• According to the post-trib view, the Antichrist will sign a seven-year treaty or contract agreement with Israel (which we've learned will be the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation). At the end of the Tribulation, Jesus will return to the earth at the Second Coming, and all Christians will be raptured while Jesus is descending to the earth. So the post-trib view says that the Rapture will take place after the Antichrist is revealed and after the seven-year Tribulation period.

• According to the various mid-trib views, the Antichrist will sign a seven-year treaty or contract agreement with Israel (which we've learned will be the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation). At the end of the Tribulation, Jesus will return to the earth at the Second Coming. All Christians will be raptured at some point during the Tribulation (depending on the timing of each mid-trib view). So the mid-trib views all say that the Rapture will take place after the Antichrist is revealed and during the seven-year Tribulation period.

• According to the pre-trib view, all Christians will be raptured at any moment now. Almost immediately after the Rapture, the Antichrist will sign a seven-year treaty or contract agreement with Israel (which we've learned will be the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation). At the end of the Tribulation, Jesus will return to the earth at the Second Coming, and everyone in heaven will return with Him. So the pre-trib view says that the Rapture will take place before the Antichrist is revealed and before the seven-year Tribulation period begins.

1. Romans 13:10-11

   "Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." (Romans 13:10-11)

   Notice that Paul wanted his first-century readers to understand the present time. He specifically wanted them to understand that the hour had come for them to "wake up" because their salvation was nearer than ever before. As we'll see in other passages (below), when Jesus returns at the Rapture He will be bringing us the completion of our salvation (also see section #25 in my article called Cheat Sheet). This attitude of "waking up" and being expectant for His return is not realistic under the mid-trib and post-trib views because with those views it's not possible to expect the imminent Rapture until sometime after the Antichrist signs a seven-year treaty or contract agreement with Israel.
   
   Paul considered the Rapture to be near, not sometime after the future Tribulation period begins. Only the pre-trib view allows for the expectant attitude that Paul described.

2. 1 Corinthians 1:7-8

   "Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 1:7-8)

   Once again Paul described his first-century readers as eagerly waiting for the Lord to be revealed (which will take place at the Rapture - 1 Peter 1:13). With the mid-trib views of the Rapture, this eager anticipation is not realistic until after the Tribulation period begins, and this eager anticipation is not realistic for the post-trib view until the end of the Tribulation. Yet Paul described the Corinthians as "eagerly waiting" for the Lord to return. The Rapture was near enough to be eagerly anticipated back then, and only the pre-trib view allows for this nearness of the Rapture.

3. 1 Corinthians 4:4-5

   "My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God." (1 Corinthians 4:4-5)

   Beginning in 1 Corinthians 3:8 and continuing down to the above passage, Paul spoke about "the judgment seat of Christ," and in Part Seven we'll see that this judgment will take place soon after the Rapture. This judgment is not for the purpose of salvation (because everyone who is raptured will already be saved), but instead it's for the purpose of judging our earthly obedience and giving us praise and rewards. In this context, once again we see Paul telling the Corinthians to wait until the Lord comes back for them. The Rapture was near enough to be anticipated back then, and only the pre-trib view allows for such an imminency of the Rapture.

4. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31

   "What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away." (1 Corinthians 7:29-31)

   Here Paul explicitly said that the time was short (as he said in Romans 13:10-11, above), and he urged his first-century readers to live as if the end were near. Only the pre-trib view allows for such a nearness of the Rapture.

5. 1 Corinthians 16:22

   "If anyone does not love the Lord - a curse be on him. Come, O Lord!" (1 Corinthians 16:22)

   If the Lord will not return and rapture the Church (the body of Christ) until after the Antichrist is revealed (as the post-trib and mid-trib views teach), then there was no reason for the first-century Christians to seek the Lord's return by praying "Come, O Lord." The only reason to be praying for the Rapture is if there's a possibility that the Lord might return at any moment. Only the pre-trib view allows for the Rapture to happen at any moment.

