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) believers who have been faithful to Him. This

first phase of His coming is going to be silent or
secret.
B)
C) 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.

D) 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.

E) 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.

2. 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:
B)
i) From John 14:3, we read the following words of assurance from
Christ: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again,
and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be
also.”

ii) From Acts 1:9-11, we read this testimony from angels: “And when he
had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a
cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked
stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by
them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye of Galilee, why stand ye
gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you
 into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go
into heaven.”

iii) From Hebrews 9:28, we read: “So Christ was once offered to bear
the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear
THE SECOND TIME without sin unto salvation” (Capital Emphasis
Added).

Beloved, the texts above together with other texts of Scripture such as 1
Thessalonians 4:16-17, Matthew 24:27-31, Jude 1:14 and Revelation 1:7 do
support a SINGLE and FINAL second coming of Jesus. There is no text In
Scripture which divides the second coming of Christ into two phases as the
secret rapture doctrine does.

C) 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 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 9, we read the following from the apostle Paul in
relation to the second coming of Christ:

“2:1 We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
by our gathering together unto him,

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.” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 9)

Beloved, the basic message from the first three verses in 2 Thessalonians 2
is that; Jesus Christ will not come back the second time unless the man of sin
or the antichrist power has been revealed. To put this differently, Paul is
basically saying in these verses that the man of sin or the antichrist will be
revealed before Christ comes the second time. Meanwhile, the rapture theory
however places the coming of the antichrist after the second coming of
Christ. Friends, one of the main reasons for the proposition of the secret
rapture doctrine was to hide the identity of the antichrist power. Now, if the
whole world is made to believe that the antichrist is supposed to come in the
future after the rapture, then no one Is likely to identify the antichrist with
any present power now because the rapture has not yet taken place. Thus,
this deception clears the way for the antichrist power to rapidly progress
towards its universal agenda. Clever, isn’t it?

D) 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 Revelation 22:11-
12, we read the following words from Christ Himself just before His second
advent:

“11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be
filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is
holy, let him be holy still.” 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is
with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Revelation
22:11-12).

Beloved, from this passage, we learn that probation even closes before the
second advent of Christ. Before our Lord comes the second time, the
destinies of all men will have been fixed through the investigative
judgement. This explains why Christ is able to come back with His reward at
His second advent. Thus, contrary to the secret rapture doctrine, there
wouldn’t be any opportunity of a second chance for people to repent once
Christ appears in the skies of heaven.

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” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).

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:” (2 Thessalonians 2:8 ).

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” (Jeremiah 25:33).
Friends, the texts above make it clear that the wicked inhabitants of the
earth will perish when Christ comes back the second time (Revelation 16:17-
21; 2 Thessalonians 2:8). From 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, we also learn that
Christ will take the saints to heaven with Him at His second coming. Thus, we
can deduce from these facts that when Christ comes back the second time,
there will not be any living human being on the planet for some antichrist
power to come and persecute.

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:

“23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the
heavens, and they had no light. 24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they
trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. 25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no
man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. 26 I beheld, and, lo, the
fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at
the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. 27 For thus hath the LORD
said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end”
(Jeremiah 4:23-27).

E) contrary to the secret rapture position that

faithful believers in Christ will be raptured away
to escape the end time tribulation, the Bible
teaches that God’s faithful children will actually
go through a time of persecution before they
are delivered from the planet (Revelation 13:11-
17). In fact, we learn from Scripture that many
of God’s faithful children had to drink of the cup
of persecution that their Saviour drank. For
instance, out of the 11 faithful apostles of
Christ, only one did not die a martyr’s death.
From Hebrews 11:35-38, we learn how several
of the early disciples were tortured and killed
because of their faith in Christ. Friends, the
prophecy which Christ gave concerning the
sons of Zebedee in Mathew 20:23, also applies
to God’s people who will be living in the final
 hours of this earth’s history. God’s people who
will be living at the time of the end will also
drink of the cup of persecution that the Saviour
drank, and be baptized with the baptism that
He was baptized with. Let’s check out some few
Bible texts that prove this point:
F)
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;…” (John 15:20).

ii) “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

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” (Matthew 24:9,
13).

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” (2 Peter 4:12-13).

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"
(Revelation 20:4).
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 (Revelation
22:12). At this point, I want to simply ask you that with the kind of life you
are living today, will you really receive a good reward from the Master or
you’ll make up with a bad one? My dear friend, why not ask God to give you
the strength to live a godly life today so you can embrace Christ at His
coming?

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: Matthew 24:40-41, 1
Thessalonians 4:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, and 1 Corinthians 15:52 .

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 Matthew 24:40-41. Please
do well to go through this passage before the next study is released.
Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!

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