Read more…We tell you this message from the Master. We who are still alive at the Master's
second coming don’t go ahead of those who’ve died: With a commanding shout, with the head angel’s voice, with God’s trumpet, the Master himself will come down from heaven. The dead in Christ will be resurrected first. Then, we who are left, who are still alive, will be raptured together with them into the clouds, to meet the Master in the air. Thus, we’ll be with the Master—always. So encourage one another with these words!—Paul,
There are Christians who don’t believe in the rapture because the word “rapture” isn’t found in their favorite translation. But as I demonstrated, it’s all in the way you translate arpagisómetha/“will be snatched up.” A lot of translations use “caught up.” The proper idea is that of something forcibly taken away from you, like a thief steals a purse: The Christians will be torn away from the earth, and meet Lord Jesus in the clouds as he’s descending to earth—for we’ve joined his invading army as he takes possession of the world.
That’s what we Christians mean by the rapture.
Well, a lot of us.