What does it mean that God did not appoint us to suffer wrath?

In 1 Thessalonians 5:9, Paul reassures believers that God has not appointed them to suffer wrath but rather to receive salvation through Jesus Christ. This is a foundational element of sovereign grace theology, underscoring the assurance that believers have in Christ’s atoning work. It reflects the concept of substitutionary atonement where Jesus bore the wrath that we deserved. Therefore, Christians can find comfort in knowing that their standing before God is secure, not based on their merit, but solely on Christ’s finished work on the cross.