THE BOOK OF FIRST THESSALONIANS
(“Rescued From Wrath”)
I Thessalonians 1:1-10 (NASU)
9For they themselves report … how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.”
(I Thessalonians 1:9-10)
(A) EVIDENCES OF ELECTION1
(1) When you pray, do you ever give thanks to God for other believers? Especially for evidences of God’s grace at work in their lives? Apparently Paul did – for he says in verse two that every time he “and Silvanus and Timothy” (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:1) prayed, they “always gave thanks to God for the Thessalonians” (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:2). And if we inquire as to what Paul and his coworkers were thankful to God for (so far as the Thessalonians were concerned), part of the answer lies in verse four where he essentially says he was certain (and therefore, thankful) that they had been chosen by God for salvation (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:4).
(2) R. C. Sproul says that when he was in seminary, a poll was taken among his classmates that ask how many of them were sure of their salvation – and 90% (of these future pastors) said they were NOT sure. In fact, he says many of his fellow students expressed anger that such a question would even be asked – because they believed it was presumptuous and arrogant for anyone to claim to know they were saved.2 And yet, Paul expressed confidence (in verse four) that the Thessalonians were saved people – and one reason he did, was so they could be as sure of their salvation as he was (i.e. of their salvation) (see II Timothy 1:12)!
(3) For the past two weeks I have told you that the doctrine of election has NOT been given to us to make us proud (or arrogant, or presumptuous). As a matter of fact, IF the confidence we have in our salvation rests in ourselves – either because we think we have earned it, or because we think we deserve it – then we ARE being arrogant.2 Our confidence should be resting in Christ alone – and not in ourselves in any way whatsoever!
The doctrine of election has NOT been given to us to make us proud – rather, it has been given to us (in part) to help reassure us that we have been saved by GRACE ALONE, through faith alone, in Christ alone. And one of the ways this happens, is when we can see that the evidences of God’s electing grace (or proofs of salvation by grace) are present in our lives. For as John Calvin said: “the election of God, though in itself hidden from our view, is nevertheless manifested by its marks.”3
(4) Some of those “marks”, or evidences of God’s electing grace include (in verse six), becoming imitators of Christ, and of other Christians – (verse seven) becoming an example for other believers to follow – (verse eight) when people can see changes the Gospel is making in our life – (verse nine) when we turn from whatever idols dominated our life before we professed faith in Christ, in order to serve the true and living God – and (verse ten) when we are looking for and waiting for our Savior’s return (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:6-10).
(B) THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
(1) In my experience, Presbyterians don’t talk about Jesus’ Second Coming as much as some other segments of Christ’s Church – even though it’s part of all our creeds and confessions. For example, the Apostle’s Creed (in speaking of Jesus) says (in part):
“He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right
hand of God the Father Almighty,
From there HE WILL COME to judge the living
and the dead.”4
Likewise, the Nicene Creed says:
“(He) ascended into heaven, and is seated at the
right hand of the Father;
and HE SHALL COME AGAIN, with glory, to
judge both the living and the dead …”5
The answer to Shorter Catechism question #28 says:
“Christ’s exaltation consists in His rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in COMING to judge the world in the last days.”6
The answer to Larger Catechism question #56 says, in part:
“Christ … shall COME AGAIN at the last day in
great power, and in the full manifestation of His own glory, and (that) of His Father’s, with all His holy angels, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, to judge the world in righteousness.”7
Finally, the last paragraph of the Westminster Confession of Faith says:
“As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded
that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin; and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity; so will He have that day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour THE LORD WILL COME; and may be ever prepared to say, ‘Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, Amen.’”8
(2) We Presbyterians here at Westminster are going to get to talk about Christ’s Second Coming quite a bit in the week’s ahead – because, as the Book of First Thessalonians unfolds, Paul talks about it more and more (especially in chapters four and five) (c.f. I Thessalonians 4:13–5:11). But even before we get there, Paul mentions our Savior’s return at least once in every chapter – thereby making it one of the book’s most prominent themes.9 And here in chapter one, he mentions it (for the first time) in verse ten – where he says one of the evidences of God’s electing grace, is that those who are saved begin to look for and anticipate Jesus’ return. Specifically what Paul said is this (starting in verse nine): 9“For (others) report … how you (have) turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10and TO WAIT FOR HIS SON FROM HEAVEN, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come” (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:9-10).
(3) So, what do you think about when you reflect on Christ’s Second Coming? What’s the first thing that comes into your mind? What do you consider to be some of the most important consequences of His return?
