Jesus is going to come back. 

He said that he would. The early church said that he would. Christians have looked forward to this powerful day ever since.

There are two unhealthy extremes when it comes to this topic. One is to never think about it, or to downplay it. The other is to obsess over it so much that you never think about anything else.

Both fail to appreciate how we are supposed to live as we await that dramatic day.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:5 Paul writes: “You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.” 

Here is some important context to remember. Jesus taught that as the end draws near, there will be wars and rumours of war, and the love of most people will grow cold. In other words, we will be living in a world of more violence and less love. 

So, how should we live? 

We should be alert, holy, faithful, hopeful and loving. Paul highlights those themes in 1st Thessalonians 4 and 5. That’s what it means to be “children of the light” and “children of the day.”

Not only will this make you faithful, and not only will this benefit you personally, but it will be a blessing to other people who will most likely be struggling. Given all that will be happening in the world, your light will brighten someone else’s dark.

We don’t know the day or the hour. But we do know there will be a day and an hour. There will be violence and hate, but that doesn’t consume or control the people of Christ.

Your light will brighten someone else’s dark.

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Notes:

—New Podcast. I’ve put together an in-depth Bible study episode called “The Second Coming, Rapture, New Creation, and Children of Light” which explores 1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 5:11. Click here to listen, or tune in to ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ to wherever you subscribe. 

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.