October 30, 2025 - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 - "Children of Light"

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

"But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 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. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our LORD Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do."

This is the distinguishing Grace of God—to call out a people for His name, to the honor of His Son. If any of us are children of Light, it has nothing to do with us having done anything. It is a work of God’s Grace. The only reason we see is that we have been given eyes to see. Who hath made thee to differ? The LORD has given us eyes to look to the cross of Jesus Christ and to see Him and His death as ALL of our salvation. Thank God for the revelation of His Son in His death on the cross for wretched sinners such as we are.

Paul never strays from this Gospel of Christ and Him crucified. “Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.” (v.10) Here is substitution—Christ dying in the place of others. There’s One Who died, One Who paid the price, satisfied Holy God that He might justify them and justly call them the children of Light. When God declares a sinner to be a child of Light, it’s founded on the Truth of a just satisfaction for their sins.

Until the LORD reveals in sinners Christ the Light, men continue to follow the imagination of their minds—just like we did who know the LORD in truth today, until He gave us Light. Darkness is ignorance and unbelief—rebellion against the Light. We were in darkness until the LORD taught us of Christ. We were not submitted to His righteousness, going about to establish our own, which was nothing but UNrighteousness (Romans 10:2,3). But now, thank God, the obstacle that stood between us and God has been put away. Sin was put to Christ’s account, and that sin being put away, there remains no more transgression. So complete was the work of the LORD Jesus to the satisfaction of the Father that He has put His Seal of approval upon that finished work—having imputed that Righteousness, and reckoned it to the spiritual account of every one of God’s elect. God has been satisfied.

“Ye are all the children of light.” (v.5) How have we been made so? The word means to have Light given. Light is understanding, knowledge, truth, and life. “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4) To be children of the Light is to be children of Christ. He is the Light. “While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light” (John 12:36). This Faith is the manifestation of those who are children of light. It is God-given Faith, called THE FAITH, once delivered unto ALL the saints or justified ones by the death of Christ forever, (Jude 1:3).

Christ said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). This He said signifying what death He should die. Was His death effectual? Absolutely. He will have everyone for whom He died. He is the Object of God’s eternal purpose, the Object of redemption, the Object of the Spirit’s calling, and the Object of our hope in His coming again. ALL whom He draws, He paid their debt completely by His death on the cross.

To learn Christ is to be taught of Him. True knowledge, when revealed by the Spirit, not only enlightens the mind but humbles the heart. The Spirit persuades us that there is no other justification, no other righteousness, no other standing before God but the Person and work of the LORD Jesus Christ. We believe it and rest in Him alone when taught by His Spirit (John 7:17).

We are not of the night nor of darkness. Children of Light are watchful and sober. There’s a seriousness about their lives—a rejoicing in Who Christ is, but not the frivolity of the world. What is that Light? It points sinners to Christ. What motivates obedience? Who is the Source of Faith and Love? It’s Christ. He is the Breastplate of faith and love, the Helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:14). He covers the heart and the head. He is our Righteousness, our Satisfaction, our Hope of glory.

We have not been appointed to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our LORD Jesus Christ (v.9). Once, in Adam, we were under wrath, not as children of wrath, but having the same nature (Ephesians 2:3), but now, in Christ, the debt has been fully paid. The matter is settled—those whom the Father has given to the Son will come to Him, and He will never cast them out (John 6:37).

Therefore, as God's elect, redeemed, and called out children, we comfort yourselves together and edify one another. Be thankful for the Light. Thank God for the Revelation of His Son. Thank God for the cross of the LORD Jesus Christ. We live as children of Light, waiting for Him Who died, rose again, ascended, and Who is coming again. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.