Will There Be A Rapture?

I used to be a firm believer in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Lately I have been approached about my views on the rapture. Figured I would put it out here. Even most of my family doesn't know how I view the rapture. Through my own personal study of God's Word, comparing different versions, and through prayer, I feel convinced that most Christians version of what is going to happen in the end of days is not accurate nor Biblical.

1 Thessalonians 4:14-18
14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

First of all, in verse 16, I believe the dead in Christ is referring to the physical bodies of those believers who have died. I believe their spirits are already in Paradise...not Heaven. Paradise is where Christ told the thief on the cross beside him that he would meet Him there that day. I believe the once the believer dies, their physical body goes into the ground and their spirit goes to paradise. I believe Heaven and Paradise are two different places. I do not believe paradise is a place where believers go and must be prayed for in order to reach heaven as Catholicism preaches on purgatory. I don't believe you or anyone else can pray your way out of paradise. I believe Heaven is reserved for God and the angels until Christ's final return and He creates a new Heaven and a new Earth (notice no mention of a new Paradise?).

My belief is that when Christ returns, it will be right before His wrath is poured out. At that point that is when we will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. As for whether or not this is a physical lifting into the air or not I do not know for sure. This may be symbolic. All I do know for certain, this indicates that we will not endure the wrath of God. We will be protected from it. God's wrath is reserved ONLY for those who have rejected Him.

However, there are many indications Biblically that we will have to endure tribulation. It does not make sense and is found nowhere Biblically that we will be raptured before the Great Tribulation found in Revelation. How many people do you think would suddenly believe because they saw all of the believer friends suddenly disappear? Probably 90% of humanity would. Biblically, it does not show 4 comings of Christ. The Bible indicates three. A pre-tribulation rapture would mean that there would have to be 4 comings.

But no, Christ is not coming 4 times. Christ came to earth as a baby (1st coming). Christ died and rose again (his 2nd coming because remember He went to Paradise after He died on the cross). Christ is coming again (3rd and final coming) after tribulation--which is Satan's free reign on earth--to take the saved and pour down His wrath on the wicked world.

So will this rapture happen? Yes, but not as many believers think. Christ will come back, raise first the dead believers, and then lift up the believers. There is no indication there is any chance for anyone after that point which shows that this is when Christ will establish His reign and pour out His wrath.

I have yet to have anyone show me scripture supporting a pre-tribulation rapture. If someone can show me undisputed scripture of this, I will reconsider my stance through prayer and comparison of God's Word. While no one knows EXACTLY what the end of the earth as we know it will entail, no one should assume that they are going to *poof* into the clouds and not have to endure any hardships at all.