… resurrection from the dead … but each in the own order, Christ the firstfruit, then those of Christ at His coming. Then the end, when He shall hand over the kingdom to the God and Father … (1 Corinthians 15:21-24)
But what about the non-believers, those not “of Christ”?
Paul did mention the concept of a future wrath ---
... because God has not destined us for wrath (εἰς ὀργὴν), but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
… justified now by His blood,we will be saved by Him from the wrath(τῆς ὀργῆς). (Romans 5:9)
But deliverance from the wrath was not universal, it was conditional ---
Paul’s letters were occasional, not theological treatises. It seems Paul delivered the tenets of his system during his evangelizing visits --- but we do see glimpses in his letters.
That Paul used the OT is not disputed. Some direct parallels are found, but typologies, symbolism, and creative readings are more prevalent. And of course, Paul freely substituted his Lord Jesus Christ for the OT Lord (Yahweh) when it suited his need.
Paul associated the coming of the Lord, and the beginning of the resurrection from the dead, with the sounding of a trumpet (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, see also 1 Corinthians 15:52). I think a passage from Joel can help fill-in some blanks, especially regarding the coming wrath for non-believers.
This passage in Joel is rife with Pauline concepts --- the trumpet associated with the coming of the Lord, a coming wrath, and what appears to be a very Pauline conclusion with a very Pauline sounding salvation for believers --- (Joel, from the LXX) (emphasis mine) ---
The long chapter 2 continues with both sticks and carrots, but a lot of wrath ---
Before him peoples will be crushed; every face will be like the soot of an earthen pot. (Joel 2:6)
For great is the day of the Lord, great and exceedingly remarkable, and who shall be sufficient for it? (Joel 2:11)
And the trumpet again, along with a Pauline sounding concept of gathering and sanctifying an assembly. Paul used the same term (ἐκκλησίαν -- assembly) in his phrase “assembly of God”, and for his congregations in his Lord Jesus Christ ---
And the very Pauline sounding conclusion to the pericope, including a verbatim parallel with Romans 10:13. Here is a salvific announcement of good news --- to those calling upon the name of the Lord. Paul used the very same verb, as found in Joel here, several time in his letters for his teaching about his Jesus Christ. The verb is from the same root word that Paul used many times as a noun in a propriety sense, (τὸ εὐαγγέλιον) “the gospel” or "the announcement of good news" ---
robert j