Though salvation and eternal life are definitely what we are all thankful for and looking for our transformation from mortal to immortal, being removed from the earth prior to God's wrath is also apart of God's grace and mercy for those who believe in His Son.
Why aren't there any verses that clearly indicate that Jesus resurrects/raptures those who belong to Him and then takes them back up to heaven. That would put all this discussion to rest.
The only way to conclude that Jesus returns to heaven is from conjecture. There is nothing clear about it.
otoh, we have Acts 3:21, which the Analytical Greek Lexicon indicates the meaning of 'dechomai' is "to receive and retain, contain" for that verse specifically.
Someone's going to have to prove that lexicon is in error before I'll believe a scenario that can't be found clearly in Scripture.
Here's how a number of translations treat Acts 3:21-
Berean Study Bible
Heaven
must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets.
Amplified Bible
whom
heaven must keep until the time for the [complete] restoration of all things about which God promised through the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.
Contemporary English Version
But
Jesus must stay in heaven until God makes all things new, just as his holy prophets promised long ago.
Good News Translation
He must remain in heaven until the time comes for all things to be made new, as God announced through his holy prophets of long ago.
International Standard Version
He must remain in heaven until the time of universal restitution, which God announced long ago through the voice of his holy prophets.
However, even if one prefers all the other translations:
"
English Standard Version
whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago."
Note the exact wording "must receive UNTIL the time...". Sure doesn't sound like Jesus "coming and going" until the times for restoration.
Before Jesus told us about going to the Father's house to prepare places for us He said, 'Don't let your hearts be troubled.' Likewise, after Paul gave a detailed account of the resurrection and the living being changed and caught up he said, "Therefore, comfort each other with these words." Likewise, when writing to Titus, Paul referred to the appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ as 'The Blessed Hope."
What Jesus said in John 14 is easily understood to be referring to the New Jerusalem, which will come down from heaven. So there's nothing in John 14 that demands a pre-trib rapture, or a "U-turn" maneuver.
All that said, if the Lord was going to put His church/bride through His wrath (seals, trumpets and bowl judgments) then how could our hearts not be troubled.
We are comforted by what's waiting for us. That's what.
Believers would also not have anything to comfort each other about, nor would it be a blessed hope.
You don't think an immortal body and living with Christ ruling isn't a blessed hope and VERY comforting to think about??
For they would have the Lord punishing the righteous right along with the wicked and we know from the information regarding Noah and Abraham and Lot, that God does not punish the righteous with the wicked, which is what would be happening if the Lord gathered His church after His wrath.
All this is dismissed by the simple fact that God judged Egypt with 10 horrible plagues, yet none in Goshen (a part of Egypt) experienced any of the plagues.
Just remember: "with God, everything is possible". Mark 14:36
Then they give the excuse that the church is going to be protected, yet I have not seen so much as even one scripture which mentions the church within the narrative of God's wrath, much less anything stating that the church is protected.
How about Rev 3:10? That's clear enough. And remember that mention of the church forms the bookends for the entire book.
Rev 1-
1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Rev 22:16 - “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
It seems mighty odd to me that the first 3 chapters is directed to the churches, and in the final chapter, we are reminded of WHOM the epistle was written TO; the churches.
If the church won't go through the Tribulation, then WHY WHY WHY would John make such emphasis about and to the churches?
I wish that they could understand fully who we are and what we have received as believers in Christ.
So we're rather dumb about who we are and what we have received as believers in Christ? When there is a verse that SAYS that Jesus remains in heaven UNTIL the times of restoration? When there are NO verses at all about Jesus taking resurrected/raptured saints back up to heaven?
Are you kidding us?
How can we be reconciled to God, yet still go through His wrath?
Easily. By His omnipotent protection. Just like the Jews in Egypt.
They don't understand the difference between the common trials and tribulations that come at the hands of men and the powers of darkness vs. God's unprecedented wrath to come. One of the major problems is that they do not understand the severity and magnitude of the seals, trumpets and bowl judgments.
Please don't level such condescensions at those you disagree with; as if y'all are somehow smarter than the rest of us.
The post-trib view has evidence of it, as I've noted above, unlike the pre-trib view..