The Thessalonian Epistles

Deliverance from the Day of the Lord

Lesson XIII

1 Thessalonians 5:8-11

Written: August 15, 2004

1 Thessalonians 5:8-11

(8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

(9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

(10) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

(11) Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

The words in 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11 are perhaps the most encouraging ever written by the Apostle Paul to believers. Twice in the preceding verses he has referred to believers in Christ as “brethren” (verse 1, 4). That word is a family word.

1 Thessalonians 5:1, 4, 5

(1) But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

(4) But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

(5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

We have never forgotten the words spoken almost 50 years ago by a brother in Christ.

Before he was a believer he started keeping company with a Christian girl and her Christian friends. He said: “I could not understand their calling each other “brother” and “sister.” But he said, “After I became a believer I fully understood because all believers are part of the same family.” And we often sing, “I’m so glad I belong to the family of God ….”

Furthermore Paul had written that brethren “are not in darkness” (verse 4) but are “all children of light” (verse 5), now in verse 8 children “of the day.”

As such we are to be “sober, putting on the breastplate of faith (that is always first), then love. (Faith and love can be found linked together often in the Epistles of Paul) “and for a helmet the hope of salvation.”

Titus 2:13

(13) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

1 Timothy 1:1

(1) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, [which is] our hope;

We are told what this hope is in Titus 2:13. The grace of God teaches us to live “…looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” In a word, the hope of our salvation is the Coming of the Lord, for Jesus Christ Himself is our hope (1 Timothy 1:1).

Now with this hope ever in mind we are to know that “God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 9).

Salvation from what?

Does the verse not mean salvation or deliverance from wrath?

Can we not conclude from what follows that we are not appointed to wrath but we are appointed to rapture from wrath?

Verse 10 “who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep (that is, are alive or dead) we should live together with him.”

So we ask: when will those who have died (sleep) and those who have not died live together?

We insist that you do not try to understand the fifth chapter of a book in the Bible unless you have read the preceding chapter. As in all writing what is found in a second paragraph is usually based on what is in the first paragraph.

So when we consider what is written in chapter 4: verses 16-17 we have been given the answer to the above question for we read: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Those words seem plain enough. Those who have died and those who have not died will not be united until the Lord comes and shouts from the air.

And that event is an appointment made by the Lord Himself. The date of the appointment we do not know, but we do know when it becomes a reality it will save the Church from the great day when God will pour out His wrath upon the earth.

It was God who poured out His wrath in the past by sending a great flood. We believe in a world-wide flood, not because we can answer all the questions of unbelieving men, but because it is written in the Bible.

2 Peter 3:7

(7) But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

The next great world-wide judgment is described by Peter. “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:7).

Nothing could be written in plainer words. The fact stands: this world and the men in it will yet be judged by God.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10

(7) And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

(8) In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

(9) Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

(10) When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

The Lord will yet be revealed from Heaven. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 states: “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; when he shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.”

1 Thessalonians 4:18

(18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

(11) Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

So Paul concludes, in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another, even as also ye do.” We compare these words with the conclusion of 1 Thessalonians 4:18: “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” Both passages are talking about the same event.

Putting the two verses together (1 Thessalonians 4:18 and 1 Thessalonians 5:11) we learn the following.

The truth of the Rapture and the fact that believers are not appointed to wrath but have an appointment to miss wrath are intended to encourage all believers.

These words are written for our edification.

1 Corinthians 14:26

(26) How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

We are told that when the Church of today meets together “it is to do all things that edify” (1 Corinthians 14:26). So the purpose of gathering together is to encourage one another. The Church meets together to enlighten one another. The Church meets together to edify one another in the things of God.

1 John 3:2-3

(2) 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.

(3) And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

We believe 1 John 3:2 is also about the Rapture and verse 3 says: “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as He is pure.” Perhaps that verse indicates the cause of the confusion and opposition to the truth of the Rapture. The very doctrine that we are told purifies believers is the doctrine being ignored, rejected, disputed and mocked in the days in which we live. If Christians were being taught the truth about the Rapture and the Coming of the Lord more often, perhaps the revival many are talking about might overtake the Church!