How many people, even Christian people, live in fear these days! They consider how we have gone from atom bombs to hydrogen bombs to nitrogen bombs, with megatons of explosive power. They read about all the deadly weapons being perfected by countries all over the world, and they fear that frightful destruction may at any time overtake them.
It does indeed appear that this world is headed toward the prophesied destruction, but true believers should understand that God has clearly predicted that He will recall His ambassadors before giving the world up in judgment.Β Paul, the apostle of grace, made it clear that no one can tell how long the dispensation of grace will last, but he did declare that this age would close with the coming of our Lord for His own.
βFor the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
βThen we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
βWherefore comfort one another with these wordsβ (I Thes. 4:16-18).
In the next chapter, we have the prediction of the pouring out of Godβs wrath on the world but the believer in Christ will escape this.
Thus Paul reminded the Thessalonians how they had βturned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from heavenβ¦β (I Thes. 1:9,10). Thus too he reminded the Philippians: βOur conversation [citizenship] is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christβ (Phil. 3:20). And thus, finally, heΒ instructed Titus to be looking for that blessed hope, and the appearing in glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christβ (Titus 2:13). source
