| The Christian Life | November 1942 |
Children of the Day
“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.”—I Thessalonians 5:5,6
THESE apostolic words of admonition are given in connection with Paul’s prophecy pertaining to events due to transpire at the end of the age—the period which he designates as “the day of the Lord.” He explains (I Thess. 5:1,2) that during this day of the Lord the “brethren” would not be in darkness. The reason is that they are “children of the light.” The children of darkness are those who are unenlightened by the gospel of Jesus Christ, and who are therefore still under the blinding and darkening influence of the god of this world. Concerning these Paul writes, “The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (II Cor. 4:4) The children of the light, on the other hand, are those not blinded by the adversary. Concerning these the apostle says, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”—II Cor. 4:6
It has been important for the “brethren” throughout the entire age to be awake and alert with respect to their relationship to God. In this sense of the word the entire church class has been watchful, taking careful notice of all the directions which the Lord has given respecting what would be acceptable service to Him. Now that we are living in the “day of the Lord” it is even more important that we watch ourselves, striving to walk as nearly as possible in the footsteps of the Great High Priest.
We are not only to watch but we are also to be “sober.” Spiritual intoxication is a very unhealthy condition in the Christian life. We need to be on the alert that we do not become intoxicated with the spirit of the world, love of pleasure, the love of money, and especially the love of self. If we are truly awake to our privileges as Christians, and to the times in which we are living, we should realize how very unwise it is to permit earthly pleasures and advantages of any kind to stand in our way of full obedience to the divine will. It is certainly true now in a fuller sense than ever before that
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“The world and her pursuits will perish; —Hymns of Dawn, No. 4
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Now that we are actually living in the day of the Lord—the day of the Master’s second presence—and are already witnessing the rapid passing away of the present evil world, our affections should be more than ever set upon the things of God which pertain to the New World—the “New heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (II Pet. 3:13) If we are living fully up to our privileges as children of the day, we will be ordering our lives as though we were actually living in the time when the Sun of Righteousness shall have scattered all the mists of Satanic darkness and the laws of the new Kingdom are fully in operation. Admonishing us along this line, Paul says that we should walk, “as in the day.”—Romans 13:13
To be sober, in keeping with Paul’s admonition in our text, means to have “the spirit of a sound mind.” (II Tim. 1:7) This, in turn, means to be guided by God’s Spirit as that Spirit reveals the divine will through the written Word. To be guided and controlled by the Spirit of God, means that we will be meek and gentle, and that we will have love for God, for our fellows and for all men, and even for our enemies. If we are truly watchful and sober we will have an earnest appreciation of present opportunities and privileges in connection with the Lord’s service—we will not be thoughtlessly negligent, letting opportunities and privileges slip through our hands afterward to be regretted.
PROVOKING ONE ANOTHER TO LOVE
Proper watchfulness on the part of the consecrated also involves: being on the alert to serve the brethren, by encouraging them to greater faithfulness and steadfastness; provoking them, as the apostle says, “unto love and to good works.” (Heb. 10:24) Watchfulness along this particular line is especially appropriate in the day of the Lord as is indicated by the apostle’s suggestion that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, and “so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”—Heb. 10:25
It is not difficult to discern why the Lord’s people should be specially watchful of their relationship to the Lord during the time of His second presence. While it is, indeed, the dawning of a new day chronologically, it is also spoken of in the Scriptures as an “evil day.” (Eph, 6:13; 5:16) The evils of this day, in which the Lord’s wrath is being manifested against the selfish kingdoms and institutions of this world, are manifested in many ways. It is a time when “strong delusions” of false doctrines are being foisted upon the brethren on almost every hand and great watchfulness is necessary in order not to become intoxicated with these doctrines, which lead away from the pure truth of God’s Word.—II Thess. 2:11
The greatly accelerated tempo of the world’s events has greatly increased the pressure of business requiring an unprecedented rush and bustle to keep abreast of the times. This has brought a correspondingly greater danger to the Lord’s people of being “choked” with the cares of this life. (Matt. 13:22) While few of the consecrated may be in danger of intoxication from the actual possession of riches, yet the “deceitfulness of riches” may become intoxicating merely through an undue effort to acquire them.
