⁴But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; ⁵for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness …

If God hasn’t given us the details about when Christ is returning, then what is the point of telling us about the event in general terms? The answer to this is quite simple but profound. Christians of all generations need to be prepared for His return so that when He does come, we won’t be surprised.

Paul, of course, is speaking to a specific people group, the believers in Thessalonica, implying that Christ may very well return while some of them are still alive. Historically, we can look back now and say that didn’t happen in their lifetime, nor has Christ returned in the two thousand or so years since then. So what is the point of being ready for an event that will in all likelihood, it seems, not occur in our lifetime today?

These may seem like natural questions to ask, but they do not come from faith. Many unfortunately give up looking for the Lord’s return when the excitement of new life in Christ simmers down into daily living and the issues of life take over. But listen deeply to what Paul is saying, by the wisdom with which the Spirit has inspired him. His words ring out well past his original audience and resonate through the inspired canon of Scripture. We believers are one body, and there is one faith and one baptism (Eph. 4:4-5). The Spirit of God is speaking to all generations of Christians as one body—be ready!

When Christ returns, it is not just for that generation that He comes back, but for all believers, whether dead or alive. Remember at His coming the dead believers will arise and be together with him (Eph. 4:16–17), and then all believers living at that time. The vast majority will live and die before then. But for the entire universal body of believers, Christ returns, and so we all need to be ready for His return, even if we die before then.

Therefore, Paul says, we are “not in darkness” and won’t be surprised like a person surprised by the sudden appearance of a thief in the night. Paul uses an apt description for believers: “sons of the light and sons of the day.” This means we have been given the knowledge of truth, similar to Israel (see where Jesus refers to Jews as “sons of light” in Luke 16:8). We do have the knowledge of the truth, and Paul says elsewhere, “You are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.” In our present context that would mean living expectantly of Christ’s return as though it could happen now, in our lifetime. He could even be returning before the finish of this page!

Lord, I want to live my life as though today is the day of Your return.