What’s the purpose of the rapture?

When it comes to fully understanding God’s plans, Paul wasn’t kidding when he said that we now “know in part” and “see in a mirror dimly” (1 Cor. 13:9, 12). There’s so much we currently don’t fully understand and likely won’t until eternity when “then I will know fully” (vs. 12b).

This lack leads to all sorts of discussions and debates on Christian doctrines, which, unfortunately, can get heated at times. Occasionally, agreement can be had on high-level teachings like Christ’s death on the cross that provides our salvation, but disagreement happens on next-level down mechanics like whether Christ’s death is a substitutionary atonement, a ransom paid to Satan, just a moral example, or something else?

C. S. Lewis distinguishes the latter from the former when he writes in Mere Christianity: “Theories about Christ’s death are not Christianity: they are explanations about how it works.”

A big example of the Christianity/how-it-works difference is the teaching on the Rapture, which, for some reason, can lead to powder-keg discussions. That a rapture will occur in the future isn’t debated much, given Paul’s clear statement on it:

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:14–18).

The term Paul uses to describe the rapture — “caught up” — in the Greek is harpazo and in Latin is rapio, which means to “seize” and “carry away.” The same Greek word is used in Acts when Philip is taken up by the Lord: “When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him but went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39).

So, it’s hard to refute the idea of a rapture occurring in the future (although some do), but when it will happen is the subject of lots of lively debate. On the timing, folks tend to take one of five core stances.

You have the pre-tribulation view that says believers are caught up to be with Jesus before the Tribulation of the end times begins. Then comes the partial-rapture position that says only faithful believers are taken to be with Christ at the outset of the Tribulation, while the unfaithful are left to endure it (based on Matt. 25’s ten virgins parable).

Some hold the mid-trib view that states believers are caught up to be with Jesus in the middle of the Tribulation (after 3.5 years) when the Antichrist commits the abomination of desolation, which initiates the Great Tribulation events. Following that is a niche view called pre-wrath that teaches believers are taken somewhere between the 6th and 7th seals found in the book of Revelation. Finally, there is the post-trib view that says believers are caught up to be with Jesus after the Tribulation ends, and Jesus appears in the clouds during His return.

Getting to the answer of which theory (if any) is correct, I believe, starts with asking the prerequisite question of: What’s the purpose of the rapture? Why would God weave into His end-times plan a rapture event in the first place?

If you step back from the five rapture theories, you’ll notice that two core “why rapture?” themes stand out.

The first four have the common purpose of believers escaping God’s coming judgment. Think of it as the “divine rescue” option: a way for God to protect His Church from experiencing His coming wrath. So, for example, when Paul wrote, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:9), the escape from God’s wrath he has in mind contains both eschatological and eternal dimensions to it.

The last theory, post-trib, has the objective of believers joining the Lord in the air as He returns to earth with His bride. Consider this the Messianic “Welcome Party” teaching, with some scholars noting that the Greek word translated as “meet” (“meet the Lord in the air”) historically referred to a practice of citizens going outside a city's walls to welcome a visiting king or dignitary, and then accompanying him the rest of the way in.

So, what do I think?

I continue to favor the divine rescue option, believing that if the apocalyptic events described throughout Scripture are wrath delivered by God upon the earth because of sin, then those already forgiven for their sins because of their faith in Christ will be spared such divine retribution. I see it much like God told the church at Philadelphia, which I believe has an end-times view in mind: “Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth” (Rev. 3:10).

I also think there are typological pictures in Scripture that speak to God's pattern of protecting or removing His people before divine judgment falls, such as what happened with Noah, Lot, and Rahab.  

Finally, I believe such a position provides the type of peace and assurance Paul concludes with when he finishes writing about the rapture: “Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:18). Maybe I’m just a wimp but knowing I have to experience a time Jesus called the “great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt. 24:21) isn’t too comforting.

Could I be wrong in my stance? Sure.

But that said, I’m firm that there will be a rapture. Exactly when it occurs remains, as it always has, in God's hands.