A thief in the night breaks in while you are asleep and leaves, so you don’t know he was there. That’s because you are not watching for him but sleeping.
The Bible teaches Christians to watch for when Jesus returns and know the signs of his return.
False teachers keep teaching that you will not know when Jesus will return. They use the Gospels, where Jesus told his disciples he would return as a thief in the night.
This idea became popular in books and movies called left behind. It’s a fable and theory not based on the Bible.
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2 Timothy 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction
2 Peter 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
Matthew 7:5 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
When Jesus said this to the disciples, they were not yet filled with the Holy Ghost or even saved.
Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fails not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
We know that when you have the Spirit of truth, then he leads you into all truth and tells you of things to come.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
We know that all scripture is God-breathed and never contradicts itself. So whatever Paul said will not contradict what Jesus said.
1 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Paul says in Thessalonians 5: that only those who are of the night and darkness will he return as a thief in the night. He says Christians are of the day and light and will know when Jesus will return if they watch for him.
Paul tells all Christians who are of the light to be watchers so they will know of his return. So Jesus will not return as a thief in the night to the believers who are watching the signs for his return but only as a thief in the night to them who are of the night and darkness and not watching for his return. Be a watcher!
1 Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1 Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1 Thessalonians 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, THAT DAY SHOULD OVERTAKE YOU AS A THIEF.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 Ye are all the “children of light”, and the “children of the day”: are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1 Thessalonians 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but LET US WATCH and be sober.
1 Thessalonians 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Read more at: This is the End of the World, How Should You be living? (transformedbythetruth.com)
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