Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

1 Thessalonians 5:8

1 Thessalonians 5:8. Patting on the breastplate of faith and love. His exhortation to sobriety and watchfulness has suggested to him his favourite image of the soldier, or here specially the sentinel, whose commander may come at any moment, who is set between two ‘days' looking back to one sudden irruption of God into this world, and looking forward to another. It is defensive armour, therefore, that Paul specifies; armour for watching in, rather than for fighting. For watching, ‘faith' is manifestly the most essential piece of the Christian panoply. The faith intended is a firm persuasion in the truth of Christ's first coming, and in its meaning for us, a constant close application of Christ to all our life and habits in the expectation of His return. All through this faith there must be ‘love' interwoven; as the breastplate was not all of stiff and hard, though friendly steel, but was laced with softer stuff that made it lie more kindly to the breast, and, instead of weakening, made it tougher and more available for all uses. Thus, when a man looks to Christ and finds how his whole life is covered by Christ, a strong love of Him mingles with this faith, and makes it so dear to him, and fits it so closely in to his most vital affections and interests, that he can wear it always, that it warms and supports instead of chilling and wearying him; and instead of desiring to rid himself of this faith as a thing unnatural and put on, the love that is in it has made it so congenial that he thinks not ever to put it off.

As a helmet the hope of salvation. Undoubtedly it is the assurance that eternity is ours which best defends us against the temptations of this present world. It is hope that actually purifies (1 John 3:3). The Christian's best defence is the deep-seated, heart-held hope that he shall be with Christ and partake in that very blessedness which satisfies Him.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

1 Thessalonians 5:8

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