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1 Peter 5:8
8 Be sober [nepho], be vigilant [gregoreuo]; because [hoti] your [humon] adversary [antidikos] the devil [diabolos], as [hos] a roaring [oruomai] lion [leon], walketh about [peripateo], seeking [zeteo] whom [tis] he may devour [katapino]: KJV-Interlinear
8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. NASB
People look around themselves as though there is nothing else to consider in reality. We view science fiction as the view of mans future, when technology is advanced enough to allow humanity to venture into the stars, or fix virtually any body part or genetic part that is not functioning right.
Most folks view their temporal life as the only reality, and the spiritual life as nothing more than an emotional support, like a medication, to help relieve tension and worries. Kind of like a child’s favorite blanket or teddy bear. Something to help stabilize ones mental state, but only with psychological implications.
Weaker folks may need religion to help them get along in life, and the more intellectual of society, look at religion as something that they do not need, as they are above such children's stories or mental supports.
We know that there are things that we cannot see, like radio waves, light waves, sound waves, radar, atoms, electrons, genes and more. But since we have been able to detect them, we presume that if anything exists, it is detectable or measurable.
However, human life seems to elude us all. We can’t extract it from the body and place it in a jar. Angels seem to be able to hide from us. And though we know that human life exists, we ignore the possibility of angels or even God as a tangible creature.
And so life in this world becomes mans entire world. Even though we know with certainty that people do not live forever. The cemeteries are filled with past generations, and that is where we all will be sooner or later. But it is easier to ignore rather than contemplate.
We wrap ourselves up in the politics or beliefs of the day. We keep busy with our daily hustle and bustle looking toward the weekend, or the next vacation, or even toward retirement. And then what?
As we sleep at night, the earth still rotates, the clouds keep moving, the rivers keep flowing, the clock keeps ticking, and life for each one of us keeps on moving toward our ultimate meeting with Jesus.
How important is your belief in abortion or your opposition to it? How important is your belief in, or rejection of, global warming? How important are your views of marriage, or relationships, or anything in life?
Are these things great enough for you to put your spiritual life on hold?
God tells us to be alert, to be sober, to be on our guard. Why? Because we have one enemy in this world, Satan, whom we cannot see, cannot detect, cannot even get hold of by e-mail. And yet he is more powerfully deceitful and subtle than anything humanity has ever encountered in history.
And while people will not pursue truth from God, which is able to stand up against all tests and proofs, they will rush into the lies of life, which they cannot substantiate or prove.
Being sober means to be clear headed, straight thinking, able to discern between the truth and the lie.
Being alert means to be watchful, diligent, prepared.
And both refer to your only resource for having a stable and profitable life – Bible doctrine.
Anything that distracts you from your spiritual life, is from Satan. Whether he formally authored something or merely allows humanity to promote his policies, makes no difference. Evil originated from Satan, and evil is not easily detected when you are spiritually deficient.
Your destiny is not in this world. Your destiny is in the next life. The details and content of your destiny are determined by your own decisions in this life. And while you did not have any say in the details of your current life, you do have the opportunity to determine the extent of the details of your next life.
Why would you pass up that opportunity?
