1 Thessalonians 1:10
And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
True conversion turns from idols to serve the living God and to wait for His Son from heaven, Jesus whom He raised from the dead. This waiting is the blessed hope of His soon appearing to take His people to the heavenly home prepared for them. He delivers those who trust in Him from the coming wrath upon the disobedient, freeing them even from fear of it. That escape is provided at infinite cost through His sacrifice, redeeming fallen sinners by grace to restore God's image in them and give eternal life. This hope leads the converted to prepare by waiting, watching, working and praying, and to warn others and proclaim His return with earnestness and the Spirit's power so they too may be converted and escape.
Conversion and Waiting Hope
Paul's thanksgiving embraced converts who had turned from idols to serve the living God, and their conversion itself gave reason for praise. That turning from idols to serve the living and true God includes waiting for His Son to come from heaven. The Son awaited from heaven is Jesus, whom God raised from the dead.
This waiting is the blessed hope of His appearing. It is a hope soon to be realized when He comes to take His people to the heavenly mansions prepared for them. Those transformed by grace from idol worship to service of the living and true God became effective witnesses through zeal for their Savior, and their message won others to faith.
Deliverance From Coming Wrath
Jesus delivers believers from the wrath to come, freeing them even from fear of that wrath. He is the Son from heaven for whom they wait, whom God raised from the dead. That waiting belongs to turning from idols to serve the living and true God.
That coming wrath is upon the disobedient. Escape from it is made possible through the way of salvation provided at infinite cost in Christ's sacrifice. He redeems fallen people, even those through whom Satan has worked, by grace to restore God's moral image in them and holds out the gift of eternal life.
This hope turns people to God and leads the converted to prepare for Christ's return and to wait, watch, work, pray, and work earnestly for the conversion of others. The message of Christ's return must be proclaimed with earnestness, living power, and the Holy Spirit's power and assurance to lead souls to conversion. That same real work of conversion, turning from idols to serve the living God while waiting for Jesus' return from heaven as the blessed hope of His appearing, is needed today.
The warning about coming judgment makes the call to share that way of salvation urgent. The coming judgments make it urgent to warn others and prepare for the future life so they may escape that wrath. Without recognizing the danger, the day of God will come unexpectedly.