Contemporary Christian music gives us a clue as to how many people would answer those questions. For example, one song, entitled, “We Will Be Changed” contains this refrain:
“On that glorious day,
When all will see His face;
We will be changed,
We will be changed.
I will see you in the sky,
When heaven’s opened wide;
And we will be changed,
We will be changed,
Oh we will be changed.”11
Another song, entitled, “We Will Dance” contains these lyrics:
“Sing a song of celebration,
Lift up a sound of praise;
For the Bridegroom will come,
The glorious One;
And oh we will look on His face.
We’ll go to a much better place.”12
My point is, that many people’s thoughts regarding Christ return are filled with rosy images of joy and reunion – not all of which are out-of-place, since there are many joyful facets to our Savior’s Second Coming (at least for those who have been redeemed by His blood). However, it’s interesting to note what Paul emphasized in his first reference to Jesus’ return here in the Book of First Thessalonians – namely (in verse ten), the connection between Christ coming again and believers being rescued from God’s wrath (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:10).
(4) Some people have a knack for being able to remember anecdotal stories and pithy sayings. I don’t have that knack. But, I do remember one story R. C. Sproul tells (which many of you have heard), about the time he was walking across a college campus, when a daring and enthusiastic “evangelist” approached him and asked: “Sir, have you been saved?” And Sproul says, that without even thinking, he replied: “Saved from what?” To which the young man offered only a puzzled stare – before finally turning away, and walking off without saying another word.
Had that young man not been caught off guard, he might have thought of this morning’s text, and replied: “Saved from the wrath to come” (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:10). As Paul will say later, in chapter five – in reference to the elect: “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:9). Hence, all those who care about escaping the wrath of God which is yet to come, must flee to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith, in order to be “rescued” and saved!
(5) I don’t know if you noticed or not, but all those quotes a gave you moments ago – from various creeds and confessions our church subscribes to – all spoke of Christ’s return in connection with judgment coming upon the peoples of earth. Hence, the Apostle’s Creed says: “He will come TO JUDGE the living and the dead”4 – likewise, the Shorter Catechism says Jesus is “coming TO JUDGE the world in the last days”6 – while the Larger Catechism says: “Christ … shall come again at the last day … TO JUDGE the world in righteousness.”7
There are a lot of errant, man-made views and “theories” associated with Jesus’ Second Coming – but Scripture repeatedly associates our Savior’s Return with judgment. Hence, Matthew chapter twenty-five says (for example) that, 31“when the Son of Man COMES IN HIS GLORY, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32(And) All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as (a) shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on (His) left” – with those on His right “inheriting the kingdom prepared for them from before the foundations of the world” – while those on His left will be cast “into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (c.f. Matthew 25:31-46).
Even this morning’s text associates our Savior’s return with “rescuing God’s elect people from the wrath to come” (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:10). All of which led one study bible to note that, even though “Jesus’ death turned away God’s wrath long ago, the FULL IMPORT of this saving work will not (be made obvious to us) until Judgment Day. (When, thanks to the Person and Work of Jesus Christ), believers will be spared the condemnation and punishment our sins would otherwise deserve.”10
In other words, when we hear Jesus say to us: “Come, you who are blessed of My Father” (c.f. Matthew 25:34) – and hear Him say: “Depart from Me, accursed ones”, to others – we will grasp (for the first time) the significance of those words in our text, about being “rescued from the wrath to come” (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:10)! To put it yet another way – right now we are just reading about it – but, when Jesus comes again, we will experience this “rescue” first hand.
(6) In the meantime, we ought to follow the example of the believers living in first-century Thessalonica, and “wait” for our Savior (and Rescuer) to come again.
Scripture tells us that you and I live in between Christ’s first and second comings. And that, just as God’s elect people living in the Old Testament era waited for Him to come the first time – so you and I, who are God’s elect people living in the New Testament era are to wait for Him to come a second time. As the Book of Hebrews says: “Christ … having been offered once to bear the sins of many (which He did during His first coming), WILL APPEAR A SECOND TIME for (the) salvation … (of) those who eagerly await Him” (c.f. Hebrews 9:28).
Jesus told His disciples (in John chapter fourteen): “… I WILL COME AGAIN and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (c.f. John 14:3). Likewise, immediately following His ascension into heaven (in Acts chapter one), two angels told Jesus’ disciples: “This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, WILL COME in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (c.f. Acts 1:11). The Book of Hebrews says: “… HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME …” (c.f. Hebrews 10:37) – First Corinthians chapter four says: “… WAIT UNTIL THE LORD COMES …” (c.f. I Corinthians 4:5) – while the Apostle Peter wrote that: “… THE LORD WILL COME …” (c.f. II Peter 3:10) (even though His return seems like it’s a long time in coming) (c.f. II Peter 3:3-4, 9) (no pun intended).
