Left Behind?

You’ve probably heard about Left Behind. Left Behind was the title of a bestselling series of books by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins dealing with the popular, but wrong, theory of the Rapture. There was a 2000 movie by the same title, starring Kirk Cameron. And there was a Left Behind remake just last October, starring Nicolas Cage.
You know the Rapture. Maybe you’ve seen the bumper sticker that reads, “In case of Rapture this car will be unmanned.” In the rapture theory and in the book series and Left Behind movies, the plot line is that Jesus returns secretly to earth prior to his final, visible coming in glory and power. At that secret coming, Jesus calls, or raptures, out of this earthly life all his true believers. As the rapture theory goes, all the true believers are suddenly removed from this earth, leaving even their clothing behind. Mayhem results. Moving cars are left driverless, airliners in flight are suddenly without a pilot, and critical services of all kinds fall apart because so many Christians have been raptured away to be with Christ. Left behind are the unbelievers, who must struggle through a period of terrible tribulation. Some of the left-behinders come to faith through the process and are ready to meet Jesus when he comes again for the very last time.
The word rapture never appears in Scripture, nor can the doctrine of a rapture be found in Scripture. Those who teach the theory appeal to numerous Bible verses for support, but the verses they use simply speak of the prophesied second and final coming of Christ on the great last day. (His first coming was his coming in the flesh when he lived a perfect life for us, died on the cross for us, and rose again for us as our Savior.) One of the verses often cited by rapturists is 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18:
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For 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 word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until 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 one another with these words.
In those verses, the Apostle Paul is not describing a secret coming of Christ to rescue a select few “true” believers. He is simply teaching the series of events surrounding Christ’s promised return to earth. Christ will call forth His believers from the grave and after that, He will call to Himself those such as are still alive at that moment. All are caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord as he arrives. Paul’s words are a great comfort to all who believe in Jesus. You will not be left behind when Jesus comes again. Whether long dead or still alive, He will not forget you when He comes again. He has said He will never leave you nor forsake you, and that includes the day of His coming—Judgment Day. He who redeemed you on the cross and who has called you and sustained you in the faith will certainly gather you to Himself when He comes again. Left behind? No, Jesus won’t leave you behind.
Karl Anderson is pastor of Heritage Lutheran Church in Apple Valley, Minnesota.