6. Philippians 3:20-21

   "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." (Philippians 3:20-21)

   Once again Paul described first-century Christians (including himself) as eagerly awaiting the Lord's return. Paul said that our lowly bodies will be transformed to be like the Lord's glorious body, which is a description of the Rapture as we can see by comparing the above passage with 1 Corinthians 15:51-53:

   "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)

   So in Philippians 3:20-21 (above) Paul described the Rapture, and he said that the first-century Christians were eagerly awaiting the Rapture.
   
   The mid-trib and post-trib views teach that the Lord will not return and rapture us until after the Antichrist signs a seven-year treaty or contract agreement with Israel, so the practical effect of the mid-trib and post-trib views is that there's no reason to be "eagerly awaiting" the Rapture until after the Antichrist signs that treaty or contract with Israel. The pre-trib view is the only view that allows for the Lord to return and rapture us at any moment, and the practical effect of the pre-trib view is that Christians can and should be "eagerly awaiting" the Rapture, just as Paul described in Philippians 3:20-21 (above).

7. Philippians 4:4-5

   "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." (Philippians 4:4-5)

   When the Greek word for "near" (above) is used in terms of time, it means "The time is near" (The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old and New Testaments, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, eggus). Paul was emphasizing the nearness of the Rapture, and he was using that imminency as an encouragement for proper Christian behavior. This watchful, expectant attitude is only possible with the pre-trib view.

8. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

   "for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead - Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath." (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10)

   Once again we see first-century Christians waiting for the Rapture, as if it might happen at any moment. In addition, we've seen that the seven-year Tribulation period is the time of God's wrath being poured out on the earth, and here Paul told the Thessalonian Christians that Jesus "rescues us from the coming wrath." Notice that Paul did not tell them to expect to experience any of the coming wrath, but instead he told them to expect to be rescued from the coming wrath, as this Bible commentary explains:

   "In the phrase "from the coming wrath" the word translated "from" means that Christians are kept from it, not taken out of it. The same verb (rescues) and preposition (from) are used in 2Co 1:10 where Paul said he was delivered from a deadly peril. Obviously this does not mean Paul died and was resurrected. Christians will be kept away from God's wrath, not just kept safe through it (cf. comments on Rev 3:10)." (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Walvoord and Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, emphasis added)

   The pre-trib view is the only one that creates this attitude of waiting for the Rapture, and it's the only one in which the Church is kept from the time of God's wrath (the seven-year Tribulation period).

9. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

   "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

   In the above passage, Paul wanted to encourage the Christians in Thessalonica who were grieving over deceased loved ones. Notice that he did not comfort the Thessalonian Christians by saying that someday they will see their deceased loved ones again in heaven. Similarly, he did not comfort the Thessalonian Christians by saying that their deceased loved ones had been spared the horrors of the Tribulation period. Instead, he specifically comforted them by saying that at the Rapture, we who are still alive will meet our deceased Christian loved ones in the clouds with Jesus. Paul clearly expected the Rapture to happen in their lifetime, and he said that this was encouraging because they would soon be with their deceased loved ones again at the Rapture. There's only one view of the Rapture that's consistent with Paul's statements here, and that is the pre-trib view.

10. 1 Timothy 6:13-15

    "In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time - God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords" (1 Timothy 6:13-15)

    Once again we see Paul using the nearness of the Rapture as an encouragement for proper Christian behavior. Paul told Timothy to do something until Jesus returns, so Paul believed that the Rapture might happen within Timothy's lifetime. Paul was watching for the soon coming of Christ, and the pre-trib view is the only one that creates this attitude of expectantly waiting for the Rapture.

11. Titus 2:12-13

    "It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:12-13)

    This is yet another instance where Paul used the nearness of the Rapture as an encouragement for proper Christian behavior. Paul said that we should live godly lives while we wait for the Lord to return for us. Paul included himself among those who were waiting for the appearing of the Lord ("while we wait"), so Paul believed that the Rapture might happen during his lifetime. The pre-trib view is the only one that fits the watching and waiting for the Rapture that Paul described in a number of passages.

12. Hebrews 10:36-37

    "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay."" (Hebrews 10:36-37)

    The author of the book of Hebrews echoed what Paul said about the nearness of the Rapture. In this passage we see that "in just a very little while" the Lord will come, and this fact is used as an encouragement for proper Christian behavior as we've seen in other passages. Again, the pre-trib view is the only one that allows for the imminency of the Rapture.

