of the costs of discipleship (including the reality of persecution or tribulation throughout history). In addition, this position finds no New Testament support for a secret, silent coming of Christ, advocating instead a single return of Christ. Perhaps the greatest strength of the posttribulation rapture view lies in its natural treatment and explanation of the biblical material. For instance, in the one passage that speaks of a “catching up” or rapture (1 Thess. 4:16–17), this view honors the immediate