God's Plan for Salvation 1 Thess 5:1-11 SS Lesson for 07/04/2010 OUTLINE

Transcription

1 God's Plan for Salvation 1 Thess 5:1-11 SS Lesson for 07/04/2010 Devotional Scripture: Matt 24:36-44 OUTLINE INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW AND APPROACH TO LESSON LESSON INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary From the Bible Expositor and Illuminator MAJOR THEME ANALYSIS GOD'S PLAN THAT JESUS WILL RETURN (1 THESS 5:1-3) No need to know when (1) No need to know when because it is not for us to know the timing of God (Acts 1:7) No need to know when because no one knows the day or hour of when God decides His coming (Mark 13:32-34) No need to know when because our timing is not like God's (2 Peter 3:8) No need to know when because God will reveal what we need to know (Deut 29:29) The day of the Lord is coming (2) The Day of the Lord is coming and all in the grave will hear Jesus' voice (John 5:28-29) The day of the Lord is like a thief in the night (2 Peter 3:10-12) At the day of the Lord judgment occurs and rewards are to be handed out (2 Tim 4:8) Jesus will raise up His Church on that last day (John 6:39) God's good work in us will be completed on that day (Phil 1:6) No one knows about that day or hour of this day (Matt 24:36) Jesus will drink of the fruit of the vine on that day (Matt 26:29) We know whom we have believed, and are convinced that He is able to guard what we have entrusted to Him for that day (2 Tim 1:12) Coming with destruction (3) Coming with destruction upon those who are wicked (Ps 73:16-19) Coming with destruction upon those who are stiff-necked (Prov 29:1) Coming with destruction upon those who are unprepared (Luke 17:26-29) Coming with destruction upon those who trouble God's people (2 Thess 1:6-9) BELIEVERS BE READY (1 THESS 5:4-8) Ready by being children of the light (4-5) Children of the light have their trust in Jesus (John 12:36) Children of the light live a life full of goodness, righteousness and truth (Eph 5:8-9) Children of the light let their light shine before men (Matt 5:14-16) Children of the light love one another (1 John 2:9-10) Ready by being watchful (6-7) Meaning of sober and sleep (from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator) We must be watchful because the day is nearer than believed (Rom 13:11) We must be watchful because we don't know the day or hour (Matt 25:13) We must be watchful by making the most of every opportunity (Eph 5:15-17) Ready by being putting on the armor of God (8) Put on the armor of God because the time is near (Rom 13:12) Put on the armor of God to stand against the devil's schemes (Eph 6:11-18) Put on the armor of God as weapons to use in the fight with evil strongholds (2 Cor 10:4) Put on the armor of God as part of my fight of the faith (1 Tim 6:12) GOD WILL FINISH WHAT HE STARTED (1 THESS 5:9-11) Finish His appointment for salvation (9-10) We have an appointment for salvation because we have been made a people of God (1 Peter 2:10) We have an appointment for salvation because God chose us (Eph 1:3-7) God's Plan for Salvation Page 1 of 10 SS Lesson for 07/04/2010

2 We have an appointment for salvation because God predestined us (Rom 8:29-30) We have an appointment for salvation because God announced it (Heb 2:3) We have an appointment for salvation because it is the goal of our faith (1 Peter 1:9) Finish by having us edify one another (11) Edify one another at every opportunity (Rom 14:19) Edify one another by seeking the good of others (1 Cor 10:23-24) Edifying one another is one of the Church's duties (Eph 4:10-13) Edify one another by controlling our speech (Eph 4:29) Edify one another by praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20) CONCLUSION AND OTHER THOUGHTS CONCLUDING THOUGHTS FROM THE NIV STANDARD LESSON COMMENTARY CONCLUDING THOUGHTS FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR PRACTICAL POINTS FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR HEART OF THE LESSON FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR The Day of the Lord will come (1 Thess. 5:1-2a) The Day of the Lord's arrival (1 Thess. 5:26-3) Deliverance for the believer in Christ (1 Thess. 5:4-10) Take heart (1 Thess. 5:11) God's Plan for Salvation Page 2 of 10 SS Lesson for 07/04/2010

