{"id":5180,"date":"2019-05-24T21:17:01","date_gmt":"2019-05-25T01:17:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/?p=5180"},"modified":"2026-06-02T15:56:55","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T19:56:55","slug":"salvation-instead-of-wrath-1-thessalonians-51-11","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/salvation-instead-of-wrath-1-thessalonians-51-11\/","title":{"rendered":"Salvation Instead of Wrath – 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (119)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Salvation Instead of Wrath - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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By Steven J. Hogan<\/p>\n

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~ A Saturday Morning Post #119 ~<\/em><\/p>\n


The young church at Thessalonica had a great interest in learning about Christ\u2019s return and the future God had for them. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul taught that at Christ\u2019s coming, all believers who had died throughout history would be resurrected, and all believers still living on earth would be raptured,<\/a> and then together they would meet the Lord in the air. But Paul had much more to say about God\u2019s end-time plans for the believers and the unbelievers, and so he continues to teach them.

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1 Thessalonians 5:1-3.<\/strong> Paul knew they did not need to know about times and seasons, about dates and events, for he had already taught them these things. \u201cFor you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.\u201d<\/em> Right after the Christians are raptured, this day of the Lord,<\/a> God\u2019s cataclysmic judgment, will devastate this evil world. And \u201cthey\u201d<\/em>, the unsuspecting unbelievers, will be totally caught off guard. With the Antichrist ruling the world, \u201cthey\u201d<\/em> will be saying \u201cpeace and safety,\u201d<\/em> and be \u201ceating and drinking\u201d<\/em> (Matthew 24:38). But \u201cthey\u201d<\/em> will be deceived, for it\u2019s a pseudo peace. Suddenly the skies will darken and there will be a great earthquake, and \u201cthey\u201d <\/em>will try to run and hide, but there will be no escaping \u201cthe wrath of the Lamb.\u201d \u201cThen destruction will come upon them.\u201d<\/em> Revelation 6:12-17, Revelation 8-9

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1 Thessalonians 5:4-5. <\/strong>\u201cBut you brethren are not in darkness…\u201d <\/em>Paul makes a clear and marked contrast between the Christians<\/a> and the unbelievers who are living in the end-times, for \u201cthey\u201d<\/em> refers to the unbelievers, but \u201cyou\u201d<\/em> refers to the believers. \u201cYou\u201d<\/em> are not in darkness. \u201cYou\u201d<\/em> will escape God\u2019s judgment. The day of the Lord won\u2019t overtake \u201cyou.\u201d<\/em> This day of the Lord will not be like a \u201cthief in the night\u201d<\/em> to \u201cyou.\u201d<\/em> And why won\u2019t Christians be caught off guard and surprised by the sudden coming of Christ? Because they are children of God, \u201care sons of light and sons of day,\u201d<\/em> and know all about the \u201ctimes and seasons\u201d<\/em> leading up to Christ\u2019s coming. Not only that, but they love Christ and are serving Christ, and are looking forward to His return. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

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1 Thessalonians 5:6-8, 11.<\/strong> What Paul communicates in these verses are clear, concise instructions as to how Christians should live<\/strong> at all times and, particularly, in the end-times. It is the 21st<\/sup> century and \u201csalvation is nearer to us than when we first believed\u201d<\/em> (Romans 13:11). I\u2019m convinced God is now raising up an army of godly Christians who have insight, and know what they should do<\/a> in these last years before Christ\u2019s return.
* We should not be asleep, we should be awake and alert<\/strong> in both mind and heart. We should not be unaware of, nor indifferent to, what God\u2019s word says about the events associated with Christ\u2019s coming and the rapture of the church. We should be watchful and discerning Christians, ones who are rightly assessing what is happening in the world around us. And we should be excitedly living for Christ and looking for His return.\u00a0
* We should be sober,<\/strong> and not be drunk. We should not be wrongly influenced by worldly indulgences and sensual pleasures that dull our mind and soul, and our love for God. We should be serious, self-controlled Christians, living all out for God<\/a> by diligently doing all the work He wants us to do. 1 Peter 4:7-11
* We should put on the breastplate of faith and love,<\/strong> for this is our spiritual protection, our means of standing firm against the schemes of the devil. We should trust God by trusting in His word, in His promises, and in His power. We should love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and love our neighbors. Ephesians 6:10-18, Mark 12:30<\/p>\n\n

* We should put on our spiritual helmet, which is the hope of salvation,<\/strong> for hope<\/a> motivates us and helps us to endure for the Lord. We should know all about our future, being glorified, with Jesus, with other believers, and reigning with Christ in the millennial kingdom. We need to know that the best is yet to come. Psalm 84
* We should encourage one anothe<\/strong>r, and all the more as the day of Christ draws near. We are tempted, we sin, we get weary, we get discouraged, and we need one another and need to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24-25
* We should build one another up.<\/strong> By both word and example, we are to disciple others, care for others, and help others spiritually grow up and make progress in their lives, character, and work for God. Matthew 28:19-20, Ephesians 4:11-16

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1 Thessalonians 5:9-10.<\/strong> \u201cGod has not destined us for wrath\u2026\u201d<\/em> How incredibly merciful and amazing that God enables us to escape<\/a> His punishing wrath. Oh, we may go through momentary, light tribulation, but we will experience no \u201cday of the Lord\u201d<\/em> at the end of this age, and no painful \u201clake of fire\u201d<\/em> that lasts forever. We will experience just the opposite, a perfect, wonderful, glorious and eternal future, with God our Father, Jesus Christ, and all the saints. Whether we are awake (alive when Christ returns), or asleep, (have died before His return), we will obtain \u201csalvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us.\u201d<\/em> As Christians, we will soon be glorified, and then forever live together with Jesus. \u201cTherefore, comfort one another with these words.\u201d<\/em> 1 Thessalonians 4:18

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P.S. A post that helps you understand what God wants Christians to do in the end-times is “How Then Should We Live in the End-Times?”<\/a> A post that tells you more about what happens to the non-Christians in the end-times is “The Day of the LORD: The Wrath of God on Earth.”<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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