<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ut1</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Shooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Well, i just don't see it anywhere in there about a rapture. The rapture theory just doesnt add up for me. </div></div>

13 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. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 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. 16 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: 17 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.
1 Thess 4:13-17 (KJV)

30 "Then the signs of the Son of man will appear in the sky; and then all the tribes of the earth will lament, when they see the Son of man coming upon the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.

31 "And he will send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather his elect together from the four winds, from utmost heaven to utmost earth.
Matt 24:30-31 (MontgomeryNT)

"caught up" or "taken away" = Rapture

These verses are the basis for the doctrine. </div></div>

I agree that caught up could be translated to mean rapture, but is it in the sense that you think? The scripture that you quoted where Jesus would come back and the dead would rise would have to be the final time that he came back for his church. I know the Series Left Behind always taught it like this:One day people would just disappear off the face of the earth and that those that remain would be given a chance to repent. During this time they would suffer great tribulations and some would even take the Mark of the beast.When the signs of the Son of Man appear and all the tribes on earth will lament.. THis is true but after studying this it seems to be happening when the tribulation time is up and the Armies try to destroy the Nation of Israel. We see all this stuff going on with Israel in the news and Hal Lindsey taught on this one time and said a 50 million man army would rise against Israel, after his study he believes it will be China and Russia and other smaller nations would join them to defeat Israel and that time Jesus would return to save them. THis does line up with the Bible in a sense that God said Israel would not be destroyed. I hope you are right, that the pre-rapture will take place, but just through personal study I lean closer to the post rapture.