Except for those involving deity, there are very few absolute, smoking-gun passages in the Bible. To answer many questions, it requires "weighing" the evidence: putting the scriptures indicating one interpretation on one side of the scale and the scriptures indicating that this interpretation is not correct on the other side. The seemingly correct answer would be whichever side is the heaviest. However, there are many questions that are not 100% answerable. At best, we can only say that the truth leans toward a certain answer.
The pre-trib rapture theory is one of these types of questions - is it or isn't it? From what I know, there is no smoking-gun passage that says that the saints in question will absolutely be raptured before the beginning of the tribulation. In facts, the so-called "proof" verses for this are extremely iffy, even when they are all combined together. On the other hand, it definitely says it will happen at the last trump, when the trumpet is sounded - 1 Corinthians 15:52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16. The way it's written and not explained, the readers (or, hearers) back then would surely already know what this "last trump" is. The only "last trump" of the NT that I know of is the 7th and last trump of Revelation.
I see no way that the "last trump" can be interpreted any other way. It is the closest thing to a smoking-gun passage for this question that there is. I've seen a lot of dishonest attempts to dismiss the "last trump" as being some other trumpet or sound. One dishonest soul even tried to prove that the "last trump" wasn't really a trumpet sounding but was some sort of noise that sounded like a trumpet.
Thinking about myself, it makes no difference whether it's pre-trib or post-trib. I have a totally different "rapture." It's called the "appearing" and the only place you'll find it is in Paul's 7 post-Acts epistles Colossians 3:4, 1 Timothy 6:14, 2 Timothy 4:8. I will appear in the uncreated heavens when Christ Jesus first appears there. In Ephesians 1:20-21, Ephesians 4:10, it shows that this is where Christ Jesus is now hid in God. In Ephesians 2:6, it says that I am already seated there. In Ephesians 1:4, it says that I was chosen for this BEFORE the creation. The people Paul is addressing in Thessalonians were chosen FROM (or, since) the creation, 2 Thessalonians 2:13
The only people on the planet, as a group, who see this different calling in Paul's last 7 books are the Acts 28 dispensationalists. After you see it, it's so very obvious. However, if you read Eph, etc., with the rapture of Cor and Thess in mind and your brain in Acts, you will miss it. Those that find their hope in the books written during the Acts period are essentially Jews that falsely think they are Gentiles. The only books that are 100% for today's Gentiles, with Israel not involved at all, are Eph, Phil, Col, 1&2 Tim, Titus, and Phile.
So, what will happen to those believers who just can't see the hope of the calling in Eph and still believe in the hope and calling during Acts? Will they still get the far better hope of Eph? I don't think so. I think that, in this case, you get what you believe. Faith is the substance (reality) of things hoped for, but this faith has to be in something that is true.
Acts 2 dispensationalists are basically fundamentalists without the Gospels. Acts 9 dispensationalists are sort of Jews who think they are Gentiles. Acts 28 dispensationalists are the only people in the world who see the obvious far better calling in Eph, etc. Of the 3 brands of dispensationalism, only Acts 28 offers you something that you would not have otherwise. Once you see it, you will wonder why everyone doesn't see it. Be a Berean and get out of Acts. See your TRUE calling in Paul's last 7 books. Start with Ephesians 1-3.
The battles fought by Ac2D and Ac9D are mainly over when the church started and when Israel became Lo-ammi. These things are also important for Ac28D but they take a second seat to the far more important aspect of being able to see the far, far better calling found in Eph.
ac28,
1. Proper hermeneutics and proper history of how God dealt with men in different ages has to be understood properly.
2. Hermeneutics involve things such as plain statement, double references, allegory, etc. but all has to agree with proper context and comparing of scriptures and connecting the dots correctly.
3. Whether pre, mid, or post all have their own context of whatever people's reference is of biblical history, etc. and can be right in their own context but not necessarily right in the biblical context. They all have some truth even though it may not be in the right frame of reference according to the subject. Extreme doctrines have a little bit of truth for the most part somewhere in their doctrine and then some don't.
4. No matter what position one may hold of the rapture the scripture tells us to occupy until he comes. This means that those who believe in pre-trib and use it merely for escapism and don't witness are wrong according to this verse. Much of the time this is never really the case if at all for true believers, it mostly pertains to those who are more professors or just being a little slack in their faith and walk and care for others in the love of the Lord. After all, Satan is out there to steal, kill, and destroy our lives in any manner possible.
