SECRET RAPTURE

The false teaching of a secret coming of Christ is  known to most as  the Secret  Rapture, and it is believed almost  universally  by  professing Christianity. However, the coming of Christ will not be a secret to  the  elect nor will it be a silent event.

The  beginnings of the Secret Rapture theory seems to  have  come from  Emanual Lacunza who had become a Chilean Jesuit  in  1747. When the Jesuits were expelled from Chile, Lacunza settled north of  Italy where he devoted the remainder of his years to writing  'The Coming of the Messiah in Glory and  Majesty',  in which he speculated that Christ will come twice: once for  his saints and again with his saints.

Although Lacunza had actually stumbled onto a Biblical truth, his speculation was to be the catalyst for the doctrine of the Secret Rapture. There does not seem to be any literature referring to  a secret coming of Christ until after 1830 when many began to  come forth with the concept of a secret coming. Among those who taught this concept were the Anglican Curate J.N. Darby,  Newton, George V. Wigram, Andrew Jukes, and J.P. Tregelles.

The Secret Rapture Theory

Although there are many variations of the Secret Rapture  theory, most who believe this theory believe that Christ will return twice:

First  Return

• He  will secretly come to gather the saints to  protect  them from the great tribulation.
• He will return around the  middle of the tribulation,  or  at its end—seven years later.

Second Return

• He will return to destroy the antichrist and begin his  reign on earth.
• He  will  return to totally destroy the earth  and  take  any remaining believers to heaven.

THE BIBLICAL FACTS OF CHRIST'S COMING

The  biblical facts clearly show the following two returns of Christ:

First  Return

• He  will openly return to gather the saints three and a half days after the death of the Two Witnesses. See Matt.24:23-51; Rev.11:7-13.

Second Return

• He will openly return with the saints and his heavenly hosts to destroy the governmental and religious system of the Antichrist and False Prophet and establish the Kingdom of God on the earth. See Jude 14-15; Rev.19:11-15; Rev.11:15.

The  Bible shows,  beyond  a shadow of a doubt, that when  Jesus  returns  to gather  the  elect of God, the event will neither be  secret  nor silent. The  Secret  Rapture  theory is just that; it is  a theory.