This article is part of our "Gospel Saturation series" – featuring rich gospel verses from Scripture to help us grow and strengthen in faith as we saturate in the knowledge of Christ Jesus and his work for us.
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10
Here we find an amazing glimpse into God’s grace and how we are saved by him from start to finish. Here we find that God has not simply given us a chance to save ourselves, but rather destined us for salvation, and given his Son to die for us, all so that we will live with him forever. Let’s examine it in a little detail.
God
God has not destined his people for wrath. Or in some translations it says God did not "appoint" us for wrath.
God has destined us for salvation. It is God who destines, initiates and accomplishes our salvation.
God wants us to live with him. How amazing is that?!
Us
We are not destined for wrath.
We are destined for salvation.
It’s not a salvation of our doing or earning.
It’s a salvation through someone else, namely our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the means of our salvation. It is accomplished through him.
How has he saved us? He died for us.
Why did he die for us? So that no matter what, awake or asleep, alive or dead, with the body or away from the body, we might live with him.
But how do we know if all this "us" means you and me? What's the evidence? What are the signs that the apostle is talking about us? Our response is a huge piece of that evidence. At the beginning of this letter Paul addresses it to those who, chosen by God, have heard the gospel and received it with joy (1 Thess 1:6). They weren't perfect, but they had faith, love and steadfast hope in Jesus (1 Thess 1:3).
This was how the apostle knew they were destined for salvation.
The gospel is good news. And when we receive it we will find faith, love, hope and the joy of the Holy Spirit within us. If you find this gospel of Jesus Christ to be good news it is a sign that it is already true of you.
"The very fact that we believe the Gospel at all is proof positive that this is true of us." – D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
But our faith and hope and joy may not thrive and feel the same all the time. We're not yet perfected and complete in Christ until the resurrection (Phil 1:6). So our response of faith and love and hope to the gospel can be true in us and yet still grow, be in part and not yet in full, be in some areas of our lives and still not others. Which is why, no matter how often we’ve heard this good and glorious news, we want to saturate ourselves with it more and more.
Let's read it. Remember it. Memorize it. And grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus.
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ
1 Thessalonians 5:9