5. The last trump mentioned in Revelation is in the 7th trumpet but this doesn't mean that it is. The plain statement has to line up with the context of the subject even if they are found in two different passages.
Case in point is that in 1 Corinthians 15:31 Paul says I die daily and in Romans 6:10 talks about dying to sin once as Christ died. This is a spiritual meaning in Romans 6 but in 1 Corinthians 15 it is not because Paul had already died once to the flesh as Christ did and he believed in mortifying his members and not sinning. Even Peter said the flesh has ceased from sin so it will not perform the things of the flesh.
1 Corinthians 15 is talking about people who didn't believe in the resurrection in verse 12 and Paul said if there is no hope for a physical resurrection then everything is in vain and we are stupid and might as well eat, drink and be merry because there is no tomorrow.
To understand the phrase about putting his life on the line for Christ everyday to harmonize with that passage is Romans 8:36; killed all the day long, and accounted as sheep for the slaughter. The other passage is 2 Corinthians 4:10; always bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus. This is the message that they could be killed for and not dying to self everyday or to sin everyday. So your theory of the last trumpet and the last trump of the 7 trumpets in Revelation is not full proof and is not true if you understand the trumpets and the feasts.
6. The rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52 is a mystery in Paul's time that he revealed where as the second coming of Christ was never a mystery and is a conclusive doctrine to the jews in the old and new testament. So this is another reason that your conclusion about the last trump and the 7th trump is dead wrong. The 7th trump is in the middle of the tribulation because Israel is fixing to go through some purging which is in Revelation 12 when Satan can't kill the man child who is the 144,000 and who is kicked out of Heaven at that time and is no longer the accuser of the brethren which is the mystery of God in Revelation 10. Then he chases after the woman into the wilderness where she has a place of refuge and then Satan goes after the remnant of her seed which denotes a birth which was the man child in reference to Isaiah 66:7. The remnant of her seed in verse 17 who is scattered and then it goes into Revelation 13 about the Antichrist kingdom who is handed the kingdom from Satan which deals with the ten horns and ten crowns which is another story.
7. Colossians 3:4 the appearing is when he appears in the cloud and we appear with him in glory which is not the earth for the second coming we are coming out of heaven to come to earth to fight at the battle of Armageddon.
8. 1 Timothy 6:14; the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ is in the clouds and Christ will bring with him the righteous dead from heaven in verse 15 of 1 Thessalonians 4 and they will rise to immortality first before the living righteous dead and so shall we ever be with the Lord. The second coming we will have been in heaven for 7 years Revelation 4:10 represented by the 24 elders and Revelation 5:10 which is prophesied of being after the tribulation, then the Judgement of Believers works in Revelation 11:18 will be in the middle of the tribulation and is the same one as in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 and at the end of the tribulation will have eaten at the marriage of the supper of the Lamb of which even the last of the tribulation saints in Revelation 15 will be before we all come out of heaven to fight at Armageddon Revelation 19:11-15.
9. 2 Timothy 4:8 is the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. This is the Blessed Hope of Philemon 2:13 as well and has nothing to do with the Judgement of Believer's works as in 2 Corinthians 3:12-15 which is the same as Revelation 11:18 in the middle of the tribulation for it is in the days of the 7th trumpets.
The 7th trump does not bring the Day of the Lord to pass which is the second coming because it is in the middle of the tribulation, it is under the Wrath of the Lamb Revelation 6:16-17.
The Wrath of God under the 7 vials is what leads to the battle of Armageddon and the Second Coming of Christ for the vials are judgement on the beast kingdom worshippers Revelation 15:1 and 16:1, down through 19.
10. Ephesians 4:10, 1:4 and 2 Thessalonians 2:13 has to do with the plan of God being predestinated as well as those who respond to the gospel. This has nothing to do with the second coming.
11. There are different calling of the church concerning rulership positions and concerning the different rulership positions of the jewish nation. That is plain to see in Isaiah 2:2-4, Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 66:7-8, Matthew 28:19 and on and on.
12. First, the whole Bible is for all to understand in correct perspective.
The jews had rejected the message of Jesus and they rejected the message the apostles doctrine as well and Paul's message in Act 28 was in line with Romans 9-11 of the jews rejection and that is why the gentiles come into the picture to provoke them to jealously.
The church even back was really jews and gentile in one body alike because the wall of separation was torn down which Paul revealed in Ephesians so the body would be one new man Ephesians 2:14-16 and this happened at the cross. The mystery was not revealed by the apostles until Peter got the vision of the clean and the unclean and of course Paul in the desert of Arabia the second time and after Acts 28. Another words it was approved at the cross but didn't come to real fruition till Acts 10.
