Is the Rapture Biblical? | 2 Main Views

Type of Doctrine: Tertiary

"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."

-1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ESV

Why Does It Matter?

Will Christ return sometime before his public second coming to remove his church from the earth? This is typically referred to as the "rapture". This article will discuss different views on the rapture.

This is typically considered a tertiary issue. That is, it doesn't usually affect which church you attend. Christians can attend the same church and disagree charitably.

What Is It?

When people use the word "rapture" in theology, usually they are talking about Christ's secret return where he removes his church from the earth before coming back a second time for his public return.

Some believe this will take place before a seven year tribulation (i.e., pretribulational premillennialism). Others believe that the rapture will take place in the middle of the tribulation (i.e., midtribulation premillennialism). Those who believe that Scripture teaches a rapture typically fall within the dispensational premillennial end times view, which arose in the 1800s. For those who subscribe to one of the other end times views (e.g, historic premillennialism, amillennialism, or postmillennialism), they do not believe that Scripture teaches a rapture. (Click here for an article discussing the four views on the millennium.)

Here are the main two views concerning the rapture: (1) yes, there will be a rapture (2 second comings of Christ) or (2) no, there will not be a rapture (1 second coming of Christ).

View #1: Yes, there will be a rapture.

There will be two second comings: Christ's Secret Return + Christ's Public Return.

The first group believes in what is often referred to as the "rapture". They believe that there will be a secret return of Christ, the rapture, where he will remove Christians from the earth. Many interpret 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15 as describing this rapture of the church by Christ.

Then, the second time he comes back after the tribulation, it will be a public "triumphant coming . . . in which Christ comes to reign over the earth."[1] Wayne Grudem points out: "Those who hold to this view object to the characterizing of it as two second comings and prefer to speak of two aspects of the same second coming, but since these two comings are separated by an interval of at least seven years, it does not seem inaccurate to characterize the view as holding to two second comings."[2]

It should also be noted that this view is pretty recent in church history; it has only been around since the 1800s.[3] Moreover, it has mostly been influential in the United Kingdom and the United States.[4] (Admittedly, it should be said that just because a view is newer doesn't mean it's wrong, but it does seem unlikely that Christians would have missed it for 1,800 years.) This view tends to be held by dispensational scholars who see a sharp distinction between Israel and the church. (Click here for the article discussing the 4 main views on the relationship between Israel and the church.)

Thus, here is view one: yes, there is a rapture. The second coming of Christ consists of his secret return (i.e., rapture), and his public return.

View #2: No, there will not be a rapture.

There will be one second coming: Christ's Public Return.

The second group does not believe in the rapture, but instead believes that Christ is coming back one time. It will be public and visible to all. Many on this side can't see any clear evidence in Scripture of Christ coming more than once. 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15 are seen as the public second coming of Christ. Some argue that 2 Thessalonians 1-2 show that Christ's second coming and judgment will be on the same day (which is problematic for the other view).

Many have believed this view throughout church history stretching all the way back to the early church. Those who subscribe to the historic premillennial view, amillennial view, and postmillennial view will all typically fall under view number 2. Thus, it is well-attested in church history. However, the former view does challenge this view on some aspects. Grudem elaborates: "[O]ne attractive feature about pretribulational premillennialism is that it allows people to insist that Christ's return could occur 'at any moment' and therefore does justice to the full force of the passages that encourage us to be ready for Christ's return, while it still allows for a very literal fulfillment of the signs preceding Christ's return, since it says these will come to pass in the tribulation."[5]

Thus, here is view two: no, there is not a rapture. The second coming of Christ consists of his public return only.

Biblical

Here are some key Scriptures on this subject:

• [Luke 17:34-35 ESV] 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. 35 There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left."

• [1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ESV] 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.

• [1 Corinthians 15:50-54 ESV] 50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."

• [1 John 3:2 ESV] 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

• [Revelation 3:10 ESV] 10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

Application

Though the rapture and second coming of Christ are important subjects to discuss, we should not lose track of the fact that it is a tertiary issue and the point of emphasis in Scripture is to bring us hope and encouragement.

Notice how Paul ends this section in 1 Thessalonians: "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" (1Th 4:16-18; emphasis mine).

Don't forget to be encouraged by the words of Christ's second coming!

Where Can I Learn More?

End Notes:

[1] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 1353.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid., 1354.

[4] Ibid., 1372.

[5] Ibid., 1374.