If you are denied promotion because you are Christian and you witnessed; if you are disliked by some and people speak about you behind your back; if you are opposed and unkind things are done in your place of employment, or in your family circle; if you are denied certain things, well, you are a child of the day, the great day of compensation.
And then the apostle repeats it for emphasis. ‘We are not of the night, nor of darkness.’ Some Christians seem to be. I hope it is not you. I remember when I was a young believer being invited to some kind of fellowship meeting, and really I was very young in the faith. I expected it to be something really very enjoyable, and all the people there were supposed professing Christians. But it was just like a party. It was like what I had just left behind. And there was smooth music playing. This was years ago! Different styles from today obviously, but it was all stuff of the world. And the people there were all, it seemed to me, trying their utmost to be like worldlings again, and to display and to parade worldly delights.
It is sad that some people who profess Christ seem to be more like worldlings, and if you were to visit their homes you would find all the trappings of worldliness and worldly enjoyments and pleasures, and almost nothing spiritual. And you would wonder – are they really converted? Are they deluding themselves? If they had a terrible accident or illness and died suddenly, even in their 30s, 40s, 50s, would they be judged by God and condemned? They told themselves they were Christians, but they are just the same as worldlings. Or are they very backslidden Christians? We have to examine ourselves and look at ourselves.