3 Reasons I Don't Believe in the Rapture

Type of Doctrine: Tertiary

"15 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. 16 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. 17 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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words."

-1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 ESV

The subject of "rapture" went viral on social media platforms today (September 23, 2025). Supposedly, this is due to a South African pastor's prophecy.[1] Apparently, it caused some to panic and sell their possessions and prepare for the rapture.

How did a word, "rapture," which doesn't appear in Scripture in any of the major English translations cause a panic like this? The word has the idea of being transported away somewhere. In Christian theology, it is the idea that believers are being removed from the earth.

I can't help but think about the Left Behind movie and books that caused a similar panic in me. I wondered, "What if an airplane pilot was raptured mid-flight?" It was many years later before I realized that this movie presents the pretribulational dispensational premillennial view which is one of four different views that Christians hold regarding the millennium. Here are a few previous articles I have written that give a more complete discussion on the issues surrounding the rapture.

• For an article on the 2 views concerning the rapture click here.

• For an article on the 4 views concerning the millennium click here.

• For an article on the 4 views concerning how to interpret Revelation click here.

With that being said, here are 3 reasons I don't believe in the pretribulational premillennial rapture.

3 Reasons I Don't Believe in the Rapture

1) I believe the "great tribulation" has already happened (Matt. 24:21).

Careful Bible readers will note that Jesus is asked a two-part question, and I believe that he is gave a two-part answer (Matt. 24:3). First, he is asked about when the temple will be destroyed (see vv. 1-2 for the context). Then, in the second part of the question, he is asked about when he will come back and the end of the age will come. In my reading of this chapter, Jesus is referring to the "great tribulation" as he answers the first part of that question. In other words, I think he is referring to a great tribulation that took place around the time of the destruction of the temple.

Why? Well, I cannot go into every reason here, but here are a few. First, Jesus claims his generation will see the temple destroyed along with the many other wild things. "Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place" (Matt. 24:34; emphasis mine). After this, Jesus seems to transition with the following phrase in order to answer the second part of the question: "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only" (Matt. 24:36). Notice the contrast; in the first section he gives many wild events taking place that cannot be missed, while in the second section he claims that the second coming will happen like "the days of Noah" where people were caught off guard as they were living their normal lives (Matt. 24:37-39). Jesus summarizes, "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (Matt. 24:44).

(It must be noted that I do not believe that Jesus has already come. That would be heresy!)

2) I believe the church will be "caught up" in the air with the Lord at his second coming, and then we will return with him to a renewed earth (1 Thess. 4:15-18; ).

Notice the following in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18. First, the message came from Jesus himself (v. 15a). Second, the message is concerning those who will be alive at the second coming of Jesus (v. 15b). Third, the Lord will come from heaven and the dead will rise first (v. 16). Fourth, those who are alive will meet the Lord in the air (v. 17a). Fifth, we will always be with the Lord (v. 17b). Paul then transitions into chapter five and discusses the judgment that will happen at the same time (that's my interpretation; I subscribe to the amillenial view where the second coming and judgment happen at the same time.). In sum, when Jesus comes back the dead will rise, believers who are alive will meet him in the air, nonbelievers will be judged, and we will always be with the Lord. I think it all happens around the same time.

(Those who subscribe to pretribulational premillenialism disagree with me and typically argue for multiple returns of Jesus and judgment taking place after the 1,000 year millennial reign of Christ. As an amillennial, I believe that the 1,000 years refers to a figurative spiritual reign which takes place in heaven between the resurrection and second coming of Christ.)

3) I believe that Revelation 3:10 does not refer to Jesus removing the church from the world. Instead, I believe it is a reference to judgment for nonbelievers and God's spiritual protection for believers to endure.

Sam Storms provides some helpful observations on this verse,

First, the notion that any Christian is assured of special protection from trials, tribulations, and persecution is unbiblical . . .

Second, the trial or tribulation that is coming is designed for the judgment of unbelievers, not Christians . . . 

Third, the promise, then, is for spiritual protection in the midst of physical tribulation . . . 

Fourth, pre-tribulationists have typically insisted that the only way God’s people can be spiritually protected from the outpouring of divine wrath is by being physically removed from the earth. But this is clearly not the case, as John 17:15 makes clear (as also does the presence of the Israelites in Egypt during the time of the ten plagues) . . . 

Fifth, a related argument is that since this alleged “Great Tribulation” is to be a time when the wrath of God is poured out on an unbelieving world, Christians cannot be present. After all, believers will never suffer God’s wrath, insofar as Christ has already suffered in their stead on the cross. But this falls short of a convincing reason to posit a pretribulation rapture . . .

Sixth, we must never forget that it is precisely in remaining faithful unto death that our greatest victory is achieved (not in being “raptured” to safety; cf. Rev. 2:10).[2]

To summarize, I believe the "great tribulation" has already happened; I believe that believers who are alive will be caught up with Jesus at his second coming; and I believe that God will strengthen Christians on the earth to endure any struggles and trials that happen. Thus, I don't believe in a pretribulational premillennial rapture.

End Notes:

[1] Theo Burman, "Rapture Theory Explained: Why Some People Think The World Will End Today," Newsweek, September 23, 2025, accessed September 23, 2025, https://www.newsweek.com/rapture-theory-september-23-2134007.

[2] Sam Storms, "Revelation 3:10 and Seven Reasons why I don’t believe in a Pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church," Enjoying God blog, May 20, 2021, accessed September 23, 2025, https://www.samstorms.org/enjoying-god-blog/post/revelation-310-and-seven-reasons-why-i-don-t-believe-in-a-pre-tribulation-rapture-of-the-church.