RAPTURE/SECOND COMING, PART #3: “APPLYING THE DOCTRINE TEST”
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the word “rapture,” it is derived from the Latin word “rapio,” which is a translation of the Greek New Testament word “harpazo,” meaning “caught up.” This refers to the description found in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, which states: “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be “CAUGHT UP” together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” Rapture has become a popular word used to refer to the experience of the Christians being “caught up” to meet the Lord when He comes for His Church. Some Christians believe that the Rapture of the Church happens suddenly and secretly (not visibly, as will be the Second Coming of Christ). They also believe that will take place prior to what is known as the Great Tribulation period, generally thought to be seven years prior to Christ’s Second Coming. I intend to prove from Scripture that the Rapture of the Church happens after the Tribulation period at Christ’s Second Coming.
In my last post (#2) I presented a very helpful Bible study tool, which I call the Doctrine Test. Here is an excerpt of what I wrote: The Doctrine Test is “…a way of evaluating biblical support for doctrines. It asks and seeks to answer three questions about the Scriptures we use as the bases of our doctrines: 1. Are they EXPLICIT? 2. Are they IMPLICIT? 3. Or, are they SPECULATIVE? 1. EXPLICIT passages would be those that state the doctrine explicitly, without a doubt; for example, Jesus died on a Cross for our sins, and Jesus rose again. No question about those. 2. IMPLICIT would be passages used that prove the doctrine’s truth but without such explicit wording; for example, the doctrine of Jesus being fully God and fully human, and the doctrine of the Trinity. Both of these doctrines are amply supported by Scripture, and have been used to define true Christian faith and to weed out heresies. 3. SPECULATIVE passages are unclear; they can be legitimately interpreted to mean more than one thing… Obviously, the only passages we can use to support doctrine would be those passages that teach that doctrine explicitly or implicitly. It is never appropriate to formulate a doctrine out of speculation only. Nor can we counter an explicit teaching by using one that is speculative.”
In my previous post I presented four key Scripture passages, all of which I believe teach EXPLICITLY that the church will be raptured at the Second Coming of Christ. Using the Doctrine Test, we will now examine the first three passages (saving the fourth for my next post) to see if I am correct. Does each passage explicitly teach that the Rapture takes place at Christ’s Second Coming?
Scripture #1 – MATTHEW 24: 29-31 “Immediately AFTER THE TRIBULATION OF THOSE DAYS the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. THEN will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and THEY WILL SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN WITH POWER AND GREAT GLORY. And HE WILL SEND OUT HIS ANGELS with a LOUD TRUMPET CALL, and THEY WILL GATHER HIS ELECT from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
EVALUATION USING THE DOCTRINE TEST: I believe it is explicit that Christ’s appearing can refer only to His Second Coming. Jesus clearly states that this happens after the Tribulation period. He returns visibly (all the tribes of earth will see Him) with great power and glory. His followers will be gathered to Him when He comes (Rapture). I believe this is EXPLICIT.
Scripture #2 – 1 THESSALONIANS 4:15-18 (Compare with Matthew 24:29-31) “For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the COMING OF THE LORD, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN with a CRY OF COMMAND, with THE VOICE OF AN ARCHANGEL, and with THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. THEN WE WHO ARE ALIVE, who are left, WILL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER with them in the clouds TO MEET THE LORD in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
EVALUATION USING THE DOCTRINE TEST: This passage is one of the most widely used to support the view that the Rapture precedes the Second Coming. Yet, evaluating the passage, we see that there is nothing here to support this. What does it teach? It explicitly teaches that Christ will return noticeably (not secretly) in power and glory (with a cry of command, the voice of an Archangel, and the sound of a trumpet). The “coming” of the Lord in verse 15 (‘parousia’ in NT Greek), is commonly used to refer to Christ’s Second Coming, and is also specifically used for Christ’s return in Matthew 24. In comparing this passage to Matthew 24:29-31, there is no biblical justification to believe that these two passages do not refer to the same event; namely, when Christ returns (Second Coming) we will be gathered to meet Him (Rapture). In other words, the Rapture takes place at His Second Coming and not before. For me that is EXPLICIT. To contend that this passage teaches a pre-Tribulation Rapture relies solely on speculation.
Scripture #3 – 2 THESSALONIANS 1:5-10 “This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering — since indeed GOD CONSIDERS IT JUST TO REPAY WITH AFFLICTION THOSE WHO AFFLICT YOU, and TO GRANT RELIEF TO YOU WHO ARE AFFLICTED as well as to us, WHEN THE LORD JESUS IS REVEALED FROM HEAVEN with his mighty angels in flaming fire, INFLICTING VENGEANCE ON THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW GOD and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. THEY WILL SUFFER THE PUNISHMENT OF ETERNAL DESTRUCTION, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, WHEN HE COMES ON THAT DAY TO BE GLORIFIED IN HIS SAINTS, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.”
EVALUATION USING THE DOCTRINE TEST: Here is another passage that I believe is inescapably EXPLICIT. • When will God afflict those who afflict His people? “When the Lord Jesus is revealed from Heaven.” • When will God grant relief to His children who are being afflicted? “When the Lord Jesus is revealed from Heaven.”• When will those who reject God and the Gospel of Christ suffer eternal destruction? “When He comes on that day.”• When will Jesus be glorified in His saints? “When He comes on that day.” The day that Christ is revealed from Heaven is clearly visible, referring to His Second Coming (“with His mighty angels in flaming fire”), at which time He will comfort His followers and also deal with His enemies. Again, it would be speculation to say that this event of Christ’s coming refers to anything other than His Second Coming and the simultaneous Rapture of the Church.
NEXT POST, PART #4 (Wednesday, July 29, 202) – We will apply the Doctrine Test to 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8 and other passages that relate to the Rapture and the Second Coming. If you have brief comments, suggestions, or questions you hope I will answer in this series, feel free to message me. Thanks for joining me on this journey. God bless you!