Note 24 at 1 Th. 5:5: Those who are living in darkness are portrayed as sleeping and being in drunkenness. These metaphors portray the fact of not being in touch with reality. In this situation the Day of the Lord and His judgment will overtake them as a thief. A thief is never expected. In contrast, the believers are sober-that means awake and alert, looking for their salvation.

The salvation and deliverance spoken of is from the wrath that will be released upon unbelievers when Christ returns. Deliverance from this wrath is why Jesus came to seek and save the lost. John the Baptist's warning to the Pharisees and Sadducees was similar when he said, "O generation?who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Mt. 3:7).

Not only do we need to know what we have been saved unto, but there needs to be a true realization of what we have been saved from. Heinrich Vogel said, "whoever thinks he can smile at God's wrath will never praise him eternally for his grace." Surely, when we see the wrath of God released upon those who were better than us, we will appreciate our salvation all the more.