For they themselves shew 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... For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. (1 Thessalonians 1:9,10; 5:9-11).
There are at least a few – if not many – Christians who have failed to grasp this truth, even though the Bible makes it crystal clear that salvation includes deliverance “from the wrath to come”.
Do we fully understand that when Christ died for our sins, He bore the wrath of God against sinners by Himself, and took upon Himself “the iniquity of us all”? (Isaiah 53:6).
Do we fully understand that those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ will never face God’s wrath, but those who do not believe on Him will do so? (John 3:36).
God does not want a single human being to face His wrath against sin and sinners. That is exactly why He sent His Son into this world (John 3:16). That is also exactly why the book of Revelation is in the Bible. So that those who are not saved may believe, and receive the gift of eternal life (Revelation 22:17).
But unless sinners obey the Gospel, they will face “the wrath to come”. So what is this wrath, when does it manifest itself, and against whom is it poured?
God’s wrath is summed up in “the day of the LORD”, which is described over and over again in the Old Testament. It corresponds to the Great Tribulation. But before the Great Tribulation, there is another period of Tribulation, which corresponds to “the time of Jacob’s trouble”. And all of this is described in Revelation 6-18. Something like this has never occurred before, nor will it be repeated again. The judgments are so severe, that we cannot even imagine their severity, and they are all against the unbelieving and the ungodly.
But those who are in Christ are “not appointed to wrath” but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. What this means is that those who have believed on Christ shall be perfected and glorified. They have not simply been saved from Hell, or the penalty, the power, and the presence of sin. They have been saved “to be conformed to the image of His Son”, and since the Son is perfect, the sons of God will be perfected to resemble Him.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:1-3).
There are at least a few – if not many – Christians who have failed to grasp this truth, even though the Bible makes it crystal clear that salvation includes deliverance “from the wrath to come”.
Do we fully understand that when Christ died for our sins, He bore the wrath of God against sinners by Himself, and took upon Himself “the iniquity of us all”? (Isaiah 53:6).
Do we fully understand that those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ will never face God’s wrath, but those who do not believe on Him will do so? (John 3:36).
God does not want a single human being to face His wrath against sin and sinners. That is exactly why He sent His Son into this world (John 3:16). That is also exactly why the book of Revelation is in the Bible. So that those who are not saved may believe, and receive the gift of eternal life (Revelation 22:17).
But unless sinners obey the Gospel, they will face “the wrath to come”. So what is this wrath, when does it manifest itself, and against whom is it poured?
God’s wrath is summed up in “the day of the LORD”, which is described over and over again in the Old Testament. It corresponds to the Great Tribulation. But before the Great Tribulation, there is another period of Tribulation, which corresponds to “the time of Jacob’s trouble”. And all of this is described in Revelation 6-18. Something like this has never occurred before, nor will it be repeated again. The judgments are so severe, that we cannot even imagine their severity, and they are all against the unbelieving and the ungodly.
But those who are in Christ are “not appointed to wrath” but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. What this means is that those who have believed on Christ shall be perfected and glorified. They have not simply been saved from Hell, or the penalty, the power, and the presence of sin. They have been saved “to be conformed to the image of His Son”, and since the Son is perfect, the sons of God will be perfected to resemble Him.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:1-3).