TCC–1371
1
GOD’S WRATH AND FULL SALVATION
A. Introduction: We have been talking about the second coming of Jesus for a number of weeks. We’re
almost at the end of the series, but have a few more things to discuss tonight and next week.
1. The second coming is a foundational Christian doctrine (Heb 6:1-2). Jesus’ first message to His
followers when He returned to Heaven was: I’ll be back (Acts 1:9-11). The second coming was
part of the gospel message that the apostles (eyewitnesses of Jesus) preached (I Thess 1:9-10).
a. Sadly, many Christians today either know little or nothing about Jesus’ return, or are so focused
b. on individual events connected with it that they miss the big picture—why Jesus is returning.
1. Jesus is coming back to complete God’s plan for humanity. God created human beings to
live in loving relationship with Him as His sons daughters, in the world He created for us—
this earth. Both the family and the family home have been damaged by sin. Rom 5:12
2. Jesus came to earth the first time to die as a sacrifice for sin and open the way for all who
believe in Him to be restored to God’s family. He will come again to cleanse the earth of
sin, corruption, and death and restore it to a fit, forever home for Himself and His family.
c. Jesus is coming to bring full salvation to this world (Heb 9:26-28). Full salvation includes
resurrection of the dead and restoration of the earth to pre-sin condition–with no more sorrow,
pain, loss, or death. When full salvation comes, life will finally be what it was meant to be.
2. The Bible tells us much about world conditions prior to the Lord’s return. The Bible makes it clear
that increasingly challenging times are ahead for this world. But we are told to keep our focus on
the big picture and the end result. Our goal in this series is to help us do that.
a. Jesus urged His followers: When these things begin to occur, look up (be elated in joyous
expectation) and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28, Amp).
b. If we can learn to live with the awareness that we are part of something bigger than ourselves
that will outlast this life, it helps us keep life’s hardships in perspective. It helps us keep our
priorities right (eternal things matter most), and it gives us hope in the midst of troubling times.
B. Second coming is a broad term for a number of events that will happen over a period of time prior to the
Lord’s return. Some of those events include wrath and judgment. Let’s talk about what that means.
1. Jesus is coming back to judge the world—not just the people who are on earth when He returns, but
the entire human race going back to Adam and Eve. Acts 10:38-42; Acts 17:30-31; etc.
a. This judgment is not to decide if people go to Heaven or Hell. That is determined during our
lifetime, based on how we respond to the light of Jesus given to us in our generation.
1. The purpose of this judgment is to reward all who belong to God through Jesus with full
salvation—whether they are in Heaven or on earth. Their bodies will be made incorruptible
and immortal so they can live on the restored earth forever.
2. In connection with this judgment, all those in Hell and on earth who have rejected God’s
offer of salvation will also stand before Almighty God, their Creator, and it will also be
shown why it is right and just to forever separate them from God and His family.
b. The Greek word that is translated judge means to render a decision, to separate. Jesus will judge
or remove from His family and the family home all that hurts and harms, including wicked
people. It’s part of restoring this world. Matt 13:37-43; Matt 13:47-50; etc.
2. To appreciate what wrath means in connection with Jesus’ return, we need to make some points
about the wrath of God. God’s wrath is not an emotional outburst at humanity.
a. The word wrath is used as a figure of speech in the Bible to mean the penalty for breaking the
God’s Law (Rom 13:4). Wrath is God’s right and just response to sin. God expresses wrath
because it is right, it is just, to do so.
TCC–1371
2
1. We all understand that justice is about doing what is right and giving people what they
deserve (good and bad). If someone commits a horrific crime, no one is upset when the
appropriate punishment is given out.
2. Sin (breaking God’s Law) is an offense against Almighty God. The right and just penalty
for sin is death or eternal separation from God who is life. Gen 2:17; Is 59:2; etc.
b. God desires to remove sin and transform sinners into His holy sons and daughters. Jesus came
and died to make that possible. John 3:17—For God did not send His Son into the world to
condemn (sentence) the world, but that the world through Him mighty be saved (NKJV).
1. However, if a sinner refuses to turn to God, he won’t be saved and restored to God’s family.
He’ll be forever removed from contact with God and His family. That is the wrath of God.
2. II Thess 1:7-10—When the Lord Jesus appears from heaven, He will come with His mighty
angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our
Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction, forever separated from the
Lord and His glorious power when he comes to receive glory and praise from his holy people
(NLT).
3. The Greek word that is translated destruction means ruin, not extinction. There’s no greater
ruin than to be forever lost to your created purpose—sonship and relationship with God.