(7) We noted last time13 that the Greek word translated “wait” (in our text) does NOT refer to a casual, or detached, or unemotional kind of waiting. Rather, it carries the connotations of confidence14 and eagerness15 – confidence that the thing we are waiting for is actually going to happen (c.f. Hebrews 11:1) (in this case, that Jesus really is going to come again!) – coupled with an eager anticipation that looks forward expectantly to the day when the thing we are waiting for finally does come to pass (in this case, the day when our Savior finally returns!).
Perhaps this “confidence and eagerness” can be compared (albeit to a lesser degree) to how we felt as we waited for the day of our wedding to arrive – or how we feel when we anticipate our children (whom we have not seen for a long time) coming home for a visit.
(8) I have no problem believing Jesus is really going to come a second time – in part, because Scripture plainly says that’s what’s going to happen. But, I have to confess it’s not something I think about with fervent expectation. And that’s not a good thing – because the idea of “waiting” for Jesus’ return is supposed to motivate us to GET READY for His return.14
Prior to our Savior’s first coming, the angel Gabriel told Zacharias that his son (John) would be the promised forerunner of the Messiah (c.f. Malachi 4:5-6) – whose job it would be to “make READY a people prepared for the (coming of the) Lord” (c.f. Luke 1:17). Even so, one of the reasons the doctrine of Christ’s Second Coming has been given to us (to preach and teach, to think about and believe) is so that Christ’s elect people will be READY when our Savior comes again!
Jesus once told His disciples (in the Gospel of Luke): “… BE READY, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect” (c.f. Luke 12:35) – and the context shows that the “readiness” of which He spoke on that occasion, was being about our Master’s business, so that He finds us doing what He told us to do when He comes again (c.f. Luke 12:42-48).
Hence, the only proper way to “wait” (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:10) for Jesus’ return – the only proper way to “get ready” for His Second Coming – is by pursing the sanctification of our heart and life.14 That’s why later, in his First letter to the Thessalonians, Paul will say (in chapter four): 3“… this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4that each of you know how to possess his own vessel (or body) in sanctification and honor, 5not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God … 7For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification” (c.f. I Thessalonians 4:3-7) – i.e. God has called us to live pure and holy lives! Likewise, the Book of Hebrews (in chapter twelve) exhorts all those who have professed faith in Christ to “PURSUE … the sanctification without which no one will (ever) see the Lord” (c.f. Hebrews 12:14) – nor, we might add, is anyone prepared to meet the Lord when He comes again!
One of the evidences of God’s electing grace in the lives of the Thessalonians was that they were pursing the kind of sanctification that would prepare them to meet the Lord when He came again. And in the same way, if we call ourselves Christians, then by His enabling grace, we should be pursing the same kind of sanctification, while we “wait” for our Savior’s return (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:10).
(C) THINGS OUR TEXT TELLS US ABOUT JESUS
(1) In the time we have left, then, I want to shift gears a little bit, and draw your attention (in closing) to some of the wonderful things our text tells us about Jesus – beginning with the fact that He is God’s “Son” – as verses nine and ten say (in part): 9“… you turned … from idols to serve a living and true God, 10and to wait for HIS SON from heaven …” (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:9-10).
This declaration of Sonship is in keeping with the rest of the New Testament, which regularly refers to Jesus as God’s Son. For example, the angel Gabriel told Mary (in part): 31“… you will … bear a son, and … name Him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH …” (c.f. Luke 1:31-32). On the day of Jesus’ baptism, God the Father spoke from heaven, saying: “This is MY BELOVED SON, in whom I am well-pleased” (c.f. Matthew 3:17). While, what may very well be the most familiar verse in the bible, says: “… God so loved the world, that He gave HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON …” (c.f. John 3:16).
Always remember, however, that when Scripture calls Jesus God’s Son, it’s the equivalent of saying that Jesus is God. Even His bitterest enemies understood this – for the Gospel of John says that at one point “… the Jews were seeking … to kill Him, because He … was calling God His own Father, (thereby) making Himself equal with God” (c.f. John 5:18; see also John 10:30-33) – which, of course, He was (and still is). Hence, the Gospel of John also tells us that, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and THE WORD WAS GOD” (c.f. John 1:1).
