What happens to believers who are still alive when Christ returns?
Those who are alive and remain at Christ's return will be raptured—caught up—after the resurrected saints are reunited with their new bodies, souls, and spirits. This happens suddenly, in a split second, whether they are driving, asleep in bed, or otherwise occupied; they will be out of here.
Les explains that after the resurrected saints have been reunited with their new body, soul, and spirit that Christ brought with Him, then those who are alive and remain shall be raptured. He notes that “raptured” is the same meaning as the King James “caught up”; if you don’t like that word, just say caught up. The day is coming when believers will be caught up, out of here in a split second. He illustrates with a Denver trucking businessman, Jim, who told his young workers they might one day see old Jim’s truck at a downtown Denver stoplight and he’s out of there. Les says it thrills his heart when someone sees this so clearly. If the Lord comes in our lifetime, believers will suddenly be out of here, whether driving down the highway or asleep in bed; it doesn’t matter.
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.
More Questions
What happens to believers before the Antichrist is revealed?
Before the Antichrist appears, believers are going to be snatched away and caught up, suddenly meeting the Lord in the air, as taught in 1 Thessalonians.
What is 1 Thessalonians 4:17 describing when it says believers are caught up?
In 1 Thessalonians 4 Paul is talking about himself and believers, and these verses are what we refer to as the rapture of the church, the being caught up to meet the Lord in the air.