3 Introduction Overview and Approach to Lesson The outline of the lesson came from the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary. The lesson teaches about God's Plan for Salvation. The study's aim is to be aware that the children of light can look forward to the future with a sure hope. The study's application is to be wakeful and to seek to awaken sinners before it is too late. Lesson Introduction and Background From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary Toying with Time My girls despise cleaning the basement. That s where they keep their toys, and like many children they tend to pick up one, play with it awhile, and leave it on the floor before picking up another. So after a long day of playing hard, they dread clean-up time. They know that books, puzzle pieces, and doll paraphernalia are strewn about the room and that it will take a while to pick it all up. Unfortunately, if we fail to provide a time limit and negative reinforcement, like loss of snack, it is almost certain that they will be distracted and never clean up. It is usually not enough, however, simply to give them an ending time. They typically require reminders like 10 minutes left and you ve got only 60 seconds! As you may suspect, my girls cover nearly as much ground in the last minute as in the preceding 10 combined. So one day I thought I would break them of their procrastination. I told them that I had set a reasonable time limit for them to finish cleaning but that they would have no reminders and no knowledge of the deadline. I hoped that the lack of a verbal security blanket would unleash their potential for more efficient use of time. The results were terrible. The girls were nearly paralyzed by the uncertainty and spent more time whining and begging for clues than cleaning. The mystery was simply more than they could bear. As Christians we sometimes feel as if we are in a similar situation. We do not know when Jesus will return to fulfill his mission and bring God s kingdom in its fullness. This accounts for the widespread appeal of books claiming to provide concrete information about Christ s return. Hal Lindsey s The Late Great Planet Earth, for instance, went through 16 printings within two years of being released. Such curiosity is not new, and it caused considerable anxiety for believers in Thessalonica. Lesson Background The believers in Thessalonica were suffering a variety of temptations to abandon their faith. The Jewish community as a whole had rejected Paul s message of Christ (Acts 17:1 9). So the Jews who became believers faced continuing opposition from that community. Thessalonica was predominantly Greek, however, and not Jewish. The people worshiped the supposed gods on nearby Mt. Olympus. In addition, Thessalonica was a key Roman colony, devoted to the imperial cult of Rome. These Greek and Roman pagans exerted considerable pressure on the Christians there, pressing them to join in their worship of the gods and devotion to Caesar. It also appears that people of influence, whether inside or outside the body, were causing the believers to doubt the prophecies of God s coming judgment. As a result some questioned whether Christ was returning to judge, so they began to flirt with loose living. Some worried that those who died before Christ returned would miss out on his kingdom. Some feared that those still living would be trapped on the earth and caught in the crossfire as God vanquished his enemies. Others were so convinced that Christ would soon return that they no longer took any thought of the future and even quit working. Still others believed that Christ had already come and that they had missed out on it. Paul wrote to empathize with the believers suffering, clear up their confusion, and urge them to remain firm in their faith. He reaffirmed the prophecies of future judgment, taught that Christ would return at an unknown time, and assured them that no one would be able to miss it. He then clarified that the faithful who had died and those who were still living would escape Christ s judgment on the wicked; both would gain entrance into his eternal kingdom. On that basis, Paul exhorted the Thessalonians to live modest yet active lives consistent God's Plan for Salvation Page 3 of 10 SS Lesson for 07/04/2010

4 with their salvation in Christ. Our text today picks up near the end of 1 Thessalonians as Paul finished clarifying the doctrine of the last days and commended the Thessalonians to live appropriately. From the Bible Expositor and Illuminator In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Paul dealt with the question of what happens to believers who die before the rapture of the church. He then had to turn to another question that pertains to the future. It had to do with the Day of the Lord. The Thessalonians were knowledgeable about the Day of the Lord, but they wanted to know something about when that day would arrive. It is natural to want to know something about when an expected event will take place. Paul did not know when the Day of the Lord would come, but he did explain how they should live as believers in the expectation of that coming day. This was more important than knowing precisely when it would occur. God's plan of salvation for believers includes their deliverance from that period of divine wrath. However, believers need to anticipate its coming by being alert and sober and by clothing themselves with God's special armor. Jesus' coming will be like that of a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5:2,4), and yet there is a great difference between Christ and a thief. The comparison seems to refer to the suddenness and unexpectedness accompanying both arrivals. The thief comes to intrude and steal, whereas Christ will come to snatch up believers, both dead and alive (4:13-18). Major Theme Analysis (Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV) God's Plan that Jesus will Return (1 Thess 5:1-3) 1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. No need to know when (1) No need to know when because it is not for us to know the timing of God (Acts 1:7) 7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. No need to know when because no one knows the day or hour of when God decides His coming (Mark 13:32-34) 32 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. No need to know when because our timing is not like God's (2 Peter 3:8) 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. No need to know when because God will reveal what we need to know (Deut 29:29) 29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. God's Plan for Salvation Page 4 of 10 SS Lesson for 07/04/2010

5 The day of the Lord is coming (2) The Day of the Lord is coming and all in the grave will hear Jesus' voice (John 5:28-29) 28 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out-those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. The day of the Lord is like a thief in the night (2 Peter 3:10-12) 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives At the day of the Lord judgment occurs and rewards are to be handed out (2 Tim 4:8) 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. Jesus will raise up His Church on that last day (John 6:39) 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. God's good work in us will be completed on that day (Phil 1:6) 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. No one knows about that day or hour of this day (Matt 24:36) 36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Jesus will drink of the fruit of the vine on that day (Matt 26:29) 29 I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom." We know whom we have believed, and are convinced that He is able to guard what we have entrusted to Him for that day (2 Tim 1:12) 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. Coming with destruction (3) Coming with destruction upon those who are wicked (Ps 73:16-19) 6 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! Coming with destruction upon those who are stiff-necked (Prov 29:1) 29 A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy. God's Plan for Salvation Page 5 of 10 SS Lesson for 07/04/2010

