Sleep (5258) (hupnos) in Scripture usually refers to literal sleep (Mt 1:24, Lk 9:32, Jn 11:13). In the present passage Paul is referring to figurative sleep, specifically spiritual lethargy. Friberg says the entire phrase (ex hupnou egerthenai) is literally be be roused out of sleep, i.e. wake up to reality, realize what is going on. Sleep is a metaphor (see terms of comparison - simile, metaphor) which pictures spiritual apathy and lethargy or unresponsiveness to the things of eternal value that please God. Vine notes that... hupnos is never used of death. In five places in the NT it is used of physical "sleep;" in Ro13:11, metaphorically, of a slumbering state of soul, i.e., of spiritual conformity to the world, out of which believers are warned to awake....In 1 Thessalonians 5:6, where the verb katheudō is used, believers are warned against falling into soul slumber; here they are exhorted to awake out of it.... The apostles were ever consistent in their instruction concerning the Lord’s return as an event to be regarded as imminent. Discussions as to whether any of them changed their view as to its imminence, or whether they were mistaken, are entirely beside the mark. The exhortations they gave were designed for the saints throughout the present era. To wait for the Son of God from heaven not only was the actual attitude of the church of the Thessalonians, their example was to be followed by all believers in each generation till the event takes place. (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson or Logos) Hupnos is the source of our English words "hypnotic, hypnosis, etc". In the present passage, Paul is telling his readers us to awaken from their "hypnotic state", which by default are produced by the enticements of the world, the flesh and the devil . The hour of our Lord's return is drawing nigh and you are sound asleep spiritually! Hupnos is used 6 times in the NT - Mt 1:24; Lk. 9:32; Jn 11:13; Acts 20:9; Ro 13:11 Phil Newton says Paul is exhorting believers to "Throw off the hypnotic state", adding that... I use the word hypnotic intentionally. The Greek for “sleep” is the root for hypnotize, which is a state that resembles sleep. “It is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep [hupnos].” He’s not talking about literal sleep but rather the sluggish, dulled, hypnotic, and almost trance-like state that the world lulls us into. Paul moves from speaking of kairos—the momentous event, the significant happening, to hora or time in a momentary sense. The schedule has arrived. The beep-beep-beep has signaled that your appointment is here. It’s time to awaken or literally, arise from the sluggish, hypnotic state induced by the world. It’s time to wake up! Have you ever fallen into such a deep sleep that you dream of waking up but you cannot? You feel frozen. You know that you need to get up but you just can’t; it’s as though you are strapped to the bed. You feel like you are in a trance as the world moves around you, but you cannot arise and get into action. That’s the picture that Paul gives. He tells us that it is now time to get up—to throw off the hypnotic state that the world has put you into. Realize that the world—that system of thought and suggestion and action that does not include God—is not your friend; it is out to ruin you. So it is time to wake up to the world! See it for what it is in your life! (The Armor of Light) S Lewis Johnson says this is a description of "Christian somnambulists"... They walk in their sleep. Our churches, our Evangelical churches, are full of people like this. They're going through the motions. Have you ever seen anybody walk in their sleep? They're walking. They actually have motor power, but they don't know what's going on....They're sitting in our meetings. They bow their heads when prayer is made. They actually read, but they don't pay any attention to what they read. They're inwardly asleep. (Christian Citizen and the Day) Bruce Goettsche writes... Tim McGraw has a CD out where the album and title cut is” Live Like You Were Dying”. The song is about a man who was in his early forties who gets news that he has a terminal illness. The rest of the song recounts that the man lived with a new sense of urgency. He went skydiving, mountain climbing and bull riding. He gave attention to the people he loved and basically changed all the things he used to think were important. The phrase repeated again and again is this one: “someday I hope you get the chance to be living like you were dying.” This is the what Paul is saying. We should be living with a new urgency. We must remember that we are terminal. We understand that we could die or Jesus could return at any time. Paul suggests that those who understand this fact will change the way they live. He uses the metaphor of changing clothes. He says we need to change from the deeds of darkness to the armor of light. (Get it in Gear) Christian citizens are to live in the light of the eminency of the Lord's return. Paul admonishes us to "Wake up-Dress up-Clean up-Look up!" Are we "listening up"? Let us not be lulled to sleep by indulgence in pleasure or be influenced by the specious words of mockers who suggest that the Lord has delayed His coming or that He will not return at all (2Pe 3:3,4 -note). Bethany Bible sermon notes asks... What do Christians look like who are "asleep" in this way? I believe such "spiritual slumber" shows itself in a slackening of the intensity of their faith. They may read their Bibles, but not with much excitement or application. They don't "tremble" at God's word (Isaiah 66:2). They may pray, but not with much earnestness, or effectiveness, or expectation (James 5:16). They may go to church, but only as "spectators" and "consumers", and not as a properly working part of the Body that contributes to its growth (Ephesians 4:16). They may be around non-believers, but they're not excited enough about their own faith to present it to others as "ambassadors of Christ"" (2 Cor. 5:20). They're saved; but are just sort of taking a "spiritual siesta" all the time. "Sleep" is the perfect word to use to describe the state of a passive, uninvolved, indifferent Christian. Great potential is there in them; but there's nothing happening. Many years ago, I worked in a moving and storage warehouse; and a young guy started working in the warehouse that, for some reason, we just couldn't find. He'd come to work - I mean, we'd see him enter the warehouse - but we just couldn't find him after that. Well, we finally found him - or, I should say, we heard him snoring. He had pulled a bunch of warehouse crates around himself, made a little hiding place, and was sleeping on the job. The rest of us all gathered around this sleeping beauty, and on the count of three, shouted, "Wake up!!" And that's what Paul is doing here. This is a call to the sleepy Christian to wake up! Let me make a suggestion. Pray about this before God. It'll take guts; because God will answer your prayer. Ask Him to show you whether or not you are a sleepy Christian. Ask Him to reveal to you where you might be dozing off. And then, ask Him to set you ablaze with the expectation of the Lord's return. He will. (See the full message on Romans 13:11-14 Now's the Time!) ><>><>><> What Time Is It?-There are many ways of keeping time. Let's look at three of them. The first is called "world time." For many years this was how the world set its clocks. World time was determined by the relationship of the earth to the sun, and it enabled man to measure time by the movements of the heavens. A second way of keeping time was adopted in 1972 when the switch was made to "atomic time." This method measures hours, minutes, and seconds not merely by the big picture of the heavens but by the highly accurate vibrations of the atom. Then there's a third method. It's based on our relationship to God, and His timekeeping is perfect. Let me explain. When we recognize our accountability to God, we see that now is the time to surround ourselves with the values, thoughts, and attitudes of the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 13:14-note). We become aware that our eternal rescue is closer than ever before (Ro 13:11). Because of our relationship to the Lord, we should heed the warning that time is running out for this world (Ro 13:12). If we are going to live honestly and lovingly, we must do so now! As you look at the clock today, remember that you should also figure time by your relationship to the Lord. --M R De Haan II (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved) God set a goal, yet gave the choice To mortals how time may be spent; Admonishing that worth, not length, Will value time's accomplishment. -Mortenson Counting time is not as important as making time count ><>><>><> Asleep On The Job - The following notice was posted on the bulletin board in a business office: "It has come to management's attention that workers dying on the job are failing to fall down. This practice must stop, as it becomes impossible to distinguish between death and the natural movement of the staff. Any employee found dead in an upright position will be dropped from the payroll." This humorous description finds a serious parallel among Christians. We can go through the motions of obedience without any real heart involvement. Behind our business-as-usual appearance is a lack of enthusiasm for righteous living and serving God. We need Paul's admonition: "It is high time to awake out of sleep" (Romans 13:11). We must remain intense in our desire to please the Lord. Centuries ago the psalmist prayed that he wouldn't settle for a casual religious experience (Ps 119:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). He longed for a total commitment to love what God loves and hate what He hates. He sensed that he would have to give his whole heart, mind, and strength to the task. We will accomplish much for the Lord if we set our will against the current of the world and the pull of our sinful flesh. Let's not fall asleep on the job. —M R De Haan II (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved) Go, labor on; spend and be spent, Thy joy to do the Father's will; It is the way the Master went; Should not the servant tread it still? —Bonar Living for Jesus is not a part-time job. (see also How To Have A Revival) Ray Stedman sounds an alarm writing... I am afraid that we often hear men preaching who are aware of the fact that the age is drawing to a close, but their word to us is not to wake up, but to hurry up. Yet, as I turn to the pages of the New Testament, I never find that word "hurry" occurring. It isn't "hurry up," it is "wake up" that the Lord is continually saying to us. It is not hurry that is needed. Back in Isaiah, Isaiah says, "He that believeth need not make haste" {cf, Is 28:16 KJV}. That is a wonderful word: "He that believeth need not make haste... It is not hurry that is needed, it is awareness. "Watch," Jesus said over and over to his disciples. "What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch," {Mk 13:37 KJV}. Act intelligently. Don't act in panic, but in knowledge. Be aware of what you are doing. Act purposefully and intelligently, Wake up! (The Demand of the Hour) The following notice was posted on the bulletin board in a business office: "It has come to management's attention that workers dying on the job are failing to fall down. This practice must stop, as it becomes impossible to distinguish between death and the