WELS affirms the second coming of Jesus Christ as a literal, bodily, and visible event. Christ will return in great power and glory to judge all nations and to bring history to consummation. This is not a figurative, spiritual, or merely internal return but a real, physical reappearance of Jesus to the entire world at once.

The timing of the second coming is known only to God the Father; no one can determine the day or hour (Matthew 24:36). Christians are called to watchfulness and readiness, but not to speculation or date-setting. The imminency of Christ's return should motivate faithfulness and holy living. The second coming will be preceded by the preaching of the gospel to all nations and by various signs of the times, though the exact sequence of events is debated.

At the second coming, Christ will judge all humanity. The righteous will enter eternal life and glory; the unrighteous will be cast into eternal condemnation. The dead will be raised and the living transformed. All will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. WELS rejects the doctrine of a pretribulational rapture; instead it affirms a single, visible return of Christ for all people at the final day.