3. We pointed out in earlier lessons that, although Jesus’ return will affect the entire human race going
back to Adam, there will be people on earth who will be affected in a unique way by His return.
a. They will experience chaos and tribulation unlike anything the world has ever seen, because they
will be alive at the time when the world completely abandons their Creator and welcomes a false
savior, a false Messiah—Satan’s counterfeit of Jesus. Matt 24:5; 11-12; Matt 24:21-22
1. This man will be empowered by Satan and will declare himself to be God. He will preside
over a global system of government, economy, and religion. II Thess 2:4; 9; Rev 13; etc.
A. The actions of this man and the responses of the world to him will produce the horror and
tribulation of the final years of human history in this age. He will lead the world to war.
B. When people reject God and His standards of right and wrong, it leads to increasingly
reprobate actions and decisions—and God gives them over to it (Rom 1:18-32). This
final generation will experience the effects of the worst reprobate decisions ever.
2. These catastrophic events are referred to as the wrath of the Lamb (Rev 6:15-17). They are
connected to Jesus, not because He makes them happen, but because Almighty God wants it
clearly understood that the calamity earth experiences in this final period of human history in
this age, is a direct consequence of their rejection of Him for a false Christ.
b. The New Testament never mentions wrath in connection with believers in Jesus. Wrath is for
those who refuse Almighty God, their Creator, and His offer of salvation.
1. In the context of God sending Jesus to save the world (John 3:16), Jesus said: John 3:36—
Whoever believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son will
not see life (NKJV), but God’s wrath will remain on him forever (Good News Bible).
A. In the context of repeated, unrepentant, sinful behavior, Paul wrote: Eph 5:6—Let no
one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes
on the sons of disobedience (NKJV).
B. The word that is translated disobedience means an unwillingness to be persuaded, willful
unbelief, obstinacy. They don’t obey because they don’t believe; they won’t believe.
2. In the context of Jesus returning to judge the world, Paul wrote: God has not appointed us to
wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ (I Thess 5:9, NKJV).
C. To help us understand what the second coming will mean for humanity, we’ve been considering the
TCC–1371
3
worldview of the men who wrote the New Testament documents and taught the first Christians.
1. These men were Jews. They knew from the Scriptures (Old Testament) that a day or time of wrath
and judgment is coming to this world. But they also knew from the prophets that God’s people will
be delivered and rewarded (Joel 2:28-32). They looked forward to Jesus’ return with hope, not fear.
a. Peter (one of Jesus’ twelve apostles) wrote: I Pet 1:13—(Christians) look forward to the special
blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ (NLT). Put your hope completely in
the grace that will be given to you when Jesus Christ returns (NIRV).
b. Paul the apostle (an eyewitness of Jesus) wrote: Titus 2:13—We look forward to that wonderful
event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed (NLT).
2. Last week we said that Paul wrote two letters to Christians living in the Greek city of Thessalonica.
Paul had established the church, but was forced to leave after just three weeks when persecution
broke out (Acts 17). His letters to the church have a lot of information about Jesus’ second coming.
a. Paul opened his first epistle by commending them for their faithfulness to Jesus despite their
circumstances. Paul told them that everyone in the region was talking about their faith.
b. Paul wrote that people everywhere tell us “how you turned to God from idols to serve the living
and true God, and to wait (expectantly) for his Son from heaven, whom he raised form the dead,
Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (I Thess 1:9-10, ESV).
c. Paul further told them that even though we had to leave, our hearts have not left you: “After all,
what gives us hope and joy, and what is our proud reward and crown? It is you! Yes you will
bring us much joy as we stand together before our Lord Jesus when he comes back again. For
you are our pride and joy” (I Thess 2:19-20, NLT).
3. We noted last week that the Thessalonians had concerns about what will happen to Christians who
die before the Lord returns. Will they miss out on the blessing of His coming? I Thess 4:13-18
a. Paul assured them that when the Lord returns, He will bring those who have died with Him, and
at that time, their bodies will be raised from the dead and made incorruptible and immortal.
1. Next, the bodies of those who are still alive at then will also be made incorruptible and
immortal, and we will go up to meet the Lord and the others in the air. Then all of us (dead
and alive) will return to Heaven with the Lord to be with Him forever. I Cor 15:51-53
2. Paul urged the Thessalonians to exhort and encourage each other with these facts, reminding
them that even though we sorrow over our loss, we have the hope of reunion and restoration.
