You don't know what you are talking about.
The living are raptured up to be together with Christ and the resurrected saints that came with Him. The dead saints aren't brought up from the Earth because they are in heaven and Christ brings them with him! The Resurrection occurs in heaven not the Earth.
1 Thess 4 contradicts this statement. You might want to retract your first statement above.
14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
This verse shows that Jesus brings with Him the believers who have already physically died.
15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
This verse shows that the order of receiving imperishable bodies; the dead first, followed by the living.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and
14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
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The phrase "dead in Christ will rise first" refers to the bodies of the dead believers, who will be resurrected as imperishable bodies.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
This verse shows that the living believers still on earth will be "caught up TOGETHER WITH THEM in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air". Jesus and the dead believers from heaven will be in the clouds when the living believers join them.
2Co 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2Co 5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
The new body is in heaven!
That's not what the verses say. They refer to our imperishable bodies of which are sourced from heaven, but given "in the clouds" in earth's atmosphere.
There are no verses that say that believers are given their imperishable bodies in heaven. And 1 Thess 4 clearly states WHEN the dead believers are given their imperishable bodies; in the clouds.
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.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
The dead saints that resurrect are not brought to Jesus in a rapture but are brought with Jesus before the rapture even begins. That's a very important thing to recognize. Only those living saints are raptured and brought to Jesus and those he brought with him from heaven.
What you miss is the clear order of things. Dead in Christ first, and then 'we who are alive and remain' follow in reception of new imperishable bodies, all "in the clouds".
Jesus comes WITH his resurrected saints and then the living saints are raptured up to meet them.
Right. In the clouds.
Jesus does NOT come alone, and does NOT rapture up the resurrected saints, and then has a second rapture of the living saints. There is only ONE rapture and it is only for those that hadn't died!
Has anyone argued this??
Again, something awaits us in heaven. Is it not the new glorified body given in a heavenly resurrection?
No. The new glorified body is given "in the clouds" in earth's atmosphere.
If scripture interprets scripture then I submit:
Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Though Jesus was a carpenter's son, I do not believe he is literally speaking of building a house in heaven for us but this being a reference to what 2 Corinthians 5:1 touches upon, a new body in heaven.
Are you aware that "mansion" in the Greek means 'room'? Not "body" as you are trying to imply.
So, when it's time for second coming all the dead saints in heaven who are bodiless spirits will resurrect physically in heaven into the immortal body that was in heaven, then Christ will descend and the resurrected saints will follow Him, and when they reach the clouds above the Earth the living saints will be changed into immortal beings, then will be "caught up" in the Rapture to meet Christ and the heavenly saints and Christ will descend to his Earthly destination and all the will follow Him.
Again, 1 Thess 4 shows that all believers will receive their glorified bodies "in the clouds".
That makes sense since Christ brings the resurrected with him from heaven and that the resurrection bodies are already in heaven according to Paul. There is nothing that places the resurrected dead on the Earth at the time of the rapture.
It doesn't make sense to claim that the dead believers receive resurrection bodies in heaven, since 1 Thess 4 is clear about WHEN the dead believers get their new bodies by the words: the dead in Christ will rise first.
If the dead get their new bodies in heaven before the trip to earth, what on earth does "the dead in Christ will rise first"??
It' obviously describing the fact that the dead bodies will be "raised" from the ground but changed into immortality.
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