What happens to believers who are alive and remain at the Lord's coming?
Believers alive and remaining at the Lord's coming are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. This event is described in verse 17 and is what has been called the rapture. The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the living believers are caught up.
Les explains from verse 16 that the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout. Then verse 17 says, "Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air." Les points out that these are the words from which we coined the term rapture—caught up to meet the Lord in the air. The surrounding context also includes a testimony of someone whose eyes were opened to believe, and everything changed.