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I. THERE IS A VAST CONTRAST BETWEEN THE TWO.

1. Here salvation is in process, there in perfection. "Now is salvation nearer."

2. Here existence, is night, there day. Life before death is night, suggestive of imperceptibility. The Christian sees "through a glass darkly" now. His life after death is "day." Death opens the eyes on a bright universe.

II. THE EARTHLY STATE IS RAPIDLY EXPIRING, THE HEAVENLY IS ABOUT TO DAWN. "The night is far spent, the day is at hand." Whilst this is true, even of the youngest Christian, it is pre-eminently true of those who are far advanced in life.

III. THE EXPIRING OF THE EARTHLY, AND THE APPROACH OF THE HEAVENLY, ARE POWERFUL ARGUMENT FOR SPIRITUAL EARNESTNESS. "Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep."

1. The work we have to do is most urgent.

(1) The renunciation of all evil. "Cast off the works of darkness." Ignorance, crime, etc.

(2) The adoption of all good. "Put on the armour of light" (Ephesians 6:2-17).

2. The time for accomplishing it is rapidly contracting. Let us awake therefore. The lost years of your existence, the interests of truth, the value of souls calls on you to awake. Sleep not on the shore while the mighty billows of eternity are approaching.

(D. Thomas, D.D.)

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KJV: And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

WEB: Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.