natural movement of the staff. Any employee found dead in an upright position will be dropped from the payroll." This humorous description finds a serious parallel among Christians. We can go through the motions of obedience without any real heart involvement. Behind our business-as-usual appearance is a lack of enthusiasm for righteous living and serving God. We need Paul's admonition here in (Ro 13:11). We will accomplish much for the Lord if we set our will against the current of the world and the pull of our sinful flesh. Let's not fall asleep on the job. Living for Jesus is not a part-time job. Go, labor on; spend and be spent, Thy joy to do the Father's will; It is the way the Master went; Should not the servant tread it still? —Bonar FOR NOW SALVATION IS NEARER TO US THAN WHEN WE BELIEVED: nun gar egguteron hemon e soteria e hote episteusamen (1PAAI): (1Jn 3:2 1Pe 1:5, 13) (Eccl 9:10; Lk 21:28; 1Co 7:29, 30, 31; 1Pe 4:7; 2Pe 3:13, 14, 15; Re 22:12,20) For (gar) is a term of explanation explaining why they should awaken from their sleepiness (spiritually speaking). Why? Because our salvation (deliverance) from this present world is nearer. Now salvation is nearer - What salvation is he referring to? Paul is speaking of our future tense salvation (glorification), that wonderful day when we receive our glorified bodies (Ro 8:22, 23-note), along with freedom from the presence of sin and pleasure of sin and forever in perfect conformity to the perfect will of God. (see study of Three Tenses of Salvation). The "nearness" of this glorious day should motivate the readers to live life with an "eternal perspective" walking by faith (seeing with "eternal" vision so to speak) not by sight. THE NOW AND NOT YET Phil Newton (Armor of Light) says that... We live in the realm of the now and the not yet. They overlap. We’re seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph 2:6-note); yet we live in the world but are not to be of the world (Jn 17:15, 16). We’re hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:3-note), yet we must take action to consider the members of our earthly bodies dead to sin (Col 3:5-11-note). We read of “the last days” prophesied by Joel, typically thinking of it as the days immediately preceding the return of Christ. Yet Peter identified it as the era from the cross until the return of Christ (Acts 2:16-21, cp Heb 1:1, 2-note). So when Paul exhorts us to change our perspective, to get a new view about life, he calls on us to live toward the final Day when Christ brings to culmination the work of redemption—reordering the cosmos and claiming His Bride. Live toward that day of “salvation,” or future deliverance. Live as one that will be claimed by Christ on that day. Live as one who will gladly welcome Him. Live as one whose life is not bound by the latest fads, music, movies, and entertainment. Live as one whose life is not consumed with pursuing the world or living for retirement or living for a paycheck or living for the next party. Live as one that will see Jesus Christ. I like the way Dave Guzik phrases it... Because we know the danger of the times and we anticipate the soon return of Jesus, we should be all the more energetic and committed to a right walk with God instead of a sleep-walk with God. How important it is to awake out of sleep! We can do many Christian things and essentially be asleep towards God. What a difference it makes when we are awake! · We can speak when we are asleep · We can hear when we are asleep · We can walk when we are asleep · We can sing when we are asleep · We can think when we are asleep William Newell comments that... The hope of the imminency of our Lord’s coming, with the consummation of salvation in bodily redemption (Eph 1:14-note, Ep 4:30-note) and glorification (1Co 15:52, 53, 54 - see Relationship of Justified, Sanctified, Glorified), is constantly used by the apostles in exhorting believers to a holy walk in love (cp 2Pe 3:11-note). This present verse sets before us the awful tendency to sink down (as did the ten virgins! Mt 25:1-8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) into slumber and sleep,—into a state of spiritual torpor in which no Christian duties are effectively done. Believers are to “know the season.” Our Lord sternly arraigned the Jews of His day for their ignorance concerning “the time”; “When ye see a cloud rising in the West, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it cometh to pass. And when ye see a south wind blowing, ye say, There will be a scorching heat; and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven; but how is it that ye know not how to interpret this time? And why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?” (Lk 12:54, 55, 56, 57) There their Messiah was, in their midst, and they knew Him not! Why? Because they did not apply themselves to know the time they were in, although they could have known it, both from the prophetic Word which was being fulfilled before their eyes in Christ; and also “of their own selves,” if they had set themselves to judge truly of the moral conditions about them and the necessities of action involved therein. If the Jews even then were called by our Lord “hypocrites,” for applying their God-given discernment to the signs of the weather, and neglecting to apply it to spiritual things, and so going on blindly to judgment; how much more this should arouse us who have so much greater light and knowledge, in view of Christ’s death and resurrection, and the presence of the Holy Spirit; and the certainty of our Lord’s Coming, and our uncertainty as to the day and hour! (Romans 13 Verse by Verse Commentary) "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://preceptaustin.org/romans_1310-11.htm#sl