A Word in Season: Delivered from Wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10)

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When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica, he described them as those who had turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true

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God, and to wait for his son from heaven whom he raised from the dead. Now who is this son from heaven who was raised from the dead?

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Paul says in effect, well I'm talking about Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

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And in speaking in that way, the Apostle Paul shows that he, in company with the

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Thessalonians, and every other true believer, has been delivered from the same deadly danger.

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Paul is very clear that there is a wrath to come. It is the wrath to come.

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It is the pouring out upon the world of the judgment of God against sin. It is not vindictive, it is not petty, it is not unjust.

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It is the righteous reaction of a holy God against sin. And it brings with it the punishment of hell.

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That is, though dreadful, perfectly proper and appropriate. It is the fitting punishment for the real crime of transgression, law -breaking, against God in all his holiness.

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It's a definite punishment. It is a deserved punishment. It lies still in the future.

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And so we need to ask, is there any way of being delivered from this wrath?

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If hell is going to come to us, unless we somehow escape, what is the way of escape?

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And you'll notice that Paul is equally insistent that not only is there a coming judgment of God, but there is also a way of deliverance from this coming judgment.

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There's a way of escape for us. There's a route to safety. And these Thessalonian believers, they, in God's mercy, had found it.

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They are in the process of being delivered from the wrath which is to come. They are being saved.

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They are already enjoying the realities of this rescue. Yes, the wrath is still coming.

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The judgment of God will still be poured out, but they now have nothing to fear.

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And if that's the case, then surely the question for me and you would be, do I have this deliverance?

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And if not, where can I find it? And Paul is again explicit and plain about the way in which this deliverance comes.

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It is the Son of God from heaven whom he raised from the dead, the Lord Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath which is to come.

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You see, he came into this world, he bore the sin of his people, and he bore the wrath that that sin deserved, dying under the judgment of God upon the cross at Calvary.

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He took to himself both sin and judgment in order to deliver his people from their sins and its consequences.

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And having died in their place, he rose again in triumph over sin and death and hell.

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And it is for that reason that he is able to deliver all those who put their trust in him.

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It is only Christ, none but Christ, who can save a sinner like me or you from the coming wrath of a holy

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God. Now, to whom are you looking, or to what are you turning in order to deliver you from wrath?

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Just denying that it exists will not deliver you. Looking to yourself and your own strength and wisdom, you have nothing that can save you.

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No other mere creature is able to protect you and preserve you.

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Your soul, the most precious thing that you possess, must go down to judgment unless you find deliverance.

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And the deliverer is Christ and him crucified and no one else and nothing else.

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And you must come to him in faith. You must trust him to deliver your soul.

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You must do what these Thessalonians had done. You must turn to God from idols.

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You must leave behind all your sin and everything that is precious but sinful to you, and you must come to the living

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God through his living Son, Jesus Christ. You must repent of your sins.

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You must put your trust in the Saviour and you must live with an expectant hope of his

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Son returning to bring you to be with himself. Who are we speaking about?

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That Jesus who is delivering his people from the wrath to come and will deliver you also if you are trusting in him and in him alone.