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"Be sober..."

Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:8

NIGHT AND DAY IMAGERY

The apostle Paul effectively made use of the Night and Day imagery. His challenge to live soberly must be carefully noted.

“For those who sleep, sleep at night,
and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
But let us who are of the day be sober,
putting on the breastplate of faith and love,
and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”

1 Thessalonians 5:7-8

1. The imagery of Night

a) The night season is for sleeping and there is nothing wrong with that.

b) The night season however is where many engage in revelry and become drunk.

c) The word of admonition is obvious:-

i) Christians should not become drunk.

ii) Drunkenness reflects a lifestyle that is worldly rather than godly.

2. The imagery of Day

a) Believers are “of the day”.

b) They are characterized by being “sober”.

c) They guard themselves against drunken revelry.

3. The Christian armour in a nutshell

a) In Ephesians 6:10-18 the full armour is described.

b) In 1 Thessalonians 5:8 we have just two pieces highlighted.

i) The breastplate

ii) The helmet

4. Differences in application

a) Breastplate

i) In Ephesians 6:14 the breastplate is described as “righteousness”.

ii) In 1 Thessalonians 5:8 “faith and love” are associated.

iii) Righteousness is well expressed in “faith and love”.

b) Helmet

The same application except in this context the word “hope” was added to “salvation”.