13. James 5:7-8

    "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near." (James 5:7-8)

    James described the Lord's coming as being near, and he used the imminency of the Rapture as an encouragement for proper Christian behavior.
    
    James told his readers to be patient until the Lord comes, so James believed that the Rapture might happen within their lifetime. James then pointed out that a farmer doesn't know the day or the hour when the fall or spring rains will come, but he knows when the time is near and he waits patiently and expectantly for it. Similarly, we don't know the day or the hour when the Rapture will happen, but it was near in James' time because he explained his "farmer" analogy by saying that the Lord's coming is near.
    
    They believed that the Rapture could happen at any moment in the first century, and therefore we should also believe that the Rapture can happen at any moment. The pre-trib view is the only one that allows for the imminency of the Rapture.

14. 1 Peter 4:4-7

    "They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray." (1 Peter 4:4-7)

    The apostle Peter (writing in the first century) said that "the end of all things" was near (literally, "at hand"). But what "end" was he referring to? Here are some possibilities:

    • It can't be the end of the universe because we've seen that the end of the universe will not take place until after the seven-year Tribulation and Jesus' thousand-year reign on earth and Judgment Day have all taken place. Therefore, the end of the universe was not "at hand" in Peter's day.

    • It can't be the end of the Tribulation period because we've seen that the Tribulation will last for seven years, and it had not yet begun in Peter's day (it still has not begun today). So the end of the seven-year Tribulation was not "at hand" in Peter's day.

    • It can't be the Second Coming because we've seen that the Second Coming will take place at the end of the seven-year Tribulation period (which had not yet begun in Peter's day, and still has not yet begun today).

    • It can't be the end of Peter's life or anyone else's life because the end of someone's life would not be "the end of all things."

    
    We've seen throughout this series that the Rapture will be the end of all things for the Church on earth (in our mortal bodies), and we've seen that the Rapture is always "at hand." This explanation fits perfectly with Peter's statement, and once again we see a New Testament author using imminency as an incentive for proper Christian behavior. The pre-trib view is the only one that allows for the imminency of the Rapture.

15. 1 John 2:18

    "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour." (1 John 2:18)

    Here the apostle John told his first-century readers that "this is the last hour." Not the last year, not the last day, but the last hour. This is an indication of imminency, and the pre-trib view is the only one that allows for the imminency of the Rapture.

16. 1 John 2:28

    "And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming." (1 John 2:28)

    John encouraged his first-century readers to continue in proper Christian behaviors and attitudes because of the imminency of the Rapture. Again, the Antichrist had not yet been revealed, and therefore the seven-year Tribulation period had not yet begun, which means that the Second Coming was not imminent. The only coming of the Lord that's always imminent is the Rapture, and the pre-trib view is the only one that allows for the imminency of the Rapture.

17. Jude 1:21

    "Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." (Jude 1:21)

    As we've seen, all Christians who are alive or dead at the time of the Rapture will instantly be changed from mortality to immortality. Therefore, we'll receive our promised eternal life at the Rapture. In the above verse, Jude said that his first-century readers were waiting for the Lord to bring them to eternal life, which means that they were waiting for the Rapture. Jude used the imminency of the Rapture as an encouragement for proper Christian behaviors and attitudes, and the pre-trib view is the only one that allows for the imminency of the Rapture.

18. Revelation 1:1-3

    "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw - that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." (Revelation 1:1-3)

    The Greek word that's translated as "soon" in this passage has the normal meaning of "suddenly, quickly" (The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old and New Testaments, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, tachos). So the things that are prophesied in the book of Revelation will take place suddenly or quickly, and John said that "the time is near" ("at hand"). As we've seen, the Second Coming will not be "at hand" until the end of the seven-year Tribulation. The Second Coming was not anywhere in sight in the first century, and it still is not anywhere in sight even today. In contrast, the Rapture is always "at hand."
    
    John urged his readers to take to heart what is written in his book (and said that we're blessed when we do so) because the time is near, so he was using the imminent Rapture as an encouragement for proper Christian behaviors and attitudes. The pre-trib view is the only one that allows for the imminency of the Rapture.

