# One Visible Return of Christ — Why a Secret, Pre‑Tribulation “Rapture” Is Not Biblical (KJV) > A short, Scripture‑only handout. The New Testament presents **one public, final coming** of Christ with resurrection, judgment, and gathering of the saints—**not** a secret removal years earlier. --- ## 1) Christ’s coming is public, audible, and visible **1 Thessalonians 4:16–17** — “For the Lord himself 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.” **1 Corinthians 15:51–52** — “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, **at the last trump**: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” **Matthew 24:27, 30–31** — “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. … And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall **all the tribes of the earth** mourn, and **they shall see** the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels **with a great sound of a trumpet**, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” **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.” **Acts 1:11** — “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 like manner** as ye have seen him go into heaven.” --- ## 2) Resurrection, judgment, and reward occur together at the **last day** **John 6:39–40** — “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but **should raise it up again at the last day**. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and **I will raise him up at the last day**.” **John 6:44** — “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and **I will raise him up at the last day**.” **John 6:54** — “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and **I will raise him up at the last day**.” **John 5:28–29** — “Marvel not at this: for **the hour is coming**, in the which **all that are in the graves** shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, **unto the resurrection of life**; and they that have done evil, **unto the resurrection of damnation**.” **Matthew 25:31–32, 34, 41** — “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and **all the holy angels with him**, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And **before him shall be gathered all nations**: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: … Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: … Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” **2 Thessalonians 1:7–10** — “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus **shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels**, **In flaming fire taking vengeance** on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; **When he shall come to be glorified in his saints**, and to be admired in all them that believe … in that day.” **2 Peter 3:10** — “But **the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night**; in the which **the heavens shall pass away** with a great noise, and **the elements shall melt with fervent heat**, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” --- ## 3) After **tribulation**, the Son of man gathers his elect **Matthew 24:29–31** — “**Immediately after the tribulation of those days** shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: … and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and **they shall gather together his elect** from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” **John 16:33** — “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. **In the world ye shall have tribulation**: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” **Acts 14:22** — “… and that **we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God**.” **1 Thessalonians 3:3–4** — “That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that **we are appointed thereunto**. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that **we should suffer tribulation**; even as it came to pass, and ye know.” **1 Thessalonians 5:2–4** — “For yourselves know perfectly that the **day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night**. For when they shall say, **Peace and safety**; then **sudden destruction** cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and **they shall not escape**. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” **2 Thessalonians 2:1–3** — “Now we beseech you, brethren, by **the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ**, and **by our gathering together unto him**, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, … **as that the day of Christ is at hand**. Let no man deceive you by any means: **for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed**, the son of perdition;” --- ## 4) “Taken” = judgment; “Left” = spared — as in the days of Noe **Matthew 24:37–41** — “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, **And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away**; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; **the one shall be taken**, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; **the one shall be taken**, and the other left.” **Luke 17:34–37** — “I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; **the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left**. Two women shall be grinding together; **the one shall be taken, and the other left**. Two men shall be in the field; **the one shall be taken, and the other left**. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, **Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together**.” --- ## 5) “To meet the Lord” pictures a **royal welcome**, not a secret removal **1 Thessalonians 4:17** — “… 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.” **Matthew 25:6** — “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; **go ye out to meet him**.” **Acts 28:15** — “And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, **they came to meet us** as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.” --- ## 6) Christ’s kingdom is present now; the saints already reign with Him **Colossians 1:13** — “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and **hath translated us into the kingdom** of his dear Son:” **Luke 17:20–21** — “… The kingdom of God **cometh not with observation**: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, **the kingdom of God is within you**.” **Revelation 20:4–6** — “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and **I saw the souls** of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; **and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years**. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. **This is the first resurrection**. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such **the second death hath no power**, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and **shall reign with him a thousand years**.” --- ## 7) Watchful hope at His one glorious appearing **Hebrews 9:28** — “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and **unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation**.” **Titus 2:13** — “Looking for **that blessed hope**, and **the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ**;” **2 Peter 3:11–13** — “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, **look for new heavens and a new earth**, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” --- ### Read‑aloud summary line When Jesus returns, it will be **public, loud, and final**—with the resurrection, the judgment, and the gathering of all His people **at the last day**. Scripture does **not** teach a secret removal years before His appearing; rather, the Church endures tribulation with hope until **that blessed hope**—His one glorious appearing.