(2) Second, our text says Jesus is currently in that place Scripture calls “heaven” – not the “sky” heavens, where birds fly – or the heavens in which the universe of the stars exists – but rather, that “third heaven” (c.f. II Corinthians 12:2), where God’s presence is said to uniquely dwell. Again, verses nine and ten say (in part): 9“… you turned … from idols to serve a living and true God, 10and to wait for His Son FROM HEAVEN …” (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:9-10). I suspect He will have to pass through the other two “heavens” to get here – but when he comes, He will be coming from “the highest heaven” (c.f. I Kings 8:27) (wherever that is).
Following His ascension Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to dwell within His saved elect people – which means that, right now, by His Spirit, He is living inside every one of you who have professed faith in Him. We also believe that whenever we come to the Lords’ Table (as we will be doing next Sunday), Jesus is present with us – in a real, albeit spiritual way, rather than in a physical sense.
But, having said all that, it’s also true that Jesus Himself no longer dwells on the earth – nor does He, as far as we know, walk around on the earth. On the contrary, His physical presence is in heaven, where He is currently seated at the right hand of God the Father, interceding on behalf of His elect people whom He has saved (c.f. Acts 5:30-31; Romans 8:34). Therefore, when Jesus comes again, He will be coming “from heaven” (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:10. Hence, Paul says in chapter four that on the day of the Rapture “… THE LORD Himself WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN with a shout …” (c.f. I Thessalonians 4:16).
(3) The third thing our text tells us about Jesus, is that the One who is coming again is the same One God “raised from the dead” (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:10).
You know very well that the Christian faith – along with its message of salvation through faith alone, in Christ alone – depends upon Jesus having risen from the dead. Hence, First Corinthians chapter fifteen says (in part) that “if Christ has not been raised (from the dead), then our preaching is vain, (and) your faith (is also) vain” (v. 14) – and again: “if Christ has not been raised, (then our) faith (in Him) is worthless; (and we) are (all) still (lost) in (our) sins” (v. 17) – and once more: “If we have hoped in Christ in this life (and He has not been raised from the dead, then, we are of all men most to be pitied” (v. 19) (c.f. I Corinthians 15:14-19).
Thankfully, however, Scripture tells us that “Christ has been raised from the dead” (c.f. I Corinthians 15:20) – and it is this same resurrected Christ who will be coming again! Hence, Paul will say later (in chapter four): “if we believe … Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus” (c.f. I Thessalonians 4:14) – i.e. those who have died trusting in Christ alone for their salvation, will be accompanying Jesus when He comes again!
(4) Finally, our text tells us that it is through Jesus Christ that we are “rescue(d) … from the wrath to come” (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:10. As Paul will say later in chapter five (in a verse we’ve already quoted): “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:9).
John Calvin said that two truths come across loud and clear in this morning’s text (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:10) – first, that “the wrath of God and everlasting destruction are impending over the (whole) human race”16 (c.f. Romans 1:18; Ephesians 5:6) – and second, that “there is no way of escape but through the grace of Christ.”16 As the Book of Romans says (in chapter five): “… having now been justified by (Christ’s) blood, WE SHALL BE SAVED FROM THE WRATH OF GOD THROUGH HIM” (c.f. Romans 5:9).
Calvin then went on to add (although I’m paraphrasing him just a little): “It is an immeasurable gift to know that, whenever judgment is spoken of in Scripture, Christ has already rescued us from it.”16 To which we can add, that when Jesus comes in glory and power to judge the peoples of the earth (c.f. Matthew 25:31; II Timothy 4:1) – both the living and the dead – we will be able to rejoice that “there (will be) no condemnation for those (of us) who are in Christ Jesus” (c.f. Romans 8:1).
1Calvin’s Commentaries; Vol. XXI; Commentaries on the
Epistles to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians;
pgs. 240.
2Sproul: Chosen By God; p. 163.
3Calvin: Ibid; p. 241.
4The Trinity Hymnal; p. 845.
5IBID; p. 846.
6IBID; p. 871.
7The Westminster Larger Catechism: Question #56; p. 30.
8The Trinity Hymnal; pgs. 867-868.
9The English Standard Version Study Bible: Introduction to
First Thessalonians; p. 2301.
10The New Geneva Study Bible: Footnote on I Thessalonians
1:10; p. 1895.
11“We Will Be Changed” – CCLI# 5502763.
12“We Will Dance” – CCLI# 1034438.
13http://www.wpcpca.org/Archive/01-17-10-am.html
14Hendricksen: New Testament Commentary; Thessalonians,
the Pastoral Epistles and Hebrews; p. 57.
15MacArthur: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary;
1 & 2 Thessalonians; p. 28.
16Calvin: Ibid; p. 246.