“But concerning the day and the hour, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.” 1 Thess. 5:1-2. One could believe that this being the case, it would hardly be necessary to write about the day and the hour. However, one can clearly notice that most people are in need of hearing about them. This is a topic that interests the greater part of God’s people in these days. Therefore there are also many who use this as a means of gathering people. They concern themselves with pinpointing the day and the hour or with explaining how close we are to the day and the hour. It was different with the Thessalonians. They did not need that. In other words, there was something different about them than there is with the greater part of God’s people in these days. What was it that made it unnecessary for them to hear about the day and the hour? They were children of light, children of the day. Therefore the day could not overtake them as a thief. Vs. 4-5. If someone wants to help a person who desires to know the hour and then gets busy explaining the hour and the day, which he cannot do, he starts off by doing the wrong thing. He is not helping anyone by doing that. What was it again that gave people a desire to know the day and the hour? It was that they were children of darkness. If you want to fill that need then you have to lead people in such a way that they can walk in the light and be children of light. Then they do not need to hear speeches about the day and the hour. What does it mean when it says that the day will overtake them? It means that they are not ready when it comes. There was something they should have brought into order first. This is the case with most of them. Their secret desire is, “Oh, if only I knew the minute, or, in any case, the day when He returns!” They want to be along, of course, but they also want to enjoy this world for as long as they can. They would be quite busy if they knew that He was coming tomorrow. Then they would want to correct and change many things so they could be ready. However, it is not so certain that He is coming just yet—at least not for some years—so now they have plenty of time; now they can live on. This is the way of the children of darkness. They feel uncertain. “If I only knew the day and the hour.” They do not say that, of course, but their actions speak for themselves. The children of light act completely differently. There is nothing in their lives that is waiting to be corrected or changed. They walk according to the light that shines. They purify themselves in obedience to the truth and have fellowship with Him who will come again, and fellowship with each other. 1 Pet. 1:22; 1 John 1:6-7. They are occupied with preparing themselves, and they act according to the light that shines. They would be ready if they knew that He was coming tomorrow. They say, “Come, Lord Jesus.” Rev. 22:20. They are children of light and have a perfect conscience. They do not feel condemned. They are at rest; they expect His coming and are ready at all times. Therefore it is not necessary to write to them about the day and the hour, because they have fellowship with Him who shall come, and they know perfectly well how it will be on that day. “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matt. 24:37-39. Noah’s days were characterized by the desire for pleasure. Isn’t that what characterizes our days as well? They ate and drank; they married and gave in marriage. Everything was geared to a life of pleasure. Isn’t that the case in our days as well? They marry and give in marriage. They get divorced and get married again. It is all for the sake of pleasure. It is so common that they do not know what to do about this evil that exists even within religious assemblies. And even worse, they bless it and teach that divorced men are permitted to marry again. This is how far this spirit of the times has penetrated—not to speak of gluttony and drinking. Hardly anyone thinks about these things. Everything is well and good. Isn’t this how it was in Noah’s days? “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thess. 2:3-12. Here we can see that the special characteristic of the man of sin is that he exalts himself above God, showing himself that he is God. He is also called “the lawless one.” V. 8. Isn’t it so that Satan began to prepare for his coming from the days of Adam and Eve? “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted and turned away from the simple faithfulness toward Christ.” 2 Cor. 11:3. Here we can see the serpent beginning to work lawlessness. God’s will is the law that will stand for all eternity. Every breach of God’s law is lawlessness. The serpent said, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat from every tree of the garden’?” And so he began to explain to the woman that they would not die, but that their eyes would be opened and they would be like God, knowing good and evil. Gen. 3:1-6. Now the serpent had managed to lead the woman’s thoughts away from God’s will and to the forbidden tree. She looked at the tree. It was pleasant to the eyes and desirable to make one wise. They were deceived by the serpent to forsake their humble and simple faithfulness toward God—that the only right thing is what God has said. This is the beginning of self-exaltation. She gave precedence to her desire for the tree and her desire for understanding rather than considering what God had said. Has this spirit not developed to the point where it is almost at its height in our days? Where do you find this simple faithfulness, that when God has said something, that is the end of the matter? Has the serpent not deceived almost everyone’s mind? What do you hear these days? “Well, you must understand that God could not mean that! You must not be so particular! You must realize that we live in the world; we must use our understanding,” etc. Where does all this lead? It leads to self-exaltation. When