Secret Rapture Heresy

Secret Rapture

The secret rapture is something different from the true biblical event referred to as "the catching away, resurrection, coming of Jesus, second coming, return of Jesus, end of the world, or day of Christ." The rapture theory says Jesus will return suddenly at any moment and secretly take away the Christians leaving behind everyone else to wonder what happened to them.  I don't know where you would find a scriptural basis for such doctrine. It makes a good story line for a novel, but is not scriptural. The bible very plainly speaks of the return of Jesus but never mentions it will be secret.

 

Return of Jesus No Secret

In Matthew 24:3 the apostles ask Jesus, "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"  Jesus answering them speaks of different things and then in verse 29 he answers their question about his return.

 

Matthew 24:29-31

29. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, (these events could hardly be kept secret) and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

30. And then shall appear (for everyone to see) the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see (no secret) the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

31. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect (this is the catching away) from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

 

This is a description of the return of Jesus spoken by Jesus himself.  He spoke very plainly and easy to understand.  His return will not be a secret.  What would the tribes of the earth in verse 30 be mourning about if they didn’t know what had happened--that Jesus had returned and they missed it.

 

Return of Jesus in the Book of Revelation

The events described in Matthew 24 are the same events described in Revelation 6:12-17.

 

Revelation 6:12-17

12.“ And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

13. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

14. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

15. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

16. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

17. For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

 

The “sixth seal” is opened in verse 12.   In verse 16 the people see the Lord and are afraid. They say, “Hide us from the face of him.“ This plainly tells us they see the Lord. This is the return of Jesus--the moment in time known as the "end of the world."  The general population will not see the Lord before His second coming.  But here they see the Lord thus showing that Jesus has returned and is about to pour out great wrath. In the time line of Revelation, Jesus returns in this “sixth seal.” The great day of his wrath (verse 17) begins after the return of Jesus   Events of Revelation chapter 19 where Jesus comes down from heaven on a white horse to set up an earthly kingdom are not related to this at all.

 

What Must Happen Before Jesus Returns?

In Matthew 24:15, Jesus speaks to us Christians about events before his return.  Remember his return comes in verse 30.

 

Matthew 24:15

15. “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet.”

 

This abomination of desolation is related to and set in place by the Anti Christ. Jesus said you would see the Anti Christ set up the abomination of desolation before his return.

 

This is exactly what the Apostle Paul said in 2Thessalonians 2:2-3,

 

2Thessalonians 2:2-3

2. “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, (nor by secret rapture theory) nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ (the return of Jesus) is at hand.

3. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, (speaking of the return of Jesus) except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin (the Anti Christ) be revealed, the son of perdition;” 

 

He said, "Don't be deceived in believing that the day of Christ (return of Jesus) is about to occur at any moment."  He said the Anti Christ must be revealed before the return of Jesus.  How merciful of the Lord to describe perfectly the present day deception of the secret rapture so we would not be snared by it.

 

Falling Away

In the scripture above Paul spoke of a falling away before Christ returned. The same falling away is spoken of in the following scriptures:

 

1Timothy 4:1-3        

1. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed  to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils;

2. Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3. Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

 

2Timothy 3:1-5

1. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.

3. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4. Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

 

Acts 20:28-30

28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

29. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

30. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

 

The "Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats" occurred centuries ago and in Acts 20:28-30 Paul wrote of a falling away that would occur shortly after his death.  So the falling away referred to in 2Thessalonians 2:2-3 has probably already occurred.  We are not necessarily waiting for a falling away. The Holy Spirit was warning them of an impending falling away and for them to be on guard against it.  Paul knew it had to occur before the end.

 

When Will Jesus Return

Jesus will return at the appointed time after everything written in the bible comes to pass.

 

Jesus said we would not know the day or the hour of his return, (Matthew 24:36) but there are certain end time events that will occur at the time of the end, and when they begin to come to pass, then we will know the end is very near. No one knows when these events will begin to come to pass.

 

Jesus asked the Pharisees, “ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?”  The sign of their time was Jesus himself--His first coming. He did not ask them, “Why didn’t you know I was coming 10 years ago?” Jesus only expected them to know the signs of the times that they were in at that moment. It is the same now. We will not know the time when Jesus will return until the time gets here and the signs appear. When the signs appear, we will know his return is very near, but we will still not know the exact day.

 

A Word About Heresy

The word “heresy” means: Any belief different from or contrary to what is taught in the Holy Bible.
 

The bible says you should reprove heresies and if the people do not repent, then reject them. (Titus 3:10) The Apostle Paul did not preach secret rapture doctrine and said, “If anyone preaches any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8)   And in Galatians 5:19-21 Paul lists heresies among other sins such as witchcraft and murder and says, "they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

 

Galatians 5:19-21

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God

 

It is obviously a serious matter for you to find the truth and reject heresies. 
 

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