READING TIME: 3-5 MINUTES
October 2, 2019
David, what is the meaning of “Christ’s imminent return” and what is the biblical support for it?
I plan to answer this question in two parts.
Presently believers are waiting for the imminent coming (i.e., an event that is always hanging overhead, is constantly ready to take place) of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Church is not to watch for SIGNS (like in the case of the Second Coming) but the SAVIOR.
Only the pre-tribulation Rapture is in harmony with the biblical teaching of Christ’s imminent return. It IS the ONLY view of the Rapture that fits comfortably with the NT’s teaching on imminency.
There are three other views of when the Rapture occurs concerning the future seven-year Tribulation. Some believe the Rapture will occur halfway through the Tribulation (mid-trib), some think the Rapture will occur at the end of the Tribulation (post-trib), and some think that it will occur 75% of the way through the Tribulation (pre-wrath).
Those who believe in mid-trib, post-trib, or pre-wrath cannot truly say that they believe that Christ’s return of His bride could occur at any moment (always “hanging over our head”) without any predicted intervening signs or event. Other things may happen before the event, but nothing else must take place before it occurs. If something else must take place before an event can happen, then that event is not imminent. The necessity of something else occurring first destroys the concept of imminency.
If we are going to endure half, three-quarters, or the entire Tribulation, then how do we explain all of the NT verses that speak of Jesus’s return as “near” without indicating any signs that must precede His coming? Or what do we do with the passages that speak of His return as something that gives us hope and encouragement without any indication these believers will suffer the Tribulation?
Key Passages on the Imminency of Jesus’s Return
John 14:1-3 — here Jesus is speaking of the Rapture as an antidote to their fears and as a wonderful hope because of His soon and painful (for them) departure to heaven. Take notice that Jesus did not say anything about suffering or judgment from which the Rapture might rescue them. He also did not say anything about any signs which must come before the Rapture.
James 5:7-9 — Jesus’s coming drew near before James wrote his letter, and His coming continues to be near (that’s the sense of the Greek tense form used here in this particular verse). Jesus began to stand before the door of heaven before James wrote his epistle, and He continues to stand before that door (one nuance of the Greek perfect tense form). James wanted to stress to his readers that since Christ could step through the “door of heaven” at any moment (imminent return) and we are on the verge of being judged at “His judgment seat,” we should not grumble against each other (see verse 9). These verses really “lose their punch,” if 1/2, 3/4, or the entire Tribulation could occur before the Rapture.
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 – the Thessalonians were waiting for Jesus who will come from heaven and deliver them (us) from the “wrath to come.” Some would say the “wrath to come” is not the future 7-year Tribulation, but I disagree. Since Jesus’s appearance from heaven is expanded in 1 Thess 4:15-17, this “coming wrath” is logically the same wrath described in 1 Thess 5:3, 9 (God’s wrath in the future Tribulation).
1 Thessalonians 5 — this is a vital passage. A few words about the context. The Thessalonians were probably concerned that the persecution they were experiencing meant they were already experiencing the Tribulation. In this chapter, Paul is saying, “No, you cannot already be in the Tribulation because when it starts it will come suddenly like a thief and that hasn’t happened yet.”
In this chapter, especially look at the pronouns. Do you see the contrast between the “you’ of verses 1-2, 4-5, and the “they” of verse 3 (“they shall not escape”)? With this contrast, there is a very strong implication that the church WILL escape, and that is the reason why Paul did not need to discuss the “times and epochs” of the Rapture (see verse 1). Also, read verse 9. Here Paul affirms the fact that God has not destined believers this eschatological wrath, but they have been appointed to obtain salvation through Christ. So, not only does “temporal salvation” (i.e., from the future Tribulation) come from Jesus but also eternal salvation comes from Him.
It’s also important to make a distinction between “church age” saints and “tribulation saints.” The church is promised deliverance from wrath, but the Tribulation saints will be delivered through wrath (cf. Rev 6:11).
Compare 1 Thess 4:17 with 5:11. Paul’s words here in chapter 5 have the same result as his Rapture teaching in the previous chapter. The result is encouragement and comfort. So, it is clear that Jesus taught that a Rapture will occur and that will include all living believers (also see 1 Cor 15:51). So, in 1 Thess 5 Paul was teaching that the Rapture was God’s plan to deliver the church from God’s future wrath (the Tribulation).
If the Rapture is not imminent, then Paul’s words that the church is not appointed to wrath (5:9) is misleading.