Aside from the fact that Jesus prayed that God would not take His followers out of the world in John 17:15 –
John 17:15 KJV — I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
The Rapture theory is unscriptural for one main reason. People assume that the word “sleep” means “death” since the word “sleep” is used to represent “death” in other parts of scripture.
The word “sleep” in this instance cannot refer to death.
In 1 Thess 4:13 Paul begins to speak of this “sleep” and 12 verses later (in a continuation of the same topic) in 1 Thess 5:6 He tells them not to fall “asleep”. This means that the “sleep” referred to in this instance is voluntary.
Reason number two is that some Christians don’t understand that the term “Second Coming” does not refer to the same thing as the term “Day of the Lord”.
The events commonly called the “Rapture Theory” are described in 1 Thess 4:13 through 1 Thess 5:11.
The Apostle Paul says that the events regarding the “sleepers” will occur on “The Day of the Lord”, in 1 Thess 5:2.
1 Thess 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
The “Day of the Lord” is specifically a time of discipline brought about by a person’s disobedience.
Zephaniah refers to the “Day of the Lord” as a time when God disciplines Christians who are complacent, Zeph 1:12.
Zeph 1:12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.
Zeph 3:7-9 are similar to 1 Cor 11:32, since both verses make reference to current discipline preventing future condemnation.
Zeph 3:7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
Zeph 3:8 Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
Zeph 3:9 “Yea, at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord.
The “sleepers” in 1 Thess 4:13 are believers who have been made alive (1 Cor 15:22) but have not “watched and been sober”, 1 Thess 5:6.
They have fallen “asleep” in a time of darkness and are not “of the Day/light”, 1 Thess 5:5-8.
The “sleeping condition” is what happens to believers who are not “alert and sober”.
The term “sleeping” as it is used here refers to what we would today call a backslidden believer.
Zephaniah 1:12 refers to Christians like this as being “settled on their lees”.
These believers had not put on their spiritual armor, 1 Thess 5:8.
1Th 4:13 ¶ 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 or Come before, (Strongs #5348) 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.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1Th 5:1 ¶ But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction or punishment (Strong’s #3639) cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 ¶ Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11 ¶ Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Whether a Christian believer is of the day (awake) or in the night (asleep) they live together with the Lord, 5:10. This is not an issue of losing salvation, but an issue of being exposed to the correction of the Lord (1 Cor 11:32) due to inattention to spiritual concerns.
The “sleepers“ are not to be awoken by other believers but by the Lord’s discipline. Believers are commanded by the Lord not to come before “sleeping” or backslidden brethren, 1 Thess 4:15.
These verses also refer to obedient Christians not associating with willfully disobedient believers.- Mt 18:17; 1Co 5:9,11; 2Th 3:6; 2Thess 3:14.
The Lord will wake them in the proper way by means of the Destruction/punishment (Strong’s #3639) of the “day”, 1 Thess 5:4.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things?