19. Revelation 3:10-11

    [Jesus is speaking] "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown." (Revelation 3:10-11)

    Once again we see Christians being kept from (not taken out from) the trial that will come on the whole world (the seven-year Tribulation period), as this Bible commentary explains:

    "This is an explicit promise that the Philadelphia church will not endure the hour of trial which is unfolded, beginning in Rev 6:1-17. Christ was saying that the Philadelphia church would not enter the future time of trouble; He could not have stated it more explicitly. If Christ had meant to say that they would be preserved through a time of trouble, or would be taken out from within the Tribulation, a different verb and a different preposition would have been required.
    Though scholars have attempted to avoid this conclusion in order to affirm posttribulationism, the combination of the verb "keep" (terein) with the preposition "from" (ek) is in sharp contrast to the meaning of keeping the church "through" (dia), a preposition which is not used here. The expression "the hour of trial" (a time period) makes it clear that they would be kept out of that period." (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Walvoord and Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary, Revelation 3:10, emphasis added)

    The Greek word that's translated as "soon" in this passage is related to the word for "soon" in Revelation 1:1 (above), and it means "suddenly" (The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old and New Testaments, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, tachu). So here we see Jesus telling Christians that He will return suddenly (and unexpectedly since we're never told when He will return). As we've seen throughout this series, only the pre-trib view allows for the Rapture to be sudden and unexpected because it can happen at any time.

20. Revelation 22:7

    [Jesus is speaking] "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book." (Revelation 22:7)

    In this verse Jesus repeated the sudden and unexpected nature of His return, and the same arguments for the pre-trib Rapture apply here as in Revelation 3:10-11 (above).

21. Revelation 22:12

    [Jesus is speaking] "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." (Revelation 22:12)

    In this verse Jesus once again repeated the sudden and unexpected nature of His return, and the same arguments for the pre-trib Rapture apply here as in Revelation 3:10-11 and 22:7 (above). Then He said that His reward is with Him, which indicates that Christians will receive their rewards soon after the Rapture (we'll learn more about this in Part Seven).

22. Revelation 22:16-17

    ""I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!"" (Revelation 22:16-17)

    Here we see the Spirit petitioning the Lord to come, and we see the bride (whom we'll learn about in Part Seven) petitioning the Lord to come, and we see that all those who hear the words of the book of Revelation are told to petition the Lord to come. Since the Second Coming will not take place until all of the events of the seven-year Tribulation have happened, there's no reason for John's first-century readers (or twenty-first-century readers) to be petitioning and praying for that coming of the Lord. The pre-trib Rapture is the only coming of the Lord that John's first-century readers (and twenty-first-century readers) can be petitioning and praying for because it can happen at any time.

23. Revelation 22:20

    "He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:20)

    Once again we see the sudden and unexpected nature of Jesus' return, and the same arguments for the pre-trib Rapture apply here as in Revelation 3:10-11, 22:7, and 22:17 (above). Again, the pre-trib view is the only one that allows us to be praying and petitioning for the Rapture because it can happen at any time.

"The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"" (John 21:17-19)

• 04/03/2023 - Added a link to my article called "How to Discern God's Guidance" in the Conclusion section.

• 02/08/2023 - Added a link to my article called "Cheat Sheet" in the section called "Romans 13:10-11." Modified the section called "Titus 2:12-13." Modified the Conclusion section.

• 08/30/2022 - Added a section called "1 Thessalonians 4:13-18."

• 08/06/2022 - Modified the section called "1 Corinthians 16:22." Modified the section called "1 Thessalonians 1:9-10." Modified the section called "Revelation 3:10-11."

• 07/23/2022 - Modified my closing statement.

• 05/13/2022 - Modified my comments in some of the passages.

• 11/03/2021 - Made the font size a bit bigger and added a fish symbol as a favicon (which is displayed in the browser tab).

• 09/24/2021 - Made a slight change to say that when the Antichrist makes a seven-year "covenant" with Israel, it will be a treaty or contract agreement of some kind. Originally I had said that it will likely be a peace treaty, but that's too narrow of a definition of "covenant."

• 02/14/2019 - Modified some of the wording.

• 11/04/2005 - Added 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 in the section called "Imminency."

• 03/01/2004 - New article.