| 08/16/2026 | 1 min readRAPTURE OF THE SAINTS
Rapture of the Saints. I want to explain the “Rapture of the Saints” in ways we all can understand and get its picture akin to the story of Noah’s Ark and salvation from the “Great Flood” or the salvation of Lot and his two daughters from God’s judgment of fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. The nitty-gritty of this eschatological event—also known as the divine and miraculous catching up of real born-again believers to meet our Lord Jesus Christ “in the air”—is the safety of the believers from the coming judgment and divine wrath that the Bible calls the “Great Tribulation.”
CINO-Christians Cannot be Raptured
Is it true that there will come a time, according to the Scriptures, that genuine believers will disappear from this life instantly to meet our Lord Jesus in the air during the end-time?
Yes, it is the “Rapture of the Saints” I am referring to. I used “Rapture of the Saints” to be more precise. It is the born-again believers who will be raptured. The nominal Christians (Christians in name only—CINO) and unsaved churchgoers cannot be part of this eschatological event.
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WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF THIS SCRIPTURE THAT TEACH ABOUT THE RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS?
In legal jargon, we must understand a particular language of a code or decree by understanding the leading elements composing it. Concerning the rapture, here are its components as penned by the apostle Paul for its clear visualization:
- A. The Lord Jesus “will descend from heaven.”
- B. The “dead in Christ will rise first.”
- C. “We who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them [the resurrected dead in Christ].”
- D. “Be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”
- E. “And so we shall always be with the Lord.”
SUDDENNESS OF THE RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS VS. THE POST-TRIBULATION SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
The issue Christian scholars have constantly struggled over is the secrecy of this divine gathering. Post-Tribulationists believe that the Rapture of the Saints will happen during the Second Coming of Christ after the Great Tribulation.
But Christ said, “You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.” (Luke 12:40) You cannot find the elements of secrecy and His imminent return for the saints if the rapture will happen simultaneously with Christ’s coming for judgment.
Again, in Matthew 24, Christ said, “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.” (V. 44)
Keep Them from the Evil One
Post-Tribists say that John 17:15 supports post-tribulationism, since Christ prayed to the Father saying, “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.” This Scripture, however, does not have the aspect of the coming Rapture of the Saints or the Second Coming for judgment.
Observe the apostle John’s revelation in Revelation, chapter one:
This statement is our Lord’s Second Coming for judgment and war. It is not simultaneous with His coming for the first resurrection saints during the Rapture.
In short, Christ will return to earth twice. We may call it “the two comings”: first, to meet the resurrected saints in the air; and second, to carry out the wrath of God and judgment of sins.
In Revelation 19:11-16, we find Christ depicted as riding on a white horse to wage war, treading “the wine press of the fierce wrath of God.” Just like the Scripture we mentioned in Revelation 1:7, this verse knocks out Pro-Tribists’s claim that the Rapture of the Saints will happen during the end of the Tribulation period.
COMPARISON OF THE TWO COMINGS OF CHRIST
1. Coming for Judgment and the Consummation of God’s Wrath
The language of Scripture is unmistakable concerning our Lord’s coming for His saints and His coming for the judgment of unbelief and sin.
In Second Thessalonians chapter one, Paul said that Christ’s coming for judgment has the following points:
- a. For God to repay with affliction those who afflict you.
- b. To give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire. [Note Paul’s description of God’s mighty angels “in flaming fire.”]
- c. Dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
- d. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction.
- e. [They will be put] “away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”
Christ’s Coming for Judgment Will Not be a Friendly Event
Who said that Christ’s coming for the judgment of the world would be a friendly one? No, it would be unbelieving humanity’s final separation from the love of God—”away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” (v. 9)
2. Coming for the Raptured Saints
The “snatching away” (or rapture) of the born-again believers (excluding the CINO—Christian in Name Only) will be a divine signature of admission (of the children of God by faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ) into heaven as resurrected beings.
In John 14, Christ said,
Note this portion of the above Scripture: “I WILL COME AGAIN AND RECEIVE YOU TO MYSELF.”
It’s where the declaration of our Lord accurately fits the essential requisites for the rapture of the saints (or forgiven individuals because of a genuine faith in Christ’s atoning blood at Calvary).
He “will come again” (SECOND COMING) to “RECEIVE YOU TO MYSELF,” signifying a final divine union in heaven with those heavenly entrants through the miracle of the (first) resurrection of the dead in Christ.
Those who remain alive at the rapture will have their bodies suddenly transformed into spiritual bodies to “put on immortality,” to borrow from Apostle Paul.
Here’s how Paul has penned it:
The suddenness of this transformation—“in the twinkling of an eye”—is consistent with the rapture that will be secret and unnoticed by the world.
It is the Pre-Tribulationists’ teaching that the Post-Tribulationists have disagreed to, since they believe real Christians are overcomers. (See Revelation 3:12.)
