As we saw last time we met, 2 weeks ago, Paul’s encouragement to the Thessalonian believers is that the death of our Christian loved one is not forever. It is a temporary separation in scope of eternity. The promise is that Jesus is going to return to receive us to himself, and he will bring all who have died in Christ with him, to receive their incorruptible, immortal bodies along with us. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54
He was seeking to comfort them in the midst of the horrible persecution they were enduring. They wondered if they misunderstood Paul’s instruction concerning the rapture of the Church age saints, the body of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 is an incredible reminder to us that we will escape the wrath of God that awaits the world once we are removed from this world. We do not need to be reminded that the Day of the Lord is coming — the 2nd Advent of Messiah King Jesus. We will not be here for the sudden destruction that will overtake the world. We will be coming back with the King (Revelation 19:11-21) and will witness the wrath of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords being poured out upon the rebellious, wicked world that has mocked and rejected God’s grace.
We used 2 Timothy 4:1 as the proof text showing that Christ will judge / reward the born again believers of the Church Age at his appearing — the Day of Christ known as the rapture of the Church (Ephesians 2:1-2) and he will judge the wicked / spiritually dead at his kingdom, when he returns and purges all wickedness from this earth to establish his everlasting kingdom, beginning with the 1,000 millennium. We will continue our discussion concerning the Day of Christ and the Day of the Lord, next Sunday.