by Dr. John F. Walvoord
THE DOCTRINE OF THE RAPTURE IN SCRIPTURE
The
fact that Christ would return to take His own out of the world is first
introduced in the upper room discourse in John 14:1-3. The disciples, already
alarmed by predictions that Christ was going to leave them and that they would
not be able to follow Him (John 13:33-36), are now informed that Christ is
going to come for them and take them to the Father's house. This was an obvious contradiction of their
previous hope that Christ was going to reign on earth and quite different in
its general character. It indicated
that their hope was heavenly rather than earthly and that they were going to be
taken out of the earth to heaven rather than for Christ to come to the earth to
be with them.
In
the first of Paul's epistles to the Thessalonians, further exposition is given
the doctrine of the Rapture as it was held by the early Church. The Apostle Paul accompanied by Timothy and
Silas had visited Thessalonica and, in the course of their ministry extending
over three Sabbath days, had led a small number to the Lord. After being forced to leave because of
persecution, Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to ascertain their condition. Upon his return to Paul, Timothy reported on their progress and also brought back
certain theological questions he was unable to answer. Among them was the
question of the relationship between the translation of living Christians and
the resurrection of the dead.
This rather mature question coming from
young Christians indicates the extensive character of the teaching ministry of
Paul to them subsequent to their conversion.
They apparently already believed in the doctrine of the resurrection of
the dead, and they also believed that Christ would come at any moment to catch
the living to be with Himself. The
relationship of these two events was the matter in point. In answer to their
questions, the apostle states in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 (ASV):
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
From the Thessalonian passage it will
be observed: (1) The same Lord who ascended from the Mount of Olives to heaven
would descend bodily from heaven to the realm of the atmospheric heavens. (2) His coming would be signaled by a shout,
the voice of the archangel and the trump of God. (3) At these signals the dead in Christ would be raised to rejoin
their souls and spirits, which would come with Christ from heaven when He came
(1 Thess. 4: 14). (4) Living saints
instantly transformed would meet the Lord in the air and without dying would be
introduced to their heavenly existence.
(5) Having thus met the Lord in the air, saints translated and
resurrected would be forever with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:17). This doctrine was introduced to them as a
comfort in the loss of their loved ones as well as an encouragement to them in
their time of persecution. It is noteworthy that no intimation is given of any
intervening time of tribulation such as is discussed in 1 Thessalonians 5.
A major contribution to the doctrine of
the Rapture was given later to the Corinthian Church as recorded in 1
Corinthians 15:51-58. This important
theological passage is introduced by a restatement of the Gospel that Christ
died for our sins, and that He rose from the dead, thus supporting the doctrine
of the resurrection of all men. At the
conclusion of this discussion, the truth of the Rapture is described as a
mystery, a truth unrevealed in the Old Testament.
The Corinthian passage makes more
explicit what is implied in Thessalonians, namely, that believers will receive
a new body in contrast to our present corruptible, mortal and sinful body. This heavenly body will be like the body of
our Lord and suited for the heavenly sphere. The resurrection body will be
incorruptible, that is, will not be subject to the decay and deterioration of
age. It will be immortal in that it
will be deathless. While it is not
expressly stated in this passage, it is implied in 1 John 3:2 that our
resurrection bodies will be sinless, a conclusion confirmed in Philippians 3:21
(ASV) where our bodies are said to be “conformed to the body of his
glory." This
resurrection and translation is said to take place "in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump"
(1 Cor. 15:52).
Although there are other allusions to the coming of the Lord for His Church in Scripture, these major passages bring out the central doctrine, namely, that when Christ comes living Christians will be translated and the dead in Christ will be raised from the dead. After meeting Christ in the air they will go to the Father's house as promised in John 14:1-3 and in the heavenly sphere will fulfill predicted events which will take place in heaven prior to Christ's second coming to the earth.
After meeting Christ in the air at the
time of the Rapture, the Church will proceed to heaven. There, according to
many New Testament passages, the Church will be judged for reward. If the Rapture concerns only Christians, it
is evident that only Christians will be involved in this judgment as only such
will be eligible for the Rapture itself.
If Israel and other Old Testament saints are raised at the time of the
Rapture,[1]
they also may be judged or their judgment may be reserved to a later time,
namely, the time of Christ's second coming to the earth when their rewards will
be distributed in the form of privileged places of service in the millennial
kingdom. As the judgment of the Church
does not concern the matter of salvation, it is primarily a question of rewards
for service.
The central passage on the judgment of
the Church is 2 Corinthians 5:8-10 (ASV):
We are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be weIl-pleasing unto him. For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Paul declares that it is his
fundamental purpose to live in such a way that his life will be well spent in
the Master's service. When he is judged at this judgment seat, it will be
determined what is good and what is bad.
Although some have attempted to make
this a Protestant purgatory, that is, a time of punishment for unconfessed sin,
it seems clear from the general doctrine of justification by faith that no
condemnation is possible for one who is in Christ. Discipline such as is administered in this life will be of no value
to those already made perfect in heaven.
The bad works are discarded as unworthy of reward but good works are
rewarded. The penalty is the loss of reward.
It is obvious that with imperfections which beset every Christian, no
one will be able to claim perfection in that day. All will have a measure of
failure, and it may be that all will have some reward. The judgment will be a
general evaluation of a summary kind, but it is gracious rather than
retributive.
The judgment seat of Christ, however,
is a real issue with Paul. He speaks of
"knowing therefore the fear of the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:11,
ASV). This fear is fear of regret that
his life will be revealed as one wasted and spent in selfishness rather than in
devotion and complete obedience to Christ.
Christians contemplating the Rapture of the Church, therefore, must also
face the fact that their lives will then be brought in review before God and
that they will be rewarded according to what they have done.
Three figures are used in the New Testament to illustrate the principles involved in the judgment seat of Christ. The first of these is found in Romans 14:10-12 (ASV):
But thou, ...why dost thou set
at nought thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of
God. For it is written, As I live,
saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to
God. So then each one of us shall give
account of himself to God.
In this passage life is viewed as a stewardship with every Christian having to give an account of his stewardship at the judgment seat of Christ. An application is made of this truth that we should not judge each other, but rather should give our principal attention to fulfilling our own stewardship in such a way that we will have a good report when we must render account.
In 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 the figure of
a building is used to illustrate the principle of judgment. In verse 2 the foundation of the building is
revealed to be Christ who as Saviour provides a foundation for every Christian
life. On this foundation every man must
build his building. Ultimately the building is to be tested by fire which
"shall prove each man's work of what sort it is" (1 Cor. 3:13,
ASV). When tested in this way, reward
is promised for that which abides, and loss is assured for that which is
burned:
If any man's work
shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall
suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire.
(1 Cor.
3:14-15, ASV).
In view of the fact that the building
is to be tested by fire, Christians are urged to build their house of gold,
silver and precious stones, which are incombustible, in contrast to wood, hay
and stubble which are easily consumed by fire (cf. 1 Cor. 3:12).
No meaning is assigned to the
particular materials mentioned from scriptural background. However, gold is
often used to represent the glory of Deity; silver is the metal of redemption,
and precious stones reflect wealth of other kinds. The use of these materials
undoubtedly reflects Christian life and witness which, as gold, manifest the
glory of God, as silver, the extension of the gospel and, as precious stones,
accomplish many things which are of value in God's sight. By contrast, wood, hay and stubble represent
three degrees of worthlessness. Stubble is fit for nothing. Hay is suitable only for beasts. Wood, while being a useful tool of man, can
also be destroyed by fire. The final
test of all man's work is what evaluation is placed upon it at the judgment
seat[2]
of Christ. Christians, accordingly, are
urged to build a life which embodies eternal values.
A
third figure is found in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (ASV) where life is compared to
an athletic contest:
Know ye not that
they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. And every man that striveth in the games
exerciseth self-control in all things.
Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an
incorruptible. I therefore so run, as
not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: but I buffet my body, and
bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others,
I myself should be rejected.
The
objective in a race is to win the prize and to this end all minor considerations
must be put aside.
In
like manner the Christian's goal is to receive reward at the judgment seat of
Christ, and therefore he must accomplish the will of God. The Apostle Paul not
only likens life to a race, but also to a boxing match where he beats his own
body in order to bring it under subjection. The figure speaks of
self-discipline and self-control. The reward promised is an incorruptible crown
in contrast to the corruptible crown of laurel, pine or parsley leaves which
soon fade away, so often given athletes in Greek contests. Paul wanted to live
and preach in such a way that he himself might not be considered worthless at
the judgment seat of Christ. The term
"rejected"' refers to his rewards and life rather than to his
personal salvation, and Paul had in mind that an athlete who did not conform to
the rules would have his victory disallowed.
In
addition to these figures of speech, Christ in the seven messages to the
Churches of Asia in Revelation 2-3 challenges those in each Church to live in
the will of God that they might receive their proper reward at the judgment
seat of Christ. No more searching
analysis can be made of any human work than the question of Christ's evaluation
at that future tribunal. g
This article was taken
from Jesus Christ Our Lord (p. 267-272), by John F. Walvoord, Moody
Press, copyright 1969. Used with
permission. Further reproduction
prohibited without written permission from the publisher.