Never before perhaps has the mere matter of making a living been such a strenuous one. We need now as never before the counteracting influence of the Spirit of God in our lives to offset the increasing pressure of the world and its cares upon us. One of the best means of obtaining and retaining God’s Spirit is through association with the Lord’s people—communing one with another and with the Lord. What blessings, indeed, are received when we exhort and encourage one another to steadfastness along the lines of the instructions laid down in His Word!
In Ephesians 5:18,19, the apostle again explains the advantages of meeting together with the Lord’s people for mutual encouragement. In this passage he contrasts the blessings thus received, with the unrighteous condition of being “drunk with wine.” We might well apply this latter expression to the same general type of spiritual intoxication that we have already mentioned. As an antidote for such a condition the apostle says, “Be filled with the Spirit: speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”
PAUL AND JESUS AGREE
Paul’s exhortation in I Thessalonians 5:1-6 pertaining to the importance of watchfulness and sobriety on the part of the children of the day, and specially at the end of the age, parallels very closely the instructions given us by Jesus relative to the same period of time. Jesus said, “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”—Luke 21:34-36
Among the things coming to pass during the day of the Lord, is the destruction of the old order of things, including the creeds and dogmas of men; and also denominationalism, which is based upon these false precepts. The symbolic fire of this day of the Lord not only destroys man-made opinions and institutions built upon them, but reveals, as well, that which is in harmony with God and that which is not. Paul’s lesson of how a Christian should build upon the proper foundation, Christ Jesus, shows that in the day of the Lord it shall be revealed just how one has built. Those who have built with the wood, hay and stubble of human tradition will have their works destroyed, and those who have built with the gold, silver and precious stones of the divine word will abide. These are the ones who, according to Jesus, will “stand before the Son of Man.”—I Cor. 3:11-16
The children of the light who are faithfully watching, not only their own standing before the Lord but also the prophecies pertaining to the events at the end of the age, are not in darkness pertaining to the fact of Christ’s presence and what is to transpire as a result. They are not therefore blindly and complacently saying peace, peace, so far as the old order is concerned; hence the destruction that comes upon the whole world is not a surprise to them. Understanding the significance of what is transpiring and the necessity for it, the children of the light are not bemoaning the trouble of the world, not even the incidental inconvenience and suffering that it brings upon them, but in harmony with Jesus’ instructions they joyfully look up and lift up their heads, knowing that their “redemption [deliverance] draweth nigh.”—Luke 21:28
THE ARMOR OF GOD
In 1st Thessalonians 5:8, Paul indicates that the matter of being “sober includes the necessity of putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” This is in keeping with what he writes in Ephesians 6:11-18. In verse 11 we read, “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” In verse 13 Paul says, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” In brief, putting on the whole armor of God implies a proper use of all phases of the truth, in its every relationship to the Christian’s life.
Certainly we need the “whole” armor of God as a protection against the many defiling errors and other evil influences of the present time. We need the truth as an helmet of salvation. That is, we need to understand the doctrines and how they apply to us as Christians. We need the breastplate of righteousness, that is, the justification that comes through our whole-hearted belief of and obedience to the truth as it centers in Christ Jesus, our Redeemer.
We need also the shield of faith. This means a heart-reliance upon the truth as an expression of God’s will for us. “This is the victory that overcometh the world,” says the apostle, “even our faith.” (I John 5:4) We also need the girdle, of truth which symbolizes our consecration to the service of the truth. All the other parts of the armor would fail of their purpose if we do not serve the truth. We are also to have our “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” This indicates that our walk in life as children of the day should be in keeping with our most holy faith, and that thus we will be promoters of peace and good will, rather than of strife and hate.
“The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,” is also a very essential part of our armor. Possessing “the sword of the Spirit” suggests a. faithful use of the truth, not only in wielding it as an influence for good among others, but also in cutting down the evil imagination of our own hearts. (II Cor. 10:5) Let us then as “children of the day” seek to put on and use the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand.
We should ever remember that having on the whole armor of God includes more than possessing a mere head knowledge of the truth, as represented by the helmet of salvation. Important as is a knowledge of the truth in as great a detail as we are able to comprehend it, this knowledge alone will not protect us against the wiles of the adversary in this evil day. In addition to head knowledge, we need a heart appreciation of the truth, and a realization of the righteousness of God as it is represented in the truth.
