The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Thessalonians — Section 26

It ie in the next world tbat it ie to come to its fnll manifostation. Even now God manifests his displeasure against ein. The Flood was an early and sig1rnl instance Jf God'" wrath burning againet a wicked worl I. And tbe destruction of Sorlom and Gomorrah was another signal instance of God's wratb burning a~oinst wicker! ;:ommunities. Ilut nnder the pr•·sent order of things God does not or,linorily deal with man in unmixed wrath. He has ends of redemption in view. And, tbo11gh he does give experience of jurlgment that men may not be forgetful of him, still be mingles mercy with judgment. And usually he gives us to exl'erience far more mercy than judgment, that thereby he may commend redemption to us. He exercises wonderful forbearance toward 118, tbat thereby he may win ns over to himself. Thus it is that meantime there is no adequate impression given of thP punitive justice of God. We do not see punishment following always upon sin. We do not see punishment proportioned to sin. The more hardened in sin men are, the more may they escape present punishment. It does not yet appear what God's displeasure against sinners is, any more than it yet appears what bis love to his people is. There are hindrances which prevent a full manifestation in both cases. In the next world tbese hindrances will be removed. and then it will be seen clearly how God views every one who through a period of grace continues to oppose himself to Divine love. Tbe sins of this life, unforgiveu, will cry unto Go<l; and his wrath, no longer restrained, will go forth. There are tbings for which, it is said in the Epistle to the Ephesians, the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience. There is a certain open defiance and forgetfulness of God (encouraging to ungodliness) which in a special manner attracts the Divine judgment. But it is true of a sinful life as a whole, that what there is in it of resistance to God draws down on it, when the time comes, the Divine wrath. This is to be at the day of judgment, which is called " tbe day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgmeot of God." Then there will be a righteous summing-up of the life lived on earth as a whole; and the wrath that descends will exactly indicate what God's e.stimate of the life is. That there will be retribution, and retribution exactly proportioned to each life, some being punished with few stripes and others with many stripes, is most certain. We cannot define with exactness the lllanner and contents of the retribution. The language employed in Scripture is sufficiently fitted to create alarm: "But unto them that are factions and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and inrlignation, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil." ·what is at lirst the assertion of independence toward God. will become, retributively, hindrance and bondage in complete sulijugation and environment by God. What is, in its working, excitement and self-gratification, will become, retributively, in the distrac- tion of the mind·, in the upbraidings of couscieuce, a feeling of anguish. There is thus before the lire of sin a dark future. "'l'here remaineth a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries." And the life of sin is not to be judged by what it is at present in its licence and excitements and restraint of judgment, but is to be judged by what it is to come to. It is in the next world that the nothingness and wretchedness of a life of sin will be fully evidenced. And what a power ul deterrent is this to continuing our resistance to Divine grace! (3) The Deliverer frurn the wrath to come. 'l'his is tht1 gracious side which is now pr, sente,l in the gosi'el. We must thi11k of the wrath to come. in order that we may properly conceive of the Deliverer. He is appropriately called Jesus. "'l'hou sha.lt call bis name Jesus, for it is he that shall save his people from their sins." Here it is saving from the wrath of God on account of tbeir sins. We read of heroes of antiquity who were renowned for delivering countries from the monsters with which they were in[ested. 'l'he New Testament tells of Oue who delivers from the evil most to be fee.red of man-the wrRth to come. It is not to be understood that Jesus did deliver (on the cross) or will deliver (at the last day), but rather that it is his office to deliver. This is the great part which he performs for men; it belongs to Jesus to deliver from the wrnth tQ. come. This office entailed on the Holder of it infinite self-almega- tion. "The Son of God, ... even Jesus." And, as the Son of God, he had to begin b:,· layinu aside his Divine glory, not counting it a prize to be clutched at by him. And lie ca~ne down into our nature, that he might roceive into himself th~ wrath due to our ~in. He became the great vessel of wrath. What should have been pourad into u11  B THE FlRST EPlSTLE 'l'O THE THESSALONIANS. [ea. 1. 1-10.