6 Coming with destruction upon those who are unprepared (Luke 17:26-29) 26 "Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 "It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. Coming with destruction upon those who trouble God's people (2 Thess 1:6-9) 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power Believers be Ready (1 Thess 5:4-8) 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. Ready by being children of the light (4-5) Children of the light have their trust in Jesus (John 12:36) 36 Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. Children of the light live a life full of goodness, righteousness and truth (Eph 5:8-9) 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) Children of the light let their light shine before men (Matt 5:14-16) 14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Children of the light love one another (1 John 2:9-10) 9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. Ready by being watchful (6-7) Meaning of sober and sleep (from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator) The term sober carries with it the concept of being composed, calm, and collected. The apostle obviously was not suggesting that Christians get no rest or a good night s sleep. He merely meant for them to be in a state of continual alertness while they were awake and going about life s normal activities. It also can refer to spiritual dullness or insensitivity. Verse 7 appears to describe God's Plan for Salvation Page 6 of 10 SS Lesson for 07/04/2010

7 unbelievers, who remain in their state of spiritual lethargy and continue doing the same things as usual, ignorant of the certain judgment to come. We must be watchful because the day is nearer than believed (Rom 13:11) 11 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. We must be watchful because we don't know the day or hour (Matt 25:13) 13 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. We must be watchful by making the most of every opportunity (Eph 5:15-17) 15 Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Ready by being putting on the armor of God (8) Put on the armor of God because the time is near (Rom 13:12) 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Put on the armor of God to stand against the devil's schemes (Eph 6:11-18) 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Put on the armor of God as weapons to use in the fight with evil strongholds (2 Cor 10:4) 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. Put on the armor of God as part of my fight of the faith (1 Tim 6:12) 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. God will Finish What He Started (1 Thess 5:9-11) 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. God's Plan for Salvation Page 7 of 10 SS Lesson for 07/04/2010

8 Finish His appointment for salvation (9-10) We have an appointment for salvation because we have been made a people of God (1 Peter 2:10) 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. We have an appointment for salvation because God chose us (Eph 1:3-7) 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace We have an appointment for salvation because God predestined us (Rom 8:29-30) 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. We have an appointment for salvation because God announced it (Heb 2:3) 3 how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. We have an appointment for salvation because it is the goal of our faith (1 Peter 1:9) 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Finish by having us edify one another (11) Edify one another at every opportunity (Rom 14:19) 19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Edify one another by seeking the good of others (1 Cor 10:23-24) 23 "Everything is permissible"-but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"-but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. Edifying one another is one of the Church's duties (Eph 4:10-13) 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Edify one another by controlling our speech (Eph 4:29) 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Edify one another by praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20) 20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. God's Plan for Salvation Page 8 of 10 SS Lesson for 07/04/2010