A. Note, at this point Jesus does not come to earth and take control. He comes in the clouds
to take believers off the earth. He and they will all return to earth sometime later, when
the final period of chaos and tribulation reaches its peak. Matt 24:21-22
B. Note also, Paul wrote that we who are alive will be changed and taken up to the Lord.
Paul and that first generation of believers expected Jesus to come back in their lifetime.
b. Paul wrote a second epistle a few months later. In it, he commended the Thessalonians for their
patience in persecution. He encouraged them by reminding that “(God) in his justice will
punish those who persecute you. And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted
and also for us when the Lord appears from heaven” (II Thess 1:5-6, NLT). In other words, he
reminded them that a day of justice is coming (a Bible theme and lessons for another day).
4. Paul went on to address another concern the Thessalonians had. Someone was telling them that the
Day of the Lord had already begun, and they were wondering—why are we still on earth? Did we
miss something? Day of the Lord was a term used by the Old Testament prophets for a coming day
of judgment. In the early days of Christianity, the term was used for the second coming of Christ.
a. Paul wrote: Now, brothers and sisters, let us tell you about the coming again of our Lord Jesus
Christ and how we will be gathered together to meet him. Please don’t be so easily shaken by
those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Even if they claim to have had a
TCC–1371
4
vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us, don’t believe them (II Thess 2:1-2, NLT).
1. Note Paul’s admonition—don’t be easily shaken or moved by things that you hear or see
which contradict what God says. (We need to learn to not be moved by the different voices
that speak to us through social media. Limit input to a few people you know you can trust.)
2. Paul reminded them that Jesus will come for us before the time of judgment. We will be
gathered together to meet Him in the air since we are delivered from the wrath to come.
b. Paul further reminded his readers: For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion
against God, and the man of lawlessness (sin) is revealed—the one who brings destruction (II
Thess 2:3, NLT). Paul reminded them there will be signs that indicate Jesus’ return is near.
b. Jesus Himself spoke of these signs—false Christs, false prophets, and increased lawlessness
(rebellion against God and inhumanity to fellow human beings) (Matt 24:8-11). Paul continued:
1. II Thess 2:4-6—For he (this man) will exalt himself and defy every god there is…claiming
that he himself is God. Don’t you remember that I told you this when I was with you? And
you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes (NLT).
2. II Thess 2:7-8—For this lawlessness is already at work, secretly, and it will remain secret
until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. Then the man of lawlessness will
be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the
splendor of his coming (NLT).
A. Wicked men inspired by Satan have tried to establish world control in the past (Hitler,
Stalin, Mao, etc.). But there has been a restraint on wickedness in the world, because it
wasn’t time for the completion of the plan. God is the Restrainer.
B. But the day is coming when it will be time for the end, and then the wickedness of
humanity without God will be on full display. But Paul’s emphasis in all that he wrote
about Jesus’ return is on the completion of the plan—because that is our source of hope.
5. Sixty years after Jesus returned to Heaven, Jesus showed another apostle, John, the completion of the
plan. John recorded what he saw in the Book of Revelation. He reported what will happen when
Jesus comes in wrath and takes control of the world. He saw people in Heaven praise God for it.
a. Rev 11:18—The nations were angry with you, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is
time to judge the dead and reward your servants. You will reward your prophets and your holy
people, all who fear your name, form the least to the greatest. And you will destroy all who
have caused destruction on the earth (NLT); the corrupters of the earth (Amp).
b. The Greek word translated destroy means to rot thoroughly and, by implication to ruin. Without
the administration of justice and the removal of all that hurts and harms—if the wrath of God is
not expressed—there will never be peace, or freedom from chaos and pain, in the world.
c. John also heard this: Rev 11:15-17—The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of
our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever (NKJV)…We give thanks to you,
Lord God Almighty…for you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign (NLT).
D. Conclusion: The world conditions that the Bible describes when Jesus returns seem too bizarre to be
true. But they will be the natural development of the trajectory that the world is presently on.
1. Restraints on human fallenness have been progressively removed as the western world increasingly
abandons and demonizes Judeo-Christian values and ethics. This has led to increased lawlessness
in society. People are primed for a global leader who will solve the world’s problems. And once
Christians are taken off the earth, all restraint on wickedness will be gone.
2. There’s every reason to believe that we’re in the season of Jesus’ return. We need to keep our focus
on Jesus and the big picture. Ask the Lord to use the increasing chaos to bring people to saving
knowledge of Jesus and to give us wisdom to navigate through what is ahead. More next week!
