First, I don’t agree that it is denying what Christ said, second, you still haven’t explained what 1 Thes 4:13-17 means. When I read those verses I see in 14 a confirmation of 1 Cor 15:1-4, and in 15 we are told those who are still alive will not precede those who have died. Once that occurs, then in 17 those who are ALIVE will be caught up together in the clouds to meet Christ.
That can’t be more clear to me what that means.
Now the discussion is when-Pre, mid or post.
Thank you for directing me to reread 1 Corinthians 15. It is very accurate.
“12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have died[e] in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.[f] 21 For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; 22 for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.”
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Are you one of the “First Fruits?”
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“24 Then comes the end,[g] when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
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This is the “Raised Up” that people describe as the rapture. They are the “First Fruits.”