13. The epistles of Paul are to mainly the gentiles but it doesn't mean that the jews were not a part of it because the church is made up of jews and gentiles in the body for we are all in Christ if we are saved. The only requirement to be of the church of Jesus Christ is to be saved whether jew or gentile in this age of the church.
14. The people from the Antediluvian period through the patriarchs and the law period of Moses and today who didn't see the rapture will be a part of the righteous dead of 2 Thessalonians 4:15-17 unless the people of today provided the Lord comes while they are living they will be still be changed and raptured up with the righteous dead in 2 Thessalonians 4:15-17.
15. Hebrews 11:1 has nothing to do with those saints at that time not being able to actually see the coming of the Lord. They didn't see the rapture or the second coming. The elders in verse 2 obtained a good report for believing by faith. Christians can have faith for things and not realize it in this life. God didn't say we would necessarily get everything we pray for but we are to be faithful and if we do not receive down here we will gain it in heaven and that is why Jesus said lay up your treasures in heaven for they are eternal and will not fade away.
16. Acts 2 are not fundamentalists without the gospels. We have to understand the gospels as being under the Mosaic law and how Jesus had to fulfill the law of Moses in order to be the perfect sacrificial lamb and then those jews and all the people before could be completed in the process of perfection through salvation Hebrews 2:10 and Hebrews 11:40. They were not perfected till Calvary.
17. Acts 9 has nothing to do with jews thinking they are gentiles for the body of Christ is jews and gentiles in the body of Christ. We are all part of the body and those unbelieving jews can be grafted in with the gentiles just as the gentiles could be broken off if they didn't abide in Christ. This still doesn't hinder the different rulership positions in the coming kingdom that differ in the nation of Israel and the church for all will be in the earthly kingdom of heaven. Paul talks about it for the church believers who are saved jews and gentiles in this age and he also talks about the nation of Israel specific that have the covenants of being at the head of the nations from Isaiah 2:2-4 and 9:6-7 and Acts 9:25-29. Their calling and election are sure with the generation that obeys God in the time of Jacob's trouble which Daniel 12:2 talks about.
18. The bereans are not right in their doctrine of Acts 9-11 and the spiritual jew theory of Romans 2.
The spiritual jew is the true jew for they believe in Messiah's death, burial and resurrection to be saved and not the law of Moses which was satisfied by the perfect life and sacrifice of the Savior and then it was abolished. Read Romans 10:4 and 2 Corinthians 3:13-16.
The jews having a nation and a kingdom is a fact and all the Messianic christians that truly understand the gospel of the death, burial and resurrection and that don't have the veil over their face so they are not blinded understand their role in the earthly reign of the KOH. Jesus preached this message and they rejected it then but will receive it at the end of the tribulation Daniel 9:27, 12:2, Micah 5:2, Joel 1-3, Zechariah 13:9 and Malachi 4:5, Matthew 24 and Jeremiah 31 and Revelation 1:7 and on and on.
19. The church started with people from Jesus ministry and started officially with the cross and resurrection of Christ. The early church was still for Jews and gentiles but was primarily jews and they didn't have the full picture at the time. It grew gradually and came to fruition in Acts 10. Paul says in Ephesians that the mystery of the church was revealed to the holy apostles and not just him Ephesians 3:5.
20. The bereans get tunnel vision because they get closed in on one point and cannot see the total picture. This is what happens because of going to seed on Paul and the gentiles only ministry. This doesn't mean that there are not things of truth within this line of thinking but they make it a whole doctrine and it goes awry and then they accuse dispensationalists of the same thing for their systematic theology and this is why we have to be careful of getting too much into systems and going to seed on one point that makes one miss the big picture.
So the bereans are not correct in their theology of Acts 28 and Paul's only gentile church that excludes the jews. Peter was given a ministry that was more to the jewish christians but it didn't mean that he had not converted gentiles in his congregations. They also would not have been proselyted because Peter was already taught that lesson in Acts 10.
21. So I am sorry but according to the word of God you are not properly dividing the word of God. God warned both Jews of their haughtiness of having the covenant of promises as well as those in the church who took primary focus because of the jews rejection. It doesn't means that those who believe wrongly whether dispensationalist or Berean or others but it results many times in that manner and is still not correct of rightly dividing the word. Jerry kelso