God has spoken, shall we then use our understanding and consider the matter and then decide what is the best thing to do? Consequently, one takes what God has said as it suits best. What is that but exalting yourself above God and showing yourself that you are God? What is that but lawlessness? The only right way is the way one understands it! Such a person is his own god. You can find so many of these “understanding” Christians. They are so reasonable. They can explain to you that it is not sin, that you can do it, that God does not mean it that way, etc. These Christians who use their understanding, these helpers in the cause of lawlessness, have been instrumental in corrupting many simple souls—not to mention those who live in the world! To them God’s will is something ludicrous. They know everything best. Does this not indicate that mankind is prepared to receive the man of sin, the lawless one? Where do you find obedience to the law—the very thing that restrains? By faith we understand that the world came into being by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Heb. 11:3. By faith we understand. All other understanding is from the serpent. Jesus said that he who loses his life shall find it again, but he who keeps it, will lose it. Who can understand that? Those who believe! If God’s people would believe that in these days, things would be different from what they are. Far too many of those who assist in the increase of lawlessness have gained positions of authority among God’s people. They have all said, “Spare yourself.” Matt. 16:21-26. They have corrupted simple souls, and this corruption is so widespread that almost everyone is ready to receive the man of sin, the lawless one. Make sure that you are not drawn into this corruption. The ancients received a good testimony for their faith. This is the faith that restrains the lawless one, but where do you find that today? This is an indication of how far the time has advanced. Who was it that was deceived? It was those who did not receive a love for the truth. You say “There are so many doctrines these days. How can I possibly find my way through all of them?” There is only one way out of it all, and that is to love the truth. Therefore Jesus said to the Jews who believed, “Abide in My word . . . . And you shall acknowledge the truth and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-34. That is the very thing that is lacking in people’s lives—an acknowledgment of the truth. They can acknowledge the truth about many things, but they do not want to acknowledge the truth about themselves. In order to do that they have to get converted first, lose their life, and deny themselves. They must take up their cross daily, etc. Those are hard words. Let us rather hear that He has done everything and that we shall do nothing. We are under His blood. We are the beloved apple of His eye, and He will soon come to take us to Himself, and then everything will be well. This is what people want. They hate light and judgment. Therefore God will send them delusions so that they will believe a lie. They seek God in order to enjoy His blessings and His gifts, but not for the purpose of coming to a life of victory over sin. They seek God for power to heal and to perform signs and miracles, but not to overcome their own will. All those who have this attitude of mind will be deluded. Satan has enough power; he has sufficient signs and miracles, and so people run after them. They say, “This is where God is working,” but nothing ever comes of victory over such sins as love of money, greed, vanity, divisions, backbiting, envy, and the lust to rule. One is deceived and goes astray. One desires fair words and sweet-sounding phrases. Spare yourself! It is so pleasant to the ear. He is love! The word of the cross is old-fashioned; it is bondage; it judges; there is not enough love; it is a hard spirit; etc. Beware lest you are carried along by these wiles of Satan. Love the truth, acknowledge the truth, come to the light, walk in the light, and you will be a child of light. Walk in simple faithfulness toward God, and you shall have rest; then the Day will not overtake you as a thief. Dan. 12:10.Sigurd Bratlie

A Christian’s life can be divided into two main parts: to be called—to know with unshakable certainty that he is called by God—and then to make his calling sure—day by day, hour by hour, and moment by moment. There is great strength in personally knowing that I am called and chosen by God. It is the very secret for always coming through life’s storms. When brothers become lukewarm, those in whom one has had confidence fail, and darkness and unbe­lief are pressing in, then only those who are overcomers can say with Elijah, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand.” 1 Kings 18:15. Such a man does not stand because there is one faithful brother or a hundred faithful brothers, but because he is called by God. By faith in such a calling one no longer reckons with visible things. We are called to be as firm and immovable as Mount Zion. God’s part in this work is to invite us and give us the assurance of our calling in our hearts. Our work is to be willing; then we become more and more established on Mount Zion through faith. Now we are living in a time when the beast will crush and annihi­late us if we are not found on Mount Zion. Now the days have come when many shall be refined, purified, and made white. This is the condition for making our calling sure, because our calling is holy (1 Peter 1:15) and requires a total and complete separation. Our calling is to suffer, for to this we have been called. 1 Peter 2:21. We have been deceived if we still believe that we can take it easy and get by with as little effort as possible. Our calling in this world is to suffer. It is our high and holy calling to put our feet where our faithful and beloved Master has left us His steps.Trygve Sandvik