“And Still…!” Why the Rapture Remains the Blessed Hope for Believers

At the end of any championship boxing match, if the champion wins and retains his belt, after reading the scorecards, the announcer will utter these two words, “And still…” indicating that the champ is still the champ. 

When it comes to the primary, epic, and imminent event that church-age believers have been waiting for since the first century, the rapture is still the reigning champion and the pound-for-pound best hope we have. In fact, not only is it the best hope, but it is the blessed hope—the event we’ve all been waiting for and the next event in God’s prophetic plan. 

The rapture should be on the hearts and minds of every believer, yet it has fallen out of style. Its clear details marred and faded by many persuasive dissenting voices coming from outside of the church and from within. Today, the pretribulational (pretrib) rapture of the church is often seen as a distant cousin to more important doctrines—a once-hyped fantasy of sorts that has lost its luster. Worse yet, the rapture in general, and the pretribulational rapture specifically, is under direct attack from some prominent voices within the church! 

So what are Christians to believe? Are those who teach a pretrib rapture abusing Scripture and misleading millions? Is talk of the end times in general, and teaching about the pretrib rapture specifically, all simply a distracting sideshow for sensationalists? This event is clearly prophesied to take place at the end of the church age and is one that all believers should be looking forward to—like a bride anticipating her wedding day.  

There are 321 New Testament references to the second coming—second only to the doctrine of salvation! The return of the Lord is, therefore, a matter of prime importance for our faith and practice as Christians. A careful look at God’s inspired, inerrant, authoritative, sufficient, and completed Word makes it abundantly clear that there is no basis for eschatological agnosticism, no reason to throw our hands up and embrace panmillennialism, and no impetus to water down our theological approach due to the direct attacks upon the doctrine of the rapture in general, and the pretrib position in particular. This is a primary biblical topic that all believers should hold in high regard and attempt to understand.  

If we are nearing the end of the church age, as it seems, the fog of spiritual warfare and the crafty deception of the enemy will work to erode our sense of clarity when it comes to this critically important teaching of the Bible. I believe the rapture is of extreme importance—perhaps now more than ever. Hebrews 10:25 informs us that watching believers will be able to “see the Day approaching” (NIV).  

My friends, the day of the Lord’s return at the end of the tribulation is approaching, which means the rapture of the church will come even sooner than that! If the conditions of the world right now, seen through the lens of Scripture and illuminated by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, do not have you convinced that the culmination of the age is near, I am not sure what will. This is why I believe that every believer who is living must come to grips with what Scripture teaches about the rapture.  

This is imperative for our generation and for the next generation, whom we are mandated to equip if the Lord does not come in our lifetime. The practical implications of understanding the timing of the rapture are immense. It is the difference between preparing for survival during the darkest period of earth’s history or preparing for our supernatural wedding day.  

Remember Jesus’ promise, 

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:1-3 NIV).

And still…!