Awake? Or Wokeness?

 As I begin to study Ephesians 5:14 where the apostle Pauls says, "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." In order to understand the biblical concept of the word "awake" or "wake up" is to look at God's Word to shed light upon its biblical meaning (1 Cor. 2:14). First, there are numerous references to scripture that will allure to its true biblical meanings (Isa. 26:19; Rom. 13:11; 1 Th. 5:5, 6; 1 Cor. 15:34)

The Greek Meaning of the Word "Awake"

First, the Greek verb meaning of the word "awake" or "wake up" means "to wake" or raised the dead (Isa. 26:19) Also the comparison of the Greek verb (gregoreo) which also means "to keep watch, be on guard. (Eph. 5:14) Therefore the rendering of the word "awake" or "wake up" is that the spiritual slumber must no longer sleep by which it demonstrates sinners dead in sin. (Eph. 5:1, 2)  People who are dead in their trespasses and sins are not made alive in Christ by which it is necessary that they are quickened by the Holy Spirit. Yet, they remain to sleep all day and they miss out on life's opportunities.

Summary:

(1) People who are dead in their trespasses and sins are quickened by the Spirit by which they are alive in Christ. (Eph. 5:1, 2) Truly saved people have been raised from the dead by God by which they are risen with Christ Jesus.

(2) It is impossible to even for the spiritual slumber who are dead in sin can raise themselves from the dead. It takes the sovereign act of God to raise people from the dead. (Eph. 5:1, 2) 

(3) The spiritual slumber is always sleeping even to the point of intruders breaking into their homes despite such warnings. Today is today by which the spiritual slumber must "awake" because the day is drawing near.

(4) "Awake" or "wake up" according to Ephesians 5:14 does not make any reference to "woke" or "wokeness:" that of the awareness of such political and social surroundings (i.e. "systemic racism" or "institutional racism"). Even though we live in a world that has in fact been stained by racism in various facets of our societies and human institutions it is not evolved around wokeness. 

(5) White evangelicalism, social media, news coverage, and authors who address "woke" or "wokeness" are ignorant of the culture and biblical connotation of "awake." Even if they know it is always interpreted within the cultural context of its own culture. (2 Pet. 3:16)

(6) The Woke church movement especially the SJG warriors have in fact perverted the biblical concept of "awake" by its own cultural meaning and construct. (Col. 2:4, 6, 8) "Awake" is not woke; wokeness is not "awake."

(7) Pouring "new" meanings into biblical words is a recipe of both theological and moral disaster. (2 Tim. 2:16, 17)

(8) Salvation is not within a political ideology or social construct but in having a relationship with the Person of Jesus Christ. (Jn. 1:4) The light of Christ is life in the Person of Jesus Christ.

(9) Neither do many of the social justice movements or SJG advocates bring about the salvation of people. It is a religion of works; not a religion of grace. (Eph. 2:8, 9)

(10) The promise by which many of these social justice movements promised social and political utopianism falls short of the "vision" of God's kingdom. It is an offering to God by which God rejects based upon the self-righteousness of such perverted justice (Mic. 6:6-7). Also, many of these social justice movements do not always demonstrate true justice, mercy, nor show humility. (Mic. 6:8)

Rev. Darryl L. Miller is the Founder of Reformed Black Think Tank of America of Atlanta, Georgia. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."