I agree with everything that you posted above,
except for the following:
"When Jesus returns to earth, ALL believers will be resurrected/changed."
This resurrection in Rev.20:4-6 is referring to the great tribulation saints. The church will have been gathered prior to the on-set of God's wrath.
The main issue of this thread is about a pre-trib rapture. The problem is that there are no verses that teach that. In fact, all the so-called "rapture" verses are parallel to the verses about the Second Coming.
Compare Matt 24 with 1 Cor 15:52 and 1 Thess 4. They all have the same things in common.
So, the GT saints in Rev 20 are part of ALL the saints who have previously died. They aren't a separate group. In fact, this is proven by the fact that the context mentions that their resurrection is the "first resurrection". If there was a prior resurrection 7 years before, then their resurrection CANNOT be called a "first resurrection".
For if you have the church being changed and caught up when the Lord returns to the earth to end the age, then it would mean that they would have to go through the entire wrath of God, which would be all of the seals, trumpets and bowl judgments, as well as the plagues that the two witnesses bring.
While that is a common argument, let's recall that many of the judgments (wrath) during the GT are similar or the same as found in Exodus that occurred in Egypt. And God protected His people, the Jews during all that. I especially love the verse that says when there was thick darkness in Egypt, "there was light in Goshen". iow, God protected His people.
And there is a promise in Revelation about protection against the judgments during the GT.
The church at Philadelphia was 1 of only 2 of the 7 churches that the Lord didn't note some flaw or failure. iow, they were faithful. And the promise in 3:10 is that "since you have been faithful (kept My commands) I will also keep you from the hour of t5rial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth".
I know that many use this verse to claim that ALL Christians will miss the GT. But the promise is ONLY to faithful Christians, not ALL Christians. So, what does this mean? It means the unfaithful Christians will suffer the "sin unto (physical) death" of 1 John 5:16, and illustrated in 1 Cor 5:5, Acts 5, etc.
However, though faithful Christians will be kept from the hour of trial, they WILL experience martyrdom.
In further support of this, those who are resurrected in Rev.20:4-6, it is said that they will have not worshiped the beast, his image nor received his mark. Regarding this, the church will never see the beast/antichrist.
The passage doesn't say or teach this. It teaches that these people were faithful (and died the martyr's death for it).
The church will not be on the earth when the mark becomes the only way of buying and selling.
It seems the majority of those who do not take the mark will be believers. Rev teaches that many or most will "refuse to repent".
You said it yourself when you posted the following:
"Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
Maybe you misunderstood. This verse is parallel to 2 Tim 2:12. It's a promise for faithful (enduring) believers to reign with Christ (share in His glory).
Since believers within the church have been credited with the righteousness of Christ, have been reconciled to God, are co-heirs with Christ, how then can you put the church through God's wrath which Jesus already satisfied?
Not every believer will be a "co-heir with Christ" as I just explained. Only those who have "shared in His sufferings" (endured) will "share in His glory", per Rom 8:17b.
Jesus suffered God's wrath so that those who believe in Him would not be appointed to suffer His coming wrath.
That verse in 1 Thess 5 refers to the lake of fire, not the GT. Because that "wrath" is compared to salvation.
"Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."
This is a salvation promise.
Since Jesus was already pierced and punished for our sins, why are you putting the church through God's wrath?
The GT is a trial or test for those living on the earth. The unstable and unfaithful believers will be removed through physical death via the various wraths (judgments) so that when the mark is given, they won't be around to take it.
Revelation 20:4-6 is the last phase of the first resurrection
This is only a construct, since there are no verses that teach anything about various phases of the resurrection.
Further, 1 Cor 15:23 shows clearly that regarding resurrection, Jesus Christ is the "first fruits", meaning He goes first. And "then, those who belong to Him". It's stated as the whole group together. Not phases.
which will be of the saints who come out of the great tribulation. This is not the church, but those who will become believers after the church has been changed and caught up and they will be on the earth during the time of God's wrath.
1Thess 4 is about the "first resurrection". That includes all who have already died, and those who haven't died.
