One of the promises of Scripture is that someday Jesus will return. At His coming the dead will rise and Christ’s followers will go to live with Him forever. Naturally, people would like to know when these events will take place. Throughout history there has been much speculation about these events and many predictions have been made about when Jesus will return to earth. Unfortunately, speculation about the timing of Christ’s return has led to two problems. On the one hand, many have expected Christ to return almost immediately. As a result, they see no reason to carry on with the ordinary tasks of living. Some have gone so far as to quit their jobs and to do nothing while they wait for the Lord to take them away from this world. On the other hand, because so much time has elapsed since the promise of Jesus’ coming was made, and because so many of the predictions of the timing of His coming have proved false, many have concluded that He is not coming at all. As the Apostle Peter writes, “…in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”” (2 Peter 3:3-4)
Both of these false views of Christ’s coming would be put to rest if people would read what Scripture says. In his first inspired letter to the church in the city of Thessalonica, the Apostle Paul writes in chapter 5, verses 1 through 11, “But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you. For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape. But you, brothers, aren’t in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief. You are all children of light, and children of the day. We don’t belong to the night, nor to darkness, so then let’s not sleep, as the rest do, but let’s watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep in the night, and those who are drunk are drunk in the night. But let us, since we belong to the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and, for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.”
It is useless to try to give a precise date for Jesus’ return. Jesus himself said, “But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32) From what Paul writes we can learn two things about Christ’s coming. One, it will be unexpected. Paul, echoing the teaching of Jesus, compares it to the coming of a thief in the night. Just as people are unable to see a thief coming and he catches people unawares, so it will be with the coming of Jesus. Secondly, people will feel very secure. They will be reveling in a sense of peace and safety, not knowing that inescapable destruction is hovering over them.
This passage makes clear, however, that it is not the date or the time of Jesus’ coming which is important. Instead, what is important is whether we are ready for His coming. Jesus will come like a thief in the night, but Paul writes that Christ’s followers are not in darkness. What does Paul mean? He uses the metaphor of darkness and night to refer to evil and sin. In another place Paul describes the “works of darkness” as, “…reveling and drunkenness… not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts… strife and jealousy.” (Romans 13:13) In contrast to this, Paul calls the followers of Christ, “children of light, and children of the day.” (verse 5) In another place Paul explains, “For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth,” (Ephesians 5:8-9)
Not only do those who live in darkness have a corrupt lifestyle, they are asleep. (verse 6) In other words, they are unaware of their own spiritual condition as well as about Christ’s return. In contrast to this, Christ’s followers are to be self-controlled and alert. The language Paul uses pictures a soldier preparing for battle. The follower of Christ, however, does not fight with the weapons of this world. Instead he is to put on armor consisting of faith, hope and love. In chapter 1, verse 3, Paul had already stated that the people to whom he is writing already possessed these attributes, but now he writes that they should armor themselves with them. In another place Scripture refers to this armor as the “armor of light.” (Romans 13:12) When a follower of Christ clothes himself with faith, hope and love he can withstand every assault the darkness and those who are in darkness make against him. For example, it is written that with the shield of faith “…you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16)
There is another contrast in this passage. Not only is there a difference in the lifestyle of those in darkness compared to those who are in the light, there is also a difference in what will happen to them when Christ returns. Those who are in darkness will suffer God’s wrath. Those who are in the light will receive salvation through Jesus Christ. (verse 9)
By what means does salvation come through Christ? Paul answers this question by saying that Christ died for us. Because Jesus was willing to pay the penalty for our sins, God regards those who follow Him as though they had never sinned. Whether a follower of Christ is still physically alive at Jesus’ return, or whether he has died, he will live with Christ forever. It is because of this promise that those who are in Christ can live their lives in hope. Whenever a loved one dies; whenever the sorrows of this life threaten to overwhelm, they can always find encouragement and comfort by reminding one another that one day they will be with Christ, forever. But this promise and hope are only for those who are in Christ. Have you submitted yourself to Him? Are you one of the “children of light” or are you still living in darkness? Will Christ’s return bring you comfort, or will it bring God’s wrath?