The Darkness of Complacency

(1 Thessalonians 5:4-7)

The Bible speaks often about light and darkness. The light represents all that is good and the darkness represents all that is evil.

There is a grey area that causes those who are of the light, the people of God, to fall back into darkness. In a word, it is complacency.

The scriptures have given us many warnings about the events to come through prophecies. We need to watch these things as they unfold so that we do not fall into complacency and slip from light to darkness. Do not fall into the darkness of complacency.

Warnings about the darkness of complacency

The scripture today is especially important. It warns us clearly about the darkness of complacency.

4 But you are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. (1 Thessalonians 5:4-7)

I’ll start with the last two verses as these speak directly to the darkness of complacency.

They warn us not to sleep, as others do. It is the people of the world who are sleeping. They do not see or recognise the times and events that are taking place around them. They have fallen into the darkness of complacency that sleep suggests.

Those who sleep are unaware of the events going on around them. They have no knowledge of what is happening in the waking world. They cannot see because their eyes are closed to the truth.

Similarly, those he refers to as being drunk have also fallen into the darkness of complacency.

They are drunk and reeling thinking in their arrogance that they know better. Just as a drunken person is filled with bravado and loses control of their sense and sensibilities, so too these people are drunk with false ideas.

They believe there is no God, and they believe the end will not come upon them. They have no fear of God or of the return of Jesus Christ, just as a drunk has no fear in them.

But like a drunk they also think they have power that is just a mirage of foolishness. Their power is just a figment of their own drunken and twisted imagination.

This is the darkness of complacency of the worst kind because it rejects the word of God and His authority.

We are not of the darkness

The people of God who are truly seeking Him and His ways through Jesus Christ are not of the darkness.

The first two verses in this scripture tell us that clearly. We are not in the dark because we are watching and waiting for the Lord, and we have seen His signs in the events around us and are aware of the times and seasons we live in.

We are in the very last days. The prophecies of Christ and in other places tell us as much. Let me give an example.

The United Nations have declared 2021 to be the “Year of Peace and Trust.” The word trust is interesting because it is often linked with security.

The scriptures just prior to the ones we are studying today say:

When people say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:3)

The United Nations made this proclamation earlier this year. But the Lord has been telling myself and others that there will be another world-wide disaster of some kind that will occur in the next few weeks or months. It will be as big or bigger than COVID, but will not be another disease/pestilence.

What it will be, I do not know. But it will be big and many will be afraid and fearful because of it. The Lord has indicated that there will also be much fear amongst His people because of this thing. That suggests some kind of oppression against the people of faith.

So it is important to remain awake. Watch and be sober as these things unfold. Powerful events are unfolding in the spiritual realm affecting life on earth. All of these things were prophesied and we are seeing them happen now.

You are not in the dark

One last thing we should understand is that God does not want His people to be in the dark. He does not want His people to be unprepared for what is coming.

The second coming of Jesus Christ is not far away. We are warned in these verses and others to stay awake and be prepared.

Now, He does not expect us to stay awake literally as the body cannot go without sleep. But we need to remain awake spiritually. We need to be seeking to understand the prophecies in the light of the events around us so we can be prepared for His return.

God gave us these prophecies so that we would not be in the dark. The whole point of prophecy as a gift to the church is so we can know what is about to happen. It is God’s way to let His people know what is going on before it takes place.

And because He tells us before things happen, we have no need to fear as the world does. They do not understand the events around them. They do not realise that the disasters, the pestilences, the famines, and the earthquakes were all preordained by God thousands of years ago, and all the we see happening is the roll-out of His plans.

Sadly, there are many in Christ who have missed the point regarding these things. They pray that the Lord will stop these things happening. But they were ordained and planned as part of His works and they MUST take place. Those Christians may have fallen to the darkness of complacency because they have not studied and kept abreast of the truth of the Word of God.

Do not be like them. Don’t fall to the darkness of complacency. Instead, search the scriptures and the events unfolding around you to try to understand what God is doing. And by so doing put off the darkness of complacency so that you find your place in the Kingdom of God when Christ returns.

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