IT IS DANGEROUS TO SLEEP

"5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober" (1 Thessalonians 5:5 - 6).My beloved Brother or Sister in Christ, I put before you now a very simple question. Kindly read through this devotion and you will soon see why I ask it. "Are you asleep with respect to the salvation of your soul?" In this time of the end, there are countless number of people who carry the name of Christ but do not have the character which should go with the name. God is not the King of their hearts. "Their attention is on the things of the world". Such people are often quick and clever about the affairs of this world. They are, many of them, good men of business, good at their daily work, good masters, good servants, good neighbors, good citizens of their various countries — these things are not bad in themselves. But it is the most important part of their lives of which I want to draw attention; I want to talk about the salvation of their souls. In as much as these people put in a lot of effort in the secular affairs of life, when it comes to spiritual issues relating to their salvation they are found to be careless, reckless, and unconcerned. They are actually spiritually asleep.

I am not saying that God and salvation are subjects which never come across their minds — but what I am saying is that spiritual things have not the uppermost place their minds. Neither am I saying that they are all alike in their lives; some of them doubtless go further into sin than others; but this I say — they have all turned everyone to his own way, and that way is not the narrow way of God. I know of no rule by which to judge of the condition of a man's soul except THE BIBLE. Now, when I look at the Bible I can come to only one conclusion about these people — they are asleep with regard to the salvation of their souls.

My dear Brother or Sister in the Lord, many people who claim to be Christians in these evil last days do not see the sinfulness of sin, and their own lost condition by nature. They appear to make light of breaking God's commandments, and to care little whether they live according to His LAW or not. Yet, God says that sin is the transgression of the law; that sin is the one thing He cannot bear; that the wages of sin is death; and that the soul that sins shall die. Surely, Christians who do not regard these plain words of Scripture are asleep. My beloved Reader, is this the state of your soul? Always remember my question. ARE YOU ASLEEP?

Lastly, I want to point out that there are Christians in these evil last days who do not see their need of a Saviour. They appear to think that despite their sinful lifestyles, God will be merciful to them at last. Yet God's Word says that He is just and holy, and never changes. The wicked will reap the works of their wicked deeds at the end of time. Dear Brother or Sister, it is important to know that CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY, and none can come unto the Father but by Him — that without His blood there can be no forgiveness of sin — that a man without Christ is a man without hope — that those who would be saved must believe on Jesus and come to Him, and that he or she who believes not shall he damned. Surely, many who profess to know God are asleep because they have not consecrated their lives to the Redeemer. My dear Brother or Sister in Christ, what is the state of your soul? Always remember that when it comes to the salvation of your soul, you must NOT sleep!

Paul Fonsi