🪖 1 Thessalonians 5:9 | Helmet of Hope

Happy Thursday, {{first_name | everyone}}!

Today, we’re connecting our passage directly to Jesus and the Good News He brings to the world!

In today’s email…

✉ subscribe here | support our work 👐

For God ___ ___ ________ __ ___ _____,

but to ______ _________ _______ our Lord ______ ______.

1 Thessalonians 5:9

By the time Paul reaches 1 Thessalonians 5:9, he is not introducing a new idea. He is honing in on hope. Just one verse earlier, he urges believers to “put on… the helmet, the hope of salvation.”

One thing to note about helmets is that they are not for attack. They are for defense. They protect what is most vulnerable — our noggins.

But in Paul’s usage, they protect us from fear and despair, which is as dangerous as any weapon.

So why is hope so important? And how does hope protect us?

History helps us see why.

Viktor Frankl, a Jewish psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust, observed something chilling while imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps.

Those who lost hope — those who believed their suffering had no meaning and no future — were often the first to die, even when physically stronger than others.

Frankl concluded that hope was not a luxury; it was a necessity for survival. When people believed there was something ahead, they could endure almost anything. When hope was gone, life soon followed.

Frankl spoke of hope in general, but Paul speaks of a specific hope: “the hope of salvation.”

This is not wishful thinking or blind optimism — Christian hope is grounded in something that has already happened.

Here is the heart of the gospel, explained simply.

The Bible teaches that God is holy and just, and that human sin is rebellion against God that deserves judgment.

Scripture calls this judgment wrath (Romans 1:18), which we can think of as a righteous response to evil.

An earthly example of this principle in action is that when you break a law, there is a consequence (a fine, jail time, etc.).

So what is the consequence for our sin and rebellion against the God of the universe?

Because of our sin, we stand condemned before God. Death and eternal separation from God were our future.

But God did not leave us there.

Instead, God sent His Son, Jesus, who lived the sinless life we failed to live, and then willingly went to the cross.

And on the cross, something extraordinary happened:

Jesus stood in our place. The judgment you and I deserved for our sin fell on Him.

The wrath meant for us was poured out on Christ instead.

In Christ, God does not just forgive us — He declares us right with Him.

Jesus takes our guilt, and we receive His righteousness as a gift, so that we stand accepted before God, not condemned:

We are no longer destined for wrath. The judgment has already been dealt with.

Salvation is not something we nervously await to see if we “passed the test” — it has been secured through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Jesus Himself on the cross said, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

This is the good news. In fact, this is the greatest news ever.

And this is the source of our hope.

This is the unique hope that we as Christians have.

Our salvation is not dependent on our own performance.

Salvation cannot be earned.

It is a gift that you can choose to receive.

The question is: Will you receive it?

If you have never placed your trust in Jesus Christ, this hope is being offered to you right now even as you read these words.

Today can be the day you place your faith in Jesus — receiving forgiveness, freedom from condemnation, and the sure hope of salvation He has already secured.

And if you’ve been following Jesus for a long time, reflect on this:

Are you still living as someone protected by this hope — or have fear, self‑reliance, or forgetfulness begun to dull its power?

🙏 Pray

Heavenly Father, awaken hope in me. Show me where I am fearful. Show me where I am relying on my own strength. Show me where I am forgetting to live as someone who has eternal hope. As I go about my day, open my eyes to see those You’ve placed around me who are in need of this hope. And give me courage to share the good news with them. Amen.

Wanted: Your Story!

Has Malachi Daily played a role in you putting your faith in Jesus for the first time or recommitting to your faith? We’d love to know! Click here to tell us your story.

I love the breakdown of key words and their original meaning in Hebrew. I always try to do that when the Spirit puts a scripture in my heart. There are beautiful layers of meaning that are revealed which excites me and helps me to know what was in God's heart when he wrote the words for us.

- Kathleen

“I really appreciate the ministry the Lord has given to you through Malachi Daily. Today’s message and verse were so comforting/encouraging that the Lord used not His holiest of people but Balaam to deliver His words of blessing for the Israelites. The Lord did, indeed, keep His word. He alone is to be trusted! I also appreciate the link to Holy Ghost Stories — so well done and a treat to savor!”

- F. W. K.

I am enjoying this very much. I have been a Christian for years now but I never liked reading very much. Thanks to the Holy Spirit, He has given me a hunger for the Word and I am getting closer to God every day. May God bless you!

- Shirley H

HUGE thank you to Shirley, Christine, Joyce, Timothy, Rita, Gail and everyone else who chose to pay-it-forward to support our work and help us keep operating!

p.s. If you’d like to give a custom amount to support our work, you can do that here.

For God has not destined us for wrath,

but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:9