doubts about how they might be prepared for that day and how its advent might affect them (vv. 4–10). Paul answers this concern by teaching that living in faith, love, and hope is the proper way to be prepared so that the day of the Lord will not surprise them “like a thief.” On the other hand, the destruction of the final judgment will come upon those who have rejected the gospel, and they will not be able to escape (v. 3). But the divine wrath will not be poured out upon the church, which will
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