9 Conclusion and Other Thoughts Concluding Thoughts from the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary When? is such a tantalizing question. But it is clearly the wrong one. I suspect that my girls are not unique. In fact, my experience with college students is nearly identical. We humans simply prefer to know our limits. We want to know exactly how long we have to do what we want to do before we have to buckle down and do what others require of us. Yet God would not have us play such games with him. It is dangerous, indeed, to know when Christ will return. We might be tempted to pace ourselves when it comes to discipleship, to wait until the last minute before we go all out for Christ. Before then, we might cling to the toys of this world and lose ourselves in our own amusement. So Scripture discourages questions about timing and replaces them with the challenge of Christian identity. Will we walk in the light of day? Will we encourage our brothers and sisters in the faith? Will we place our confidence in God s faithfulness to finish the work he began in us? Concluding Thoughts from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator We need to be realistic concerning spiritual issues, and Scripture provides us with a good dose of the realism that we need. In our text we find three significant realities that we must accept. First, we learn that apart from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, every person is under the wrath of God. Paul declared that we (believers) have not been appointed to wrath, implying that unbelievers have been appointed to wrath. In Ephesians 2:3, Paul affirmed that unbelievers are by nature "the children of wrath." Jesus and John the Baptist also declared that God's wrath abides on those who do not believe (John 3:18, 36). The word "wrath" communicates to us God's intense displeasure toward sinners, which will culminate in eternal punishment. Regrettably, the world has little fear of God's wrath, for it has replaced the true God with a god of its own imagination, a god who does not wince at sin but rather winks at it. We also observe a second reality contained in the text. As certain as the reality of God's wrath toward sinners is, there is a greater reality salvation from God's wrath. It is possible for those under God's wrath to be rescued from it. How can sinners obtain salvation from God's wrath? Some would say that salvation can be obtained by living a life of doing good. As reasonable as this sounds, it is simply not correct. Trying to live a good life does not secure salvation for sinners. Paul wrote, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us" (Titus 3:5). Others say that salvation is bestowed on people who sincerely follow their religion. Paul denied this possibility in Ephesians 2:12 when he described the spiritual state of the Ephesians (formerly sincere worshipers of the goddess Diana) before they were saved. Paul depicted them as being "without Christ,... having no hope, and without God in the world." Salvation is not given on the basis of sincerity. According to our text, salvation is obtained through our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ offered Himself as the propitiation (that which turns away the wrath of God) for our sins (Rom. 3:25). We receive salvation through trusting in Christ as our Savior. A third reality that is contained in our text is the reality of divine appointment. God has not appointed the believer to wrath, indicating that He has appointed him to salvation. Human beings often miss appointments in life. However, this is an appointment that will be kept, for God has determined to bring it to pass. What is the particular appointment to wrath that is implied in this passage? There are two possibilities. One obvious time would be at the moment of death, for "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb. 9:27). Another possibility would be in the future time of tribulation. Revelation 6:17 refers to "the great day of his wrath." Because the context of I Thessalonians 5:9 deals with this future time, it makes good sense to also include it in the wrath the unbeliever is appointed to experience. Practical Points from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator 1. The Lord's coming is to be a present hope, not an abstract curiosity (1 Thess. 5:1) 2. We must not be lulled to sleep by those who dismiss God's coming judgment (vs. 2-3) 3. The Day of the Lord will come suddenly, but it should not surprise us (vs. 4-5) 4. We should not focus on what the world treasures but on the hope of Christ's return (vs. 6-7) God's Plan for Salvation Page 9 of 10 SS Lesson for 07/04/2010

10 5. As we look for the Lord, we are to diligently prepare for spiritual conflict (vs. 8) 6. The sure hope of salvation is our comfort as the world awaits judgment (vs. 9-11) Heart of the Lesson from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator What does the future hold? When people came to know the Lord as Paul shared the gospel at Thessalonica, God used him to tell them about God's plan for the future. Evidently people still had questions about those who died in the Lord. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the Apostle Paul pointed out what had happened to those who had died in the Lord and what would happen to those alive presently and to those living on earth when Christ returns for His church at the rapture. Paul now continued with his teaching about what would happen after the rapture of the church. Although, as Paul mentioned, it was something they already knew, evidently Paul was led by the Spirit of God to make sure that they understood what God's plan was for the future. The Day of the Lord will come (1 Thess. 5:1-2a) Paul taught the new believers at Thessalonica about the Day of the Lord. This is an Old Testament phrase (Joel 2:1,11,28-32; Zeph. 1:14). Peter also wrote about this day (2 Pet. 3:10). The future Day of the Lord will not be a twenty-four-hour day. Rather, it will be the period of time that starts after the rapture of the church. It will include the following: the seven-year tribulation time on earth; the second coming of Christ; Christ's judgment on the antichrist and his false prophet; His one thousand year reign on earth; His final judgment on Satan after his release from being bound during Christ's one thousand-year reign on earth; the great white throne judgment; and then the destruction of the present heavens and earth (Rev. 6-20; cf. 2 Pet. 3:10). God's work does not end there; we will see Him create a new heaven and a new earth (2 Pet. 3:12-13; Rev. 21). The Day of the Lord's arrival (1 Thess. 5:26-3) The Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, unexpectedly. People will be thinking there is world peace and safety. Suddenly, without warning, the Day of the Lord will come. The Day of the Lord will be totally unexpected to those who are unbelievers. They will be unprepared. When Christ's church is taken out of the world, there will be all kinds of chaos on earth. The Day of the Lord will have begun. Deliverance for the believer in Christ (1 Thess. 5:4-10) This world is in spiritual darkness (Eph. 5:8). Believers, however, are transformed by the light of Christ: "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6). These verses reminded the Thessalonian believers and remind believers today that they will not go through the future Day of the Lord. Believers are not in darkness but have the light of Jesus Christ. They are people who live by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of the hope of salvation living faithfully for the Lord while looking for the Lord's return. They are not appointed to wrath on the Day of the Lord, for salvation in Christ brings deliverance. Take heart (1 Thess. 5:11) The Thessalonian believers were to comfort themselves, take heart, and build each other up in the power of the Holy Spirit as they waited for their complete salvation in Christ. Believers should do the same today! May it be so in the life of each of us. God's Plan for Salvation Page 10 of 10 SS Lesson for 07/04/2010