268. Deliver from Wrath
1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
We are delivered from the wrath to come; that’s a promise. We eagerly wait for Jesus to come from heaven to earth for the second time. But when He comes the second time it will be for judgment. We do not fear the judgment, but we eagerly look forward to it for then sin, death and devil are gone forever. Life and Love rule unchecked without end.
The wrath of God will definitely come upon the earth-dwellers; that’s a threat. Of that there is no doubt. We want justice to be done once and for all, so that we can live in peace, wonderful peace, for eternity. Wrath is real; sin is real; judgment is sure. We don’t like to hear preaching about the wrath of God, but it cannot be avoided. God must be angry at sin and He must surely punish sin, or else He would not be a just God. Wrath is necessary. We wish we could ignore it and simply deny that God could be angry. “A loving God could not send anyone to eternal punishment.” Oh, no? Love and Justice demand wrath and judgment. Judgment and justice will put all things to rights so that love, peace, and joy will have free course.
When God’s Wrath is unleashed upon the earth no human can stand. The only thing for earth dwellers to do is hide in caves, to rant and rave, and to gnash their teeth. The awareness of Wrath leads one to either unbelieving rebellion or to believing repentance. Here the Good News comes: Jesus delivered us from the wrath to come. For the believer the wrath of God for our sin has already fallen upon Jesus Christ, His Son, on the cross. Jesus took the wrath of God that was meant for us upon Himself. We believers are not at all afraid of the wrath to come.
In the Book of Revelation the wrath to come is revealed, and it is not pretty. But we will only suffer the wrath of men. True “fear of God” fears nothing but the wrath of God, and from that the God-fearer has been delivered. Only one fear is needed, and from that fear we are free. Live a life without fear.