the illogic of Imminency ~ and why it matters

An oxymoron is the conjunction of self-contradicting terms or ideas; an example of which appears in the above image.  Another example involves a billboard advertisement that was placed by an organization that aims to help people learn how to read and write, which stated: "ILLITERATE? Write for free help."  It is oftentimes evident that even well-meaning persons just don't think through the implications of their own ideas.

In the realm of Bible prophecy studies, there are many who profess to believe in the so-called doctine of "Imminency," which doctrine teaches that because the Rapture of the Church can occur at any moment without regard to any other events (as they wrongly suppose), therefore, the time of the Rapture cannot be known.  Yet, most of those same people also insist that we are now living in the "last days," and that the return of Jesus Christ is going to occur very soon ~ probably, within our lifetime.   But how can one believe in the doctrine of Imminency and, yet, at the same time, claim that current events suggest we are now living in the "last days?"   That is a case of an oxymoron if ever there was one.

Those who profess to believe in the doctrine of Imminency cannot therefore know whether the Rapture may occur sometime today or, no less likely, a thousand years from now.  Furthermore, those same persons must then admit that everything the Bible says about the signs of the "last days" necessarily has no reference whatsoever to the presence of the Church in the world.  The Bible goes to great lengths to describe numerous conditions and events that must transpire prior to the return of Jesus Christ.  Thus, since it is true that Christ will not return before those events and conditions occur; and, if it should furthermore be supposed that the Rapture could occur at any time ~ between the time of Christ's ascension and the Second Coming: then, the only logical conclusion, in the case of those who believe in the doctrine of Imminency, is, that the presence of the Church in the world is related neither to history nor to prophecy.

Those who adhere to a belief in the doctrine of Imminency cannot speak rationally about the "signs of the times," with reference to the Rapture.  For, to them, there are no signs given in Scripture whereby anyone, including devout Christians, may discern the approaching time of the Rapture.  What "signs" are provided in Scripture, it is supposed by them, pertain not to the Rapture but to the Second Coming.  Curiously, it appears that most who believe in the doctrine of Imminency also believe in a pre-Tribulation (or, at least, pre-Wrath) Rapture.  But even those ideas entail a time-limited and situation-dependent relationship, that is, of the Rapture to other events.  It is logically inconsistent, in other words, to preach a pre-Tribulation, or pre-Wrath, Rapture, whilst also insisting that the time of the Rapture cannot be known.

There is another factor which I never perceived before I started writing this essay, nor have I ever heard it mentioned, namely: If the doctrine of Imminency were a true doctrine of Scripture, then we who are now living could have no possible way of knowing that the Rapture may not already have occurred.  Here's why.  1) If the time of the Rapture were unrelated to the occurrence of any other event(s); and, 2) therefore, the timing of the Rapture cannot be known; and, 3) since the Bible declares (in 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12) that, after the Rapture, God himself is going to "send strong delusion" to them that remain on earth: THEN, we could not know whether the Rapture has already happened and, if so, that we are not among those who are now being deceived, in order as the world is going on to destruction.

As I have explained at length elsewhere (The Seven Seals in Prophecy and in History, here), the Rapture is going to be a secret event, meaning, that none but those who are Raptured shall know that it happened.  How is it, then, that we who are now living can be assurred that the Rapture has not yet occurred?  That strikes me as being a most important question.  Of course, many would object that we (Christians) who are now living are sure that the Rapture has not yet occurred, for the simple fact that we are still here.  Consider, though, that, after the Rapture, it will almost certainly be business-as-usual in all churches throughout the world.

We have a more certain way to know that the Rapture has not yet transpired, rather than merely to point at the fact that we are still here.  Which is to say, we know that the Rapture has not yet happened, because that certain events ~ which are given in Scripture as signs of the Rapture's occurrence ~ have never yet occurred in history.  One specific example of which is what I called, in my book (see the link, above), the "Cosmic Sign" ~ which shall involve spectacular cosmic disturbances ~ that has not yet occurred.

Not only is the Rapture connected, in Scripture, with the sequential occurrence of particular, identifiable events.  Moreoever, the Rapture itself is identifiable in Scripture only in connection with those same events.  Failing to comprehend those identities and relationships in Scripture, between the Rapture and specific events which precede that, is the primary reason why it is that only a tiny handful of individuals I have ever encountered ~ whether in person or otherwise ~ has been capable of rightly discerning the Rapture event in Scripture.  In fact, the timing and occurrence of the Rapture event, relative to other, preceding events, is revealed in Scripture, in association with the opening of the Sixth Seal, in Revelation 7:9-17.  

The opening of the Sixth Seal is necessarily preceded, both in time and in succession, by the former seals, namely, the First thru the Fifth Seals; all of which is described in Revelation chapters 6 thru 7.
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It cannot be both ways: either the doctrine of Imminency is true and valid or, else, it is not.  If it is true, then there can be no meaningful discussion pertaining to when the Rapture may occur; except, only, to say that the Rapture may occur at any moment ~ during the past two-thousand years or (how many?) more to come.  End of discussion.

Only if the doctrine of Imminency is not true does it then make any sense to study Bible prophecy.  Bible prophecy is the divine record of what God has revealed concerning the future, that is to say, concerning things either that shall affect, or that shall be affected by, Christ and his Church on earth.  Even the revelation involving the coming of the Antichrist, and of the soon coming judgment of the world during the seven-year Tribulation, has much to do with the Church in the world.  (I do not mean to suggest that the Church is going to go through the Tribulation; although, the then-glorified saints are going to be directly involved in carrying out at least some of the judgments during that time.)

Opening one's mind to the possibility that the time of the Rapture may be known, according to Scripture (at least, what I have called the "relative time," that is to say, relative to the occurrence of a particular set of specific events which must precede the Rapture ~ most of which events already have transpired), has the potential to unlock, for such person, a great volume of Scriptural meaning related to prophecy and to clear up much confusion which has been raised by Satan to conceal the truth of Scripture.

The so-called doctrine of Imminency is unScriptural and, not unimportant, it is also unintellectual.  The doctrine of Imminency decrees: "The Rapture could happen at any moment since the time of Christ; and, we cannot know when that may be."  Period.  What else is there to discuss?  What is there to search out in Scripture, pertaining to when may we expect to partake of that "blessed hope?"  The doctrine of Imminency:

• fails to "rightly divide" the meaning of Scripture, where that involves Christ's admonition to his disciples to be always ready for his appearing;
• obfuscates the truth of Scripture by imposing false doctrine, which has the effect to militate against correct exegesis of the text of Scripture;
• introduces confusion and error, amongst believers;
• robs present-day believers of certain, true knowledge concerning the now-near-approach of the Rapture; which God intended should give us great comfort and hope ~ especially, at such a time as this.

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For more on this important subject, see my related article, titled, "Imminency: stumbling block or stepping stone?" (here).