Distinct Destinies - January 14

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

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.

Reflect

How is the eternal destiny of a believer distinct from that of an unbeliever?

In his commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians, John MacArthur pointed out that in all of this diverse world, there are only two kinds of people: There are believers and unbelievers; the redeemed and the unredeemed; the saved and the lost; the children of God and the children of the devil; those in the kingdom of God and those in the kingdom of darkness; those who are in Adam and those who are in Christ; those who love God and those who hate God; those who will go into eternal life and those who go into eternal punishment; those who will be forever with the Lord and those who will be forever apart from the Lord….”

As we’ve been reading through 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, the apostle Paul distinguished between believers and unbelievers. He referred to unbelievers as people of the night. They are spiritually asleep and spiritually drunk. They do dark deeds under the cover of darkness.

Believers, however, are referred to as “children of the day.” We live in the light of Christ. We have been delivered out of our old, sinful natures and we have been transformed into new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). We have been transferred from the domain of darkness to the Kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13-14). We are spiritually awake and alert. We can think and see clearly. We are as different from unbelievers as night and day.

It isn’t merely our lifestyle choices and our personal beliefs that make us different. Our eternal destinies are also distinct from unbelievers. Tragically, the day of the Lord, Judgment Day, is going to be a rude awakening to those spiritually asleep. It will come upon them like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2).

Remember that the Thessalonians had some misunderstandings about the second coming of Christ. They were concerned for the believers that had already died before Christ’s return and because of their severe persecution, they were concerned that they were already living in the day of the Lord. Had they missed the boat?

In today’s verses, Paul comforted and reassured the believers in Thessalonica with this truth: believers in Christ are not destined for the wrath of God, only unbelievers. The Thessalonians hadn’t missed the Rapture and the Lord had not yet come.

Previously, Paul reassured them that the believers who “fell asleep” before Christ’s return, (believers who died) will not miss out on eternity but will rise to be with Christ first. Then, believers who are “awake” or alive at His coming, will be caught up with the saints who have gone on before and we will meet the Lord together in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16). Isn’t that a beautiful picture?

You see, Christ died for us! When He did, He obtained eternal salvation for us. Those of us who love Him and have put our faith in Him have this eternal hope—that we will live with Him forever. Romans 5:8-9 explains: “...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”

Our eternal destinies are distinct from unbelievers, not because we are better people or because we deserve it, but because we have placed our faith in Christ and in what He has done on our behalf. When we were still sinners, before we were transformed and transferred, Christ died for us! And so, we can have this blessed assurance that we are not destined for God’s wrath but for His mercy, grace, and eternal blessing.

Respond

Lord, I know that I am unworthy to be a child of the day, a child of the light. I know that it is only because of You and the salvation You obtained for me by dying in my place that I can have the hope of eternal life with You forever. You took the wrath upon Yourself that I deserved and now, my salvation is secure. I thank and praise You for Your mercy and grace. Amen.

Reveal

The reality that those who are spiritually lost are destined for the wrath of God should continually motivate us to share the Gospel. Who do you know who is an unbeliever? Pray for them fervently and tell them how they can be saved through Jesus Christ.