Let’s look at the teaching of the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

There will be two groups of people who will be raptured to be with the Lord in this portion:

THE DEAD IN CHRIST – This references those who were ‘in Christ’ when they were living on the earth.  A couple of examples of this are:

2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be IN CHRIST, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 

Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places IN CHRIST.”

Ephesians 2:13, “But now IN CHRIST JESUS ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” 

When we have the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior, we are alive in Christ.  When we pass away, we are dead in Christ.  When the Lord returns to the air to ‘rapture’ his people, those who are dead in Christ will return with him from Heaven to resurrect their human remains. 

WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN – This references the believers who are still living when the Lord comes to take out His church.  These words indicate that ALL believers who are alive at the Lord’s return “shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.”  No believer, regardless of his behavior will be left behind.  We are told in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Here, we are assured that nothing will cause the Lord to stop loving His own.  We did nothing to warrant God’s love and we can do nothing to cause the Lord to stop loving us. 

It is quite possible that we can disappoint and grieve the Lord.  We read in Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”  While we are warned against grieving the Lord, we are also assured that we are sealed until the day of the redemption of our bodies to Heaven. 

With all that said, we do want to continue living a godly life to please our Lord. 

1 John 2:28, “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”  (CC)  (536.4)