1 Thess. 5:1-6, ALERTNESS vs unawareness (1)

(I know it's July 3 and I should be posting something patriotic. So how about this for today & tomorrow.  We are obviously beginning a second (longer) round of Character Traits, also called the "communicable" attributes of Christ, in hopes that our studies will help us to catch Christ more and more in our daily lives.)

1)    Definition: the ability to anticipate proper responses to that which is taking place around me.

2)    Scripture: Prov. 2:3-5; 8:5; 14:15; 15:28; 22:3; 25:11; 27:12; Mk. 14:38; Ac. 20:31; 1 Cor. 16:13; Col. 4:2; 1 Th. 5:6; 1 Pt. 5:8.

3)    Underlying principle: God wills obedience (we can’t be obedient without being alert to the dangers and possibilities of evil).

4)    Illustration: 1 Samuel 25.  This is the story of Abigail.  Her foolish husband Nabal was oblivious to the harm coming to him.  But Abigail was alert and acted quickly to appease the angry David.  She not only saved her husband from catastrophe (although in a few days he died of what sounds like a heart attack) and David (who was not alert to the harm that would come to his reputation.)

5)    Bible Study:

a)    In the Bible we are called to be on the alert for various things.  The term of significance in the NT is often translated “watch,” which means “to take heed lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one” (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon).

i)      1 Thess. 5:1-6: the coming day of the Lord.  Why should we be alert about this since, as I believe, and as this passage says, the Church will not be here at this time.  The answer is that the Day is characterized by life as it was in the days of Noah and Lot, times of great evil.  Thus, we need to be aware of these things in society, when the prevailing opinion is that this evil is to be the norm in society.  We must not be caught asleep.

ii)   1 Peter 5:8: Satan.  We must be aware that he is at work in this world, seeking to cause people to follow him so that he can devour them.

iii)            Mark 14:38: temptation.  Jesus warned the disciples in Gethsemane about this.  They were sleeping rather than watching and praying when the mob with Judas arrived to arrest Jesus.

iv) Acts 20:31: false teaching.  Paul warned the elders of the church at Ephesus to be on the lookout for wolves in sheep’s clothing.  Not only are be aware of those who come from within who bring false doctrine.

v)    In Proverbs the key word is “simple.”  The simple person is one who has no thought about the dangers he encounters.  For example …

(1)                        Prov. 1:8-19: he is unaware of the evil crowd he runs with and the sad end to which they will come.

(2)                        Prov. 7:6-27: he is unaware of the destruction that will come on him for allowing the crafty harlot to seduce him.

(3)                        Prov. 9:13-18: Both the crafty woman and the foolish man who is seduced by her are simple, unaware of their dangerous situation.