JESUS, THE LIFE-GIVER
Jesus is Scripturally said to be the light of the world. He is that true light which eventually will lighten every man that cometh into the world. (John 1:9) The light of life from the Heavenly Father Himself is reflected through Jesus, the Living Word of God, and by means of this light, the knowledge of God’s glory will yet fill the whole earth as the waters cover the sea. (Isa. 11:9; Hab. 2:14) This is why the prophet, describing the blessings of the new day now dawning, says that the “Sun of righteousness shall arise with, healing in His wings.”—Mal. 4:2
To be children of the day, therefore, means that we are followers of Jesus. As Jesus reflected the light of the Heavenly Father and because of this was the light of the world, His followers, who reflect the light radiating from Him, are now said to be the light of the world.—Matt. 5:14
This should mean more to us than the mere matter of a theory. It should mean an earnest, intelligent effort on our part, not only to learn the truth and to obey it, but to copy the characteristics of the Great Light Giver in our own lives.
If we are true followers of the Light as it radiates through Christ Jesus our Lord, it means that we will assimilate, as far as it is possible, His meekness, His patience, His gentleness, His forbearance and His love. It means, furthermore, that we will endeavor to copy his willingness to be a servant of all. We will note the fact that He came into the world to be a servant; hence, for us to be like Him implies the necessity of our being servants of God, of the truth, of each other, and, as opportunity affords, humankind.
The true standard of soberness, from the spiritual standpoint, is represented in the Master, in His temperateness and moderation in all things, and in His complete devotion to His Father, as His Father revealed His will to Him by the Holy Spirit. We can’t be truly children of the day except as we walk in the footsteps of the Day Star, who in this time of His second presence has arisen in the hearts of all the faithful watchers.—II Peter 1:19
WATCHING PROPHECIES AND WORLD EVENTS
Equally important to watching all those things which pertain to our own relationship to God, thus maintaining soberness because of having a spirit of a sound mind, is the matter of watching the developments of God’s Plan as we see them taking place through the fulfillment of prophecy. It is through our watching the fulfillment of prophecy in the events of the world and the church, that we are able to know that the day of the Lord is at hand. Failure to watch along this line, would make the difference between our being children of the day and children of the night.
To know, as the result of watchfulness, that we are living in the days of the presence of the Son of Man is, itself, thrilling and inspiring knowledge. What great joy, indeed, has been brought to the hearts of thousands in learning of the Bridegroom’s presence, realizing that He has come and has been conducting the Harvest work foretold to be due at the end of the age. But this knowledge is intended to be more than an inspiration—it is given to the consecrated children of the day as a guide to the manner in which they are to serve the Lord. To know that Christ is present, and that the harvest has been in progress, reveals the privilege of the consecrated to join in the reaping work. It means, then, that in their service of the Lord, they are cooperating with Him intelligently, showing themselves approved by Him because of their faithfulness in “rightly dividing the Word of truth.”—II Tim. 2:15
Faithfulness as watchers, however, does not imply the necessity of seeing in advance the details of things that are to happen. The watchers are able to discern the signs of our Lord’s presence. The “Day Star” has, indeed, arisen in our hearts and we are convinced that the new day is dawning and, before that day shall have ended, all the families of the earth will have been blessed with knowledge and with life everlasting; for this is the promise of God concerning them. But the increasing light of the new day does not reveal the exact details in advance of just how the old order is to fall to pieces. However, in figure, and by the Holy Spirit, we even now can detect the processes by which it will be accomplished. The prophecies of both the Old and New Testaments contain this information, and as the details are fulfilled we can identify them. This is our privilege as watchmen. But it would not be an evidence of soberness before the Lord for us to attempt to change our role in His plan from that of watchmen to prophets; that is, in the sense of being seers. We are to be prophets in the sense of being public expounders of God’s Word and declarers of His coming judgments and blessings. We know of the presence of the Master; that the day of the Lord is at hand; that the “Gentile Times” have ended and that their kings have had their day, for since 1914 the ousting of the kings of earth has gone steadily forward, one being pitted against the other in the death struggle of the old order.
We know, too, that it is true now as never before that the night is far spent. Surely the time is short! Thus it behooves us to be more than ever on the alert as watchmen. Faithfulness in this is the only way we can be assured of soberness, and safeguarded against all the intoxicating influences of this evil day. Let us then be truly faithful, and watch and pray that we may stand approved before the Son of man, and, in due time, be exalted to reign with Him a thousand years for the blessing of all the families of the earth.