober as we await Christ’s return. Thus, we have only two pieces of armor listed, and for great reason. A Roman soldier’s breastplate protected his heart. His helmet shielded his head. In Scripture, we often see the heart as the place where all our emotions and feelings flow. In fact, Christ spoke about the fact that out of the heart, the mouth speaks. The heart is the seat of how we feel and how we react. The head often represents our brain and the mind. It is part of the body through which we think, reason, and learn. Therefore, the Holy Spirit reminds us to protect our hearts and minds with spiritual armor.
Note the makeup of these pieces.
“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)
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The breastplate is one of faith and love. This description is different than its description in Ephesians 6. It is described as the breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14). However, in our text, it is faith and love. The helmet is constructed of hope in our text. It is salvation’s hope. Thus, according to our text, our armor is faith, love, and hope. This thought harkens back to 1 Corinthians 13:13, which states…
“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)
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We must stand sober daily, utilizing faith, hope, and love. However, our faith, hope, and love are not the usual worldly qualities that are promoted today. No, our faith, hope, and love are based on Scripture. Biblical faith is complete confidence that God is, and He rewards those who diligently seek Him. Such confidence is displayed in an inward commitment and outward actions as a believer obeys God’s Word. Biblical love is a solid commitment to the daily sacrifice of our wants, wishes, and desires in exchange for God and others. Biblical hope is the continued expectation of God’s blessings stemming from God’s promises that are for today and the future. All three qualities stand firmly upon the fact that we, as believers, are securely delivered and preserved from the future judgment of God’s wrath upon those who have not believed. We are assured of a safe haven in Heaven for eternity.
Here is the encouragement for all of us. We can stand firm amid this world’s sin, wickedness, and evil as we await Christ’s return. How do we do this? We submit to God daily, allowing His Spirit to help us be alert and control our selfish desires. When we do, we live each day soberly. We also must daily take up our spiritual helmet and breastplate. Live each day with complete confidence that God is real (He is) and will reward you for your daily obedience (He will), which is Biblical faith. As you do, keep your expectation upon His blessings, knowing that He never fails in His promises which is Biblical hope. Demonstrate your love for Him and others by sacrificing your wants, desires, and wishes for theirs, which is Biblical love. Without any doubt, doing so will help you stand sober and steadfast in the ever-changing world of doubt, fear, and evil.