John Piper on the Rapture
Christ’s Return My understanding of the New Testament is that Jesus promised he would return and that in this returning, he would do a final rescue for those who are trusting him and final judgment for those who are not believing in him. I don’t think there are two comings of Christ in the future, but only one. “I don’t think there are two comings of Christ in the future — only one.” Most of those who believe that Christ will come twice believe that the first return, the first of the two, is the coming of the Lord to snatch away the church out of the world, called the rapture. This would be a snatching away of the church back to heaven for seven years, usually, while the great tribulation happens on earth. Then, this is followed by a final — this is kind of the second stage — return of the Lord to establish his kingdom. Now, I grew up in a home and a church that believed that view, called the pre-tribulation-rapture view. It is called that because there is a coming of Christ pre,