Re-scheduled Appointment

1 Thessalonians 5-Part 3
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.   1 Thess. 5:8-10


LET IT GLOW

Just last month, I had a doctor's appointment scheduled, but his office called me to change it. Due to the doctor not being in his office on that day and not available for my  appointment, I had to re-schedule my time to see him. I am glad they called so I didn't show up for my appointment and find it was cancelled. There's another appointment I had, which was cancelled, for which I am glad. Let's see what kind it was and who rescheduled it.

David Guzik's Commentaries on the Bible says:

We had an "appointment" to wrath. We no longer have an appointment to wrath, but now to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. It's important to understand that this is the wrath of God. We are saved from the world, the flesh, and the devil. But first and foremost, we are rescued from the wrath of God that we deserve. Paul's whole context here is the believer's rescue from the wrath of God.
Our appointment to wrath was "scheduled" in two ways. First, because of what Adam did to us and the whole human race, we are appointed to wrath (Rom. 5:14-19). Second, because of our own sin we are appointed to wrath. When Jesus died on the cross, He stood in our place in our appointment to wrath, and
"re-schedules" us with an appointment to obtain salvation. As believers, when we think we are appointed to wrath, we show up for an appointment that was cancelled by Jesus.
The idea is that Jesus died in our place. Not simply that Jesus died "for" us, in the sense as a favor for us, but that He died as a substitute for us. Having obtained salvation through our Lord Jesus, we will always live together with Him. The promise of unity with Jesus can't be broken; no matter if we live or die (wake or sleep), we will always be with Him.


Now that's an appointment, with the wrath of God, which I am grateful to have rescheduled. Aren't you?
(Some other scriptures are 2 Cor. 5:8 and Rom 5:9.)


LET IT GROW

Go back and read verse 8 again. Paul is talking to believers. What is he telling us to do?

1. Be sober. (It means to be calm and collected in spirit.)
2. Put on the breastplate of faith and love.
3. Put on a helmet the hope of salvation.

Paul uses the images of a soldier's armor to illustrat the idea of watchfulness. A soldier is a good example of someone who must watch and be sober, and he is equipped to do that with his armor. The breastplate covers the vital organs of a body. No soldier would ever go to battle without it. The Christian's breastplate is faith and love. No Christian is equipped to live the Christian life without faith and love.
The helmet protects the head and is just as essential as the breastplate. A Christian's helmet is the hope of salvation. Hope isn't used in the sense of "wishful thinking," but in the sense of a confident expectation.
[Resource: David Guzik's Commentaries on the Bible]

Do I have faith, love, and salvation on as my armor as I prepare for  this spiritual battle daily? 
Ephesians 6:14-17 and Isaiah 59:17 give us the rest of the armor to put on. The parts of our armor are all provided by Jesus-helmet of salvation, breastplate of righteousness, boots of peace, sword of the Spirit (Word), and shield of faith.


LET IT GO

Thank Jesus that He reschedule my appointment with God's wrath, which I deserve to have. Such grace and mercy!

Be sober and  calm, then put on faith, love, and hope.