We are not destined for Wrath

“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 5:9-11 (ESV)

In chapter 5 of 1 Thessalonians, Paul continues his teaching of Eschatology (the study of end-time events, such as the Rapture, the Second coming of Jesus, the Tribulation, the Great White Throne Judgment, and the like). In Chapter 4, you remember that Paul explained the order of events when Jesus comes back for His Church. We learned that when He comes back without warning with a shout and trumpet of God, those who have died believing in Jesus will be raised from their graves and receive their new resurrected bodies, then those of us that have accepted Jesus as our Savior and that are alive, will be “caught up” or Ruptured away from this world and all of Jesus’ saints will meet Jesus in the air and “thus we shall always be with the Lord.” And Paul says that we should comfort one another with these words.

In Chapter 5, Paul continues his teaching on end-time events, instructing on when Jesus will return for His church. Paul says in v. 2, “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” He continues saying that the unbelieving world will be saying “There is peace and security,” (v3) but it is not so. The unbelieving world will “not escape” the destruction that is coming. Many times, when we present the Good News of salvation by Grace, we don’t tell the unbelieving world the whole story. Seldom today do we tell those who mock God’s grace and the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus what the outcome of their decisions is. Paul didn’t dwell on the destruction of the unbelievers, but it will happen. Now, many of you know that I am not a big fan of the preaching style called “Hell Fire and Brimstone,” where the speaker tries to scare people into accepting Jesus. I’ve never liked that approach, and I would never try to scare anyone into salvation (I haven’t found that fear is a long-term motivator), but I do think it’s important that the whole story of accepting or rejecting Jesus is shared. So, in Paul’s own words, anyone who rejects Jesus as their Lord and Savior, “destruction will come upon them”, and they need to know that as well.

In Verses 9 and 10, Paul makes a very important statement: “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.” Believers should have absolute confidence in their eternal salvation. Once again, Paul states that our salvation is based on what Jesus has done, not on what we have done. It is God who destined us for eternal salvation, it is God who saves and keeps us saved so “we may live together with Him”, our Lord Jesus.

Paul ends this Chapter and letter with this exhortation “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” What a wonderful way to end his letter. How much better off would each of us be if we just practiced this? Because of what God has done, we should “Rejoice always”. Do you mean even when things aren’t going my way? Even more so, we need to stop letting our earthly circumstances direct our minds. We need to fill our minds with what Christ has done for us. When we do that, we will be ready to “Rejoice always”. “Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks.” How can I possibly do this? By remembering what Christ has done, remember that we will forever be with our Jesus, and invite Him into your daily earthly life. He’s already part of your spiritual life. He lives in you. Now, invite Him to help you to “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

"Living in Grace is not about what I can do, but about what Jesus has already done!"