Hi Vic,
So, you say that you DO believe in the Rapture -- that Christ will return in the clouds and remove His church, His body of believers, from the earth before the Tribulation begins. That is good.
Now, we know from 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 and from 1 Corinthians 15:50-53 that when Christ come in the air, in the clouds to "catch up" (rapture) His followers -- we will be changed immediately (1 Corinthians 15:51-52) -- for mortal flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, i.e., heaven (1 Corinthians 15:50). And, once we are changed into our immