For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

    1 Thessalonians 5:7-8

Paul continues his reminder that, as Christians, we are no longer of darkness rather we walk in the Light of Christ. So let’s return to the concept of “sleep” and that of being “sober.” 

Last time, I shared with you the following passage:

For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:14-16

There is an instruction and a promise for all who will hear this calling of God. “Awake” is the first instruction. While the masses go about their daily business, without even a passing thought about eternity and the stakes that are involved, we, as Christians, are constantly adjusting our thinking and have our minds set on the things of the Spirit and the things of eternity (1 Corinthians 2:14-15, Colossians 3:1-4). The second instruction is to “arise from the dead.” These instructions are referring to “sleep” and “arising from the dead” in the figurative sense. But they are very real spiritually. Paul, when talking about sleep, is not talking about setting your alarm clock and waking up in the morning rather he is referring to being spiritually awake and alert. Likewise, arising from the dead isn’t a reference to someone who has physically died rather Paul is referring to spiritually coming alive and ceasing in futile, dead, living that comes from following our own thoughts, philosophies, and desires. And what about the promise? “Christ will shine on you.” God is not looking to destroy as many people as He can rather He sent Christ as a means of reconciling the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). But mankind loves darkness (John 3:19) and often refuses repentance from sin, which is necessary for the salvation of our souls. God has made a way for us to be reconciled to Him but we have to cooperate by uniting the hearing of the good news with faith (Hebrews 4:1-2). 

In this passage, we are also instructed to be careful as to how we live. Christians are to live as wise not unwise, making the most of our time. What does unwise living look like? Consider the words of Jesus:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

Matthew 7:24-27 

Unwise living is hearing the words of Jesus and refusing to put them into practice. It is having a lifestyle that is contrary to the Word of God. Contrast that to wise living, which is someone who hears the words of Jesus and puts them into practice. This is a life devoted to Christ, to prayer, to the study of the Bible, and to fellowship with likeminded believers. One is void of the presence of God (unwise) while the other lives in the power of the presence of God (wise). And making the most of our time means not squandering the opportunities that God is giving each of us in using our gifts and promoting kingdom growth. It means being about the Lord’s business and not just chasing our own desires. 

So, in today’s passage, Paul reminds us that “those who sleep do their sleeping at night.” Again, this is figurative language. Unless you are a part of doing shift work, which many people do, you are probably doing your sleeping at night. But Paul is not referring to physical sleep rather spiritual sleep, which describes much of the world today. And “night” isn’t referring to the hours in which the sun is shining on the other side of the world rather “night” refers to walking in darkness. So “those who sleep do so at night” is referring to the lost world, in general, who are not spiritually alert and are not ready for the day of the Lord. They are busy pursuing a course of their own desires, living in their own philosophies designed to bring them comfort yet, the reality is that they remain in spiritual darkness. 

Paul also reminds us that “those who get drunk get drunk at night.” Now we move to the concept of “being sober.” While there are people who will spend a lot of time arguing over whether or not a Christian should drink alcohol (and that is a personal decision between them and the Lord), I believe that we are missing the greater, spiritual question here. No, Christians should not participate in drunkenness. That’s an easy one. But Paul is talking again about those whose lifestyles are not consistent with that of God’s Word. Yes, people get physically drunk at night but drunkenness is not limited to the nighttime hours. Paul is reminding us that while we stay spiritual “awake,” we are also to be spiritually “sober.” For me, I don’t know how one can stay spiritually sober while being in a state of physical drunkenness, so that’s an easy decision for myself. But Paul is making a contrast between the unbelieving world and Christians when he says, ”But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.” We are different. We have been redeemed and not to a life that seeks its own desire rather we are redeemed to live lives that are pleasing to the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:15, Colossians 1:10). Consider this passage from last time:

So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit…

      Ephesians 5:17-18

Our call, as Christians, is to come out from among the unbelieving world and be separate in our attitudes, behaviors, priorities, and lifestyles (2 Corinthians 6:17). “We are of the day,” meaning that we are people who remain spiritually vigilant (1 Peter 5:8), making the most of our time (Ephesians 5:15-16), setting our minds on things above rather than things of the earth (Colossians 3:2), and consequently, the day of the Lord will not catch us off guard. In fact, we look forward to such a day when all will be made right! This is our legacy in Christ and the world has nothing to offer that is even remotely close! 

For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:14-16