Rescued From Hell
Scripture Reading — 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:9
No one can escape hell by pretending it isn't real. People who comfort themselves with sweet sayings about peace and safety are in for a dreadful disappointment. God's wrath against sin is fierce, and it lasts forever. The second coming of Jesus will be sudden and terrifying for all who do not believe in him as Savior. They will face an eternity of horror.
In God's great plan, however, not every sinner is destined for hell. Forsaken by his heavenly Father on the cross, Jesus suffered the awful torments of God's wrath against sin, enduring the agony of hell for our sake. Jesus did this so that sinners could be shielded from the wrath of God. Jesus paid the penalty of sin so that his people would not have to.
The good news is this: Jesus died so that we might live through him. No one who trusts in the saving power of Jesus' sacrifice will ever have to endure God's wrath. We who trust in Jesus do not have to fear his sudden return to judge the living and the dead.
What a relief to know that God has appointed me for salvation in Jesus! I have been spared an eternity of suffering by the infinite suffering of God's Son on the cross. Jesus suffered hell in my place. His sacrificial love staggers my imagination, and I will never be able to thank him enough.
Thank you, Lord, for rescuing me from the wrath to come. Please touch the hearts of many who do not yet know you, so that they too may rejoice in your salvation. Amen.
About the author — David Feddes
Dr. David Feddes is pastor of Family of Faith Church and provost of Christian Leaders Institute, which supports mentor-based ministry training through online courses. David is also adjunct missiologist for Crossroad Bible Institute, which provides biblical distance education to more than 40,000 people in prison. Previously he served as broadcast minister for the Back to God radio program, reaching people in more than fifty countries. David earned his Ph.D. in intercultural studies from Trinity International University, Deerfield, IL. He and his wife, Wendy, have nine children (one in heaven).
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