" The Wrath to Come ! "

 

1st.Thessalonians 1:5-10  "For our Gospel came not unto you in WORD only, but also in power, and in the HOLY GHOST, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the LORD, having received the WORD in much affliction, with joy of the HOLY GHOST: so that ye were examples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the WORD of the LORD not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to GOD-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to GOD from idols to serve the living and true GOD; and to wait for HIS SON from Heaven, WHOM HE raised from the dead, even JESUS, which delivered us from the wrath to come."

     Believers at Thessalonica heard the Gospel, believed the Gospel, preached the Gospel, and lived the Gospel (vv.1-9). They also believed in the Rapture, the imminent return of CHRIST WHO delivered them "from the wrath to come" (v.10); they would be taken up before GOD's prophesied wrath would come down (1st.Thessalonians 4:16-17; 5:9). This was wonderful news to those early believers just as it is fantastic news for us today. Many of the Christians in Thessalonica were undergoing such terrible persecution that they thought perhaps they had missed the Rapture and were going through the Great Tribulation. But the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD had Paul assure them that such was not the case (Note 1st.Thessalonians 3:3-4; 4:13-18; 5:9; 2nd.Thessalonians 2:1-12).

     Today much misunderstanding concerning the return of CHRIST abounds, similar to the confusion that existed in Thessalonica (2nd.Thessalonians 2:1-7). Many errant teachers are telling believers that the church will go through all or part of the Tribulation (Revelation 6:16; 16:1,19). But verse ten of our text specifically states that our LORD JESUS CHRIST has "delivered us from the wrath to come." Does this "wrath to come" refer only to eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire ? Believers, of course, have been delivered from that, but Christians have also been delivered from ("out of") the coming wrath of GOD (the "Day of the LORD") that will be poured out upon the Earth in full measure during the Seven-year Tribulation. The church will be translated to Heaven before that global judgment (Revelation 3:10 pictured above). All genuine believers can anticipate the joy of the blessed hope (Titus 2:13) rather than the fear of GOD's holy wrath to come. Keep looking up ! MHR

Your servant in CHRIST,

Julie

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