The context of Revelation 3, however, is Christ’s keeping His followers “from the hour of testing.” (v. 10)
In a similar vein, Paul declared that God’s wrath did not cover the saved believers in Jesus. (cf. 1 Thess. 5:9)
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WHAT IS THIS IMAGERY OF THE COMING OF CHRIST AS A “THIEF IN THE NIGHT”?
Through different blogs I have written about the rapture of the saints, I usually interpret the “thief in the night” expression as a pre-tribulation supporting Scripture. (See 1st Thessalonians 5:2.)
However, Post-Tribulationists have always explained it as a verse supporting their view of a simultaneous rapture with the Great Tribulation.
Their interpretation is centered on the following verse 3 that says, “While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.” (1 Thess. 5:3)
The general consensus among the Pre-Tribists is that the “Day of the Lord” (His Second Coming for judgment) will come “like a thief in the night” for the unbelievers.
Matthew 24:37-38 highlights the suddenness of the judgment and divine wrath.
Our Lord states,
From this Scripture, we find “unexpected timing,” “sudden judgment,” “moral parallel” (a widespread wickedness and disregard for God), and “unknowable hour” (see verse 36).
The “thief in the night” allusion is indeed referred to Christ’s coming for the judgment of unbelievers and the entire world.
The apostle Peter also alluded to it (thief in the night) as the day of judgment. (cf. 1 Pet. 3:10)
“THIEF IN THE NIGHT” FOR THE PRE-TRIBULATIONISTS
As I mentioned earlier, I always connected the “thief in the night” imagery to the Rapture’s “sudden” or “unexpected timing,” which is a pre-tribulationist assertion.
The Rapture Would Not be a World-Witnessed Event—Until Its Occurrence
By Christ’s “secret” coming for His followers, we mean the rapture of the saints would not be a public or world-witnessed event. It would be a heavenly rescue or gathering of believers, and it would happen quickly, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” (1 Cor. 15:52a) The world will not recognize it as the beginning of Christ’s public reign.
Paul describes the rapture as a “blessed hope” for believers. (cf. Titus 2:13) Post-Tribists’ teaching of exposing believers to divine wrath first before any divine intervention cannot strictly qualify for a blessed hope.
Pack Mentality of Most Christians
I remember exposing real Christians to harmful COVID-19 injections. They were like a herd of dumb sheep. They need leaders, their pastors, who also struggled blindly to get the jab. From this analogy, post-tribulationism sounds incompatible with most Christians’ pack mentality.
An Unexpected Timing of the Rapture of the Saints
The “thief in the night” depiction (from a Pre-Tribist’s viewpoint) suggests that it is not really a secret event, since thievery will always leave apparent traces and would be divulged at some time somewhere. It is rather an unexpected time that is separated from Christ’s Second Coming for judgment and war with the Antichrist.
The suddenness of the rapture is highlighted with Paul’s highly visible word pictures in describing it, such as “be caught up together with them in the clouds,” “in a moment,” “in a wink of an eye,” etc. (See 1 Corinthians 15:52.) Observe 1 Thessalonians 4:17:
We Are Not Destined for Wrath
In 1st Thessalonians 5, we find this Scripture, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (V. 9)
While this verse reinforces the teaching of Post-Tribulationism, it is also one of the central verses used in the teaching of pre-tribulation rapture of the saints.
The rapture, or the snatching away of genuine believers, will happen before the Great Tribulation because God does not destine us to suffer His wrath but to obtain salvation.
WHAT NOW?
In conclusion, the Rapture of the Saints is a profound and blessed hope for all genuine believers—a divine and miraculous gathering that will occur suddenly and unexpectedly. It will shelter and preserve truly born-again Christians from the coming wrath and judgment.
He will come to receive His faithful followers to Himself, transforming our mortal bodies into immortal ones, thus securing our eternal union with Him.
As Scripture clearly presents, the Rapture and Christ’s Second Coming for judgment are two separate comings.
The Rapture of the Saints is not just a theological concept but a hope that inspires believers to remain steadfast in the faith, confident that we are not destined for wrath but for salvation through Jesus Christ.
If you’re still unsure that you won’t be left behind during the Rapture, confess your sins to Jesus and receive Him (His Spirit) sincerely in your heart as Savior and Lord. As pointed out by Apostle John,
>>> Understanding The Rapture of the Saints: A Divine Rescue. Exploring The Scriptural Foundations and Timing of This Miraculous Event. Rapture of the Saints, End Times, Christian Eschatology, Second Coming of Christ, Great Tribulation, Born-Again Believers, Pre-Tribulation Rapture, Post-Tribulation Debate, Biblical Prophecy, Christian Salvation, Jesus Christ, Heavenly Resurrection, Christian Faith, Thief in the Night, Divine Wrath <<<
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