I have seen some truly ridiculous contortions of Scripture by those who just refuse to believe that God would do this. So, they come up with some very flimsy arguments against it, when Occam's Razor would supply a better explanation - the Rapture is exactly what it seems to be: a snatching away of the Church by Christ Himself so that we may not be subject to His Wrath poured out upon the Earth during the Tribulation.
Believing in the Rapture is certainly not the defining point of Salvation. My belief is that even those who reject it, but truly know Christ, will suddenly find themselves face-to-face with Him in the air. Their joy will be unspeakable.
translated as harpazo - a sudden snatching away - in the Septuagint. Harpazo is translated raptus in Latin. Thus, the English word “rapture”.
to seize, carry off by force
to seize on, claim for one’s self eagerly
to snatch out or away
It could just as easily mean to steal.
But I will admit I do not know, I just don`t believe it.
But you forget that this same Jesus said, “talke up your cross to follow me.” Just as Jesus had to suffer, so will those who follow Him. That is also in the Bible.
Or as the old saying goes, “no cross, no crown of glory.”