The Imminent Return of Jesus Christ -- By: Robert G. Gromacki

Journal: Grace Journal
Volume: GJ 06:3 (Fall 1965)
Article: The Imminent Return of Jesus Christ
Author: Robert G. Gromacki


The Imminent Return of Jesus Christ

Robert G. Gromacki

Assistant Professor of Bible and Greek
Cedarville College

The subject of the return of Jesus Christ has been a highly controversial one in conservative Protestant circles. Basically, the divergence of opinion can be traced to different hermeneutical principles which have led to the premillennial, postmillennial, and amillennial views. But there are more than these three views on the return of Christ. The premillennial camp, itself, is divided into at least four contrasting positions based upon different answers given to one fundamental question: when will the rapture of the church take place? Thus, we have pretribulationism, midtribulationism, posttribulationism, and the partial rapture view.

Why are there so many views advocated by God’s people and by competent Bible scholars? What causes these differences? Both Walvoord, a pretribulationist, and Ladd, a posttribulationist, admit that their respective positions are not explicitly taught in Scripture.1 Both tenaciously affirm that the Scriptures teach the personal, visible return of Jesus Christ, but at the same time, they both agree that the exact time is nowhere explicitly stated. They have arrived at their respective positions through honest attempts at the harmonization of the Scriptural passages dealing with the subject. This fact, no doubt, accounts for some of the differences. Ignorance or misunderstanding of an opposing position is another reason. Ladd misrepresents the pretribulationist position on the removal of the restrainer, the Holy Spirit (2 Thess 2:6–7) when he argues that it is absurd to think that the Jewish remnant without the indwelling Spirit could do a better job of evangelism in the Great Tribulation than the church is doing in the present age.2 The omnipresent Spirit will be in the world during that period, convicting, regenerating, and indwelling men. Generalizations, or equating the views of an individual with an entire system, are another reason. Advocates of the same position may disagree on the interpretation of certain passages. Wood sees two comings in the Olivet Discourse (the rapture in Matt 24:32–25:30, and the revelation in Matt 24:4–31; 25:31–46),3 whereas many other pretribulationists would recognize only one.

All of these various views have a direct bearing on the present subject: Is the return of Jesus Christ imminent? Could He come at any moment? Could He ...

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