⚓ 1 Thessalonians 5:9 | "...not destined us for wrath..."

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Happy Monday, {{first_name | everyone}}!

This week, we’re talking about good news. We’ll explore a seemingly simple verse that is full of rich teachings about God and about us.

If you are new to faith or just coming back to faith, we pray that this week shows that your salvation is not based on how “good” of a person you are, but rather on God’s grace.

And if you’re a longtime follower of Jesus, we pray this week will remind you who you are, and whose you are.

In today’s email…

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For God has not destined us for wrath,

but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ

1 Thessalonians 5:9

Before we can reflect on our memory verse, let’s slow down and get our bearings in the book of 1 Thessalonians.

Author
The letter comes from the apostle Paul, written alongside Silas and Timothy (1 Thessalonians 1:1). At this time, Paul was early in his ministry. While he was not yet the seasoned elder looking back on decades of church life, we get to see his heart as a passionate missionary pastor writing with a sense of urgency.

When
Most scholars place the letter around AD 49–51, making it one of the earliest Christian writings we possess (even earlier than the Gospels as far as we can tell).

Original Audience
The believers in Thessalonica were largely Gentile (non-Jewish) converts living in a prominent Roman city. They had turned from idols to serve the living God (1:9), and that decision carried social and economic cost.

Allegiance to Jesus as “Lord” set them at odds with both their neighbors and the imperial expectations of Rome.

Cultural Context
Thessalonica was steeped in emperor worship and civic loyalty. Public peace depended on honoring Caesar. To confess “Jesus is Lord” sounded uncomfortably political and the church lived under pressure, misunderstanding, and the threat of marginalization.

Why Paul Wrote
Paul had been forced to leave the city sooner than planned. He writes to reassure a fragile community that their suffering is not a sign of God’s displeasure. They are not being punished. They are being formed.

Questions about Jesus’ return, the fate of believers who had died, and fear of coming judgment were already taking root. Paul responds with clarity, hope, and confidence in God’s saving purpose.

This is the soil out of which our memory verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:9 grows.

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Paul didn’t write 1 Thessalonians to win an argument or to satisfy curiosity about the end times. He wrote because the believers in Thessalonica were shaken, suffering, and confused about what was ahead.

And as their pastor, Paul wanted them to be anchored.

Over and over, he reminds them of who they are and what God is doing. They are not abandoned. They are not objects of divine anger. They are caught up in a much larger saving purpose that began before they ever believed and that will be completed when Jesus returns.

That same invitation still stands for us today.

The question is: Will we live from fear? Or from trust?

📖 Read
Set aside 5–7 minutes to read all of 1 Thessalonians 5. Read it in one sitting. Don’t analyze every line yet. Let the tone wash over you. Notice how often hope, comfort, and encouragement show up.

🙏 Pray
God, slow my heart down. Show me how my fear has shaped how I think about You. Where I expect judgment instead of mercy, teach me to trust Your saving purpose. Prepare me this week to hear what You are actually saying, not what I assume You’re saying. Amen.

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When you have Jesus, there is really nothing else you need. This is the mindset Paul often exemplifies in his writing. And this song is a great reminder of that truth as we reflect on the magnitude of salvation found in Jesus this week.

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For God has not destined us for wrath,

but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ

1 Thessalonians 5:9