Living awake, sober, and armed characterizes the Christian life in these times. This doesn’t change in the ups and downs of culture or in the shifting of society. It’s the posture we are to have as we serve God and wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

The return of Jesus isn’t an abstract doctrine reserved for speculative debate or color-coded theological charts. In the Bible, the second coming influences the daily life and habits of the believer. It shapes how the church waits, how Christians endure hardship, and how they understand this present and passing age.

This theme is at the heart of Paul’s letters to the church in Thessalonica. The electing purpose of God had come to fruition among them through the preaching of the gospel causing them to “wait for His Son from heaven” (1 Thess. 1:10). Practically and pastorally, the Apostle writes to inform and encourage the Thessalonians for living between the times—the in-between time after Christ’s resurrection and before his return.

What does an in-between life look like in reality? Paul acknowledges a question the Thessalonians, like Christian throughout history, have asked: when will Jesus return? His response is surprisingly restrained. “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you” (5:1).

That’s not a dismissive answer, but pastoral wisdom. Scripture teaches that there’s limits to what God has revealed. There are secret things that belong to the Lord alone, and the timing of Christ’s return is one of them. Knowing times and seasons contribute nothing to faith and life. If it did, God would have revealed it to us (see 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Rather, Paul’s answer is far more deliberate and ethical. As those living between resurrection and return we need to be awake, sober, and armed.

A Day That Comes Suddenly and Surely

Echoing Jesus’ words, the apostolic description of the Day of the Lord is almost unnerving. It will come “like a thief in the night” (5:2). The image emphasizes surprise. A thief doesn’t announce his arrival or consult the homeowner’s calendar. He comes unexpectedly, and most often when alertness has decreased and safety is assumed.

Paul reinforces this with a second image: “When they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” The world’s sense of safety becomes the very context in which judgment arrives. Life continues as normal. People eat and drink, marry and work, plan and build—not necessarily in overt rebellion, but in practical indifference to God. There’s no expectation of interruption, no sense that today could be the final day. But like labor pains, it can start unexpectedly but once it begins, it’s unavoidable. It cannot be postponed. The Day of the Lord will surprise many, but it will not be delayed or avoided.

Awake and Not Asleep

Against this backdrop, Paul draws a stark contrast. There’s those who belong to the night and those who belong to the day. This is a spiritual distinction rooted in one’s relationship to Christ.

Those who belong to the night live in darkness—not merely moral darkness, but spiritual dullness. They do what we do at night: sleep. They are asleep to the realities of judgment and eternity. They live as though this world is all there is. Their confidence rests in the stability of the present moment.

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