
The Secret Rapture Doctrine

Samuel Smith
23 Jan'19
5
LESSON 4
THE SECRET RAPTURE DOCTRINE
You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible Study Programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.In this edition, we continue with our series on The Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ. The topic for this study is: The Secret Rapture Doctrine. Beloved, among the teachings that have become prominent and untouchable within many mainstream Christian denominations today is the secret rapture doctrine. In this study, I want us to consider the following questions in regard to the secret rapture doctrine:
i) What are the basic tenets of the secret rapture doctrine?ii) Do these tenets synchronize with the Bible?
1. Friends, the basic tenets of the secret rapture doctrine are as follows:
A) The rapture doctrine purports that Christ will come back to this earth in two phases. First, He will come spiritually to "rapture away" believers who have been faithful to Him. This first phase of His coming is going to be silent or secret.
B) After the righteous are raptured away to heaven, a fierce antichrist power will appear on the earth and rule the world for a period of seven years. This seven year period is popularly referred to as the tribulation period.
C) During this tribulation period, people who will refuse to go along with the new order of the antichrist will be brutally persecuted. However, amidst the great persecution by this satanic power, anyone who will believe and embrace Christ at this difficult time will have a second chance at salvation.
D) After the seven - year tribulation period, Christ returns visibly to destroy the antichrist power and dispense His wrath on the world's nations. This is the general teaching of the secret rapture doctrine.
2) Even though many people are aware of the basic tenets of the rapture doctrine as outlined above, they do not really know where the teaching originates from. In fact, many Christians will confidently tell you that the secret rapture doctrine is solidly based on the Bible. But friends, we will soon see from the biblical analysis I’m going to share with you in this study that the secret rapture doctrine does not harmonize with Scripture. Beloved, the real fact is that the secret rapture doctrine was born out of the theory of futurism. The theory of futurism was formulated by a Jesuit monk, named Francisco Ribera (1537-1591). This theory basically postulates that the antichrist has not shown up yet, but he will in the future. Unfortunately, Ribera's end time concepts in relation to the antichrist have been made popular within Christendom and beyond not because these concepts are solidly grounded on the Word of God, but because they had been carried worldwide by books such as Hal Lindsey's; "The Late Great Planet Earth" and "Countdown to Armageddon".
Beloved, from Ribera's futurism ideas, a lot of unbiblical teachings slowly made their way into the Christian church. And one of such teachings is the secret rapture doctrine. Even though this doctrine has become very popular and accepted as credible in most Christian churches today, the irony is that it is shattered to pieces when one decides to compare its basic tenets with what the Bible has to say concerning the antichrist power and the second coming of Christ.
Friends, just like the theory of futurism, the secret rapture doctrine has also been carried forward not so much by Scriptural evidence, but through novels and movies such as; the "Left Behind" series by Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. This "Left Behind" series has really printed the false concepts of the secret rapture doctrine in the minds of several people across the globe. Even though the authors Tim and Jerry have clearly indicated at the cover of their book that the book is a novel of the earth's last days, many Christians actually come to believe that the contents of the book actually present the real issues that will take place at the final hours of this earth’s history. Thus, irrespective of the fact that the Left Behind series is a novel, many Christian denominations have gone ahead to make the contents of the series a fundamental belief.
3. At this point, I want us to assess how the secret rapture doctrine will do when it is weighed along the pages of Scripture:
A) First and foremost, the Bible does not teach a two-phase second coming of Jesus as the secret rapture doctrine postulates. Friends, the order of events where Christ first comes spiritually or secretly, and then later visibly is not taught anywhere in the Bible. The Bible actually teaches a single and final second coming of Jesus. Let's check the biblical evidence:
i) From
ii) From
iii) From
Beloved, the texts above together with other texts of Scripture such as
B) The secret rapture doctrine also teaches that the antichrist will come after Christ has raptured the saints away to heaven. The Bible however teaches differently. Let's check the scriptural evidence:
From
2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders." (
C) The secret rapture doctrine also teaches that when Christ raptures away His faithful believers to heaven, those who will be left behind will actually have a second chance to be saved. The theory teaches that after the rapture comes a seven - year tribulation period. During this tribulation period, people who will refuse to go along with the orders of the antichrist will be brutally persecuted. However, amidst the great persecution by this satanic power, anyone who will believe and embrace Christ at this difficult time will have a second chance at salvation.
But friends, the Bible however teaches differently concerning this issue of believers being offered a second chance to be saved. From
Friends, besides the fact that probation will even close before Christ comes the second time, the Bible is also very clear about what happens to the wicked at the second coming of Christ. Let us consider some few Bible texts that clarify this point:
i) "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (
ii) "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:" (
iii) "And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground" (
Friends, the texts above make it clear that the wicked inhabitants of the earth will perish when Christ comes back the second time (
In fact, the Prophet Jeremiah makes this point clear when he prophesies the following in relation to the nature of the earth after the second coming of Christ:
i) "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you;…" (
ii) "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (
iii) "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (
iv) " 12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" (
v) "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years" (
Beloved, the Bible texts above make it clear that God’s children, instead of being freed from persecution, actually go through the process before they are translated to heaven. This experience of sharing in Christ’s sufferings is one of the measures that God utilizes to perfect the character of the saints and fit them for the eternal kingdom of His Son. Moreover, the saints, having shared in the sufferings of their Saviour will also be able to share in His joy when the great controversy is over, and the planet is restored to its Edenic state.
Friends, from our study so far, we have proven from the pages of Scripture that not even one of the basic tenets of the secret rapture doctrine is supported by Scripture. In fact, contrary to what the secret rapture doctrine postulates, the Bible makes it clear that Christ's second coming is going to be a literal event, a visible event, an audible event, a glorious event, a worldwide event and a climactic event. For an in - depth study on the way or manner that Christ will come back the second time, you can request for our previous study captioned: The Manner of Christ's Second Coming.
Exhortation: Beloved, there is no second chance for salvation when Christ appears in the skies of heaven. The King comes the second time with His reward in hand to give unto everyone according to their works (
In our subsequent studies, we are going to examine various New Testament texts that many Christians frequently use to support their belief in the secret rapture doctrine. We will be considering texts such as:
In our next study, we will consider the topic: "...the one shall be taken, and the other left": An Exposition on Christ's Words in
Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.
Maranatha!
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