If you believe in, and are prepared for, a post-tribulation rapture (or pre-wrath rapture), but it turns out that the rapture happens earlier than you thought, then you’re fine, and there’s no problem, and you will be so glad you were ready.
But if your hopes are set on a pre-trib rapture, and if the thought of suffering for Jesus is just unthinkable to you, then will you be ready to face the great tribulation when the antichrist comes and the rapture has not taken place?
I think my point is this: We might as well be as equally ready to go thru the great tribulation, as we are ready to be taken today – to be absent from the body and present with the LORD. That way we can’t lose. But the Christian who is not ready to go thru tribulation is not even really ready to meet the LORD if He came today.
Ian Vincent 
August 16, 2012 at 12:41 am
Some of my FB comments:
Yes mate, i know that fear of the future has not influenced the way you interpret end-time Bible prophecy. You believe in a pre-trib rapture bcos you believe you see that in the Bible, and not bcos you are fearful, and in turn interpret prophecy in such a way as to avoid facing reality.
But you are in a minority. Most Christians believe in a pre-trib rapture bcos of their fear.
On this issue Christians are falling into either of two separate and equally false positions:
a) That the rapture will happen before there is any widespread persecution, the mark of the beast, and great personal cost to follow Jesus.
Or…
b) That there is no great tribulation, that is all in the past, and Christianity will take over the world and seamlessly usher in the Kingdom age, with no Antichrist, mark or persecution.
The rich man said that he will build barns to store his goods and he arrogantly believed that he alone determined how long he lived on the earth, and that he had the power to live as long as he liked, and God said he was a fool for not knowing that God could take his life at any moment, and bring him to judgment.
So, clearly, the timing of the rapture is irrelevant to the fact that each man can be taken at any time, and by this fact alone all men should BE READY to meet their Maker at all times, regardless of the timing of the rapture.
True, some people could also interpret the rapture as happening off in the future with the thought that they can do just as they like until that time, and repent later, just before the rapture, and the LORD warned of that also, that they will carelessly sin by saying that the LORD is delaying His coming.
The foolishness of that position is exemplified in the account of the rich man who built his barns, for not knowing that God is the one who gives him every breath and every beat of his heart, and God can take his life away at any time.