Christians: Do you think the second coming of Christ will be "SECRET or VISIBLE" ? Which?

Question

Seventh-day Adventist Christian leaders advocate that the Second coming of Christ will be Visible and not Secret at all. There are many Christian scholars who postulate a "SECRET RAPTURE" view point. This particular view at its core advocates that Christ will secretly take Christians from the earth while the wicked ones will be left behind.

The Holy Bible clealy states in Acts 1:9-11 that Christ will return and that his return the second time will be a literal and visible event. Revelation 1:7 states that every eye shall see him at his appearance. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 declares that at Christ coming the Lord shall descend with a "SHOUT", The Archangel will be heard along with the trump of God. Nothing secret about his coming. It will be spectacular.

The Bible also states that the dead in Christ will come forth from the grave. They will rise and those who are living will be taken up to meet the Lord in the air.

Will you be ready when Jesus comes again?

Answer 1

Scripture supports the visible second coming. Rapture theory was invented in the mid-1800's. Very few denominations which hold to the Bible actually believe in the Rapture. The idea that 'a thief in the night' as Bert suggested means it will be unexpected is exactly right. The Bible clearly states that EVERY EYE will see and EVERY EAR will hear...not just the saved. In fact, the only one who knows when Christ will return is God the Father. I am ready...I hope I will meet the resurrected with Christ in the clouds...otherwise I would be happy to be among the first to be called forth from the grave to rise up to the clouds. Either way, I will go with Him.

Answer 2

I go to different churches depending on where I live. Most of the time Baptist. This is the main doctrine that I disagree with them about. The impression I get from what the Scripture says is that His coming will be visible and after the tribulation. They like to use the "theif in the night" to convince you that it's invisible but to me that simply means unexpected, and you don't know exactly when He will appear. I hope they are right. I really don't care to go through the tribulation. I'd love to believe that,but I really think they've got it wrong though. God bless!!

You would probably enjoy this site...
http://endtimepilgrim.org/corrie.htm

I also recommend a book called The Rapture A Question Of Timing by William R. Kimball. It's out of print, but is available on the Alibris web site for $2.00.

Answer 3

The "second coming" refers to His physically coming to the earth. In the rapture, He does not come to the earth, but the clouds, where the believers will meet Him.

1Th 4:17 Then we who remain alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to a meeting with the Lord in the air.

Revelation 19 is the second coming. There are no similarities between the 1 Thess. passage and this passage. In Rev. 19, we have the marriage supper of the lamb before the second coming. This would only be possible if the "bride" of Christ, the Church was present, in Heaven. That would be the whole Church, all believers. They then come back with Him.

Rev 19:14 And the armies in Heaven followed Him on white horses, being dressed in fine linen, white and pure.

The judgment seat of Christ for all believers and the marriage supper of the lamb occurs before the second coming, therefore, all believers must be present in Heaven for this to occur. How do they get there? The rapture of the Church.

Answer 4

First, let's look at the deception. We can be sure of one thing. The devil doesn't want anyone to think about it. If he tried so successfully to decieve people about Christ's first coming, we can be sure he will try even harder to deceive us about Christ's second coming! Jesus foresaw this and in love revealed the two deceptions that would be most prominent regarding His second coming.

Matthew 24:24-26 says, "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto
you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the SECRET chamber; believe it not."

Notice, the first deception, "He is in the desert." Christ is here, one can go out to see Him. Today with all the false christs, and the New Age we hear this constantly. The second deception is more subtle. "He is in the secret chambers." When it comes to this important truth, and people speak of Jesus coming in a "secret" way, don't believe it!

So how can we not be deceived? The Bible gives 5 crystal clear facts of how Jesus will come.

Fact 1. IT WILL BE LITERAL!
Acts 1:9-11, "And when he had spoken these things, while they BEHELD, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their SIGHT. And while they LOOKED stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in whit apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in l ike manner as ye have SEEN him go into heaven." This was after the crucifixion and Luke 24 tells us Jesus had a real body with flesh and bones. There are 5 words to notice here. Beheld, sight, looked, gazing, and seen. These all indicate a literal scene.

Fact 2. IT WILL BE VISIBLE!
Revelation 1:7, "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." Every eye on earth will see Him. Both the wicked and the righteous. Matthew 24:30 says all the earth will see Him. This is something Satan can never counterfeit.

Fact 3. IT WILL BE AUDIBLE!
Matthew 24:31, "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the for winds, from one end of heaven to the other." The trumpet will sound! And it's going to sound so loud it will even penetrate the graves! First Thessalonians 4:16-17, "for the Lord himselft 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 which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

Fact 4. IT WILL BE A GLORIOUS EVENT!
Psalm 50:3, "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him." Compare that with Matthew 16:27, "For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." He will come and not keep silent, but will come in the glory of the Father with all the angels, certainly not secretly.

Fact 5. IT WILL BE A CLIMATIC EVENT!
Matthew 24:27, "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." As lightning from East to West! The second coming will be the most wonderful event of all time! Families will be re-united, no more death, or sorrow, or pain. No more sin or temptation. Paise God!

All those who read this, I'd like to ask one question for you to ponder. Are you positive that if you died today that you will go to heaven?

Answer 5

I believe all of this also i believe that only true followers of Christ will hear the trumpet call and we will go with him. I also believe that everything we cant see in the spirtual we will finally see and we will wait to make the world new again a new heaven. Im ready ive been waiting my whole life to go

Answer 6

It's gonna be visible. But it might not be visible at the start. I am Christian, but i am still contemplating the thought that perhaps when he said he will come again, it means he will come again to us personally, rather than the world as a whole. In which case it would mean that it's secret, and as i said at first, it won't be visible at the start, but will become so, maybe it's how God reveals himself to you individually, and it becomes visible to you and maybe others as you tell people about it....?? (sorry, i must sound mad, i am not, and i am christian, but i like to think about things.. im not the first lol, or at least i hope im not)

Answer 7

Only God knows this for sure, I pray I am worthy but accept whatever comes.

Answer 8

All the trials and spiritual oppression I am going through, I'd BETTER be ready !!! LOL.

Answer 9

There's no such thing as the rapture in the bible.
And jeebus ain't coming back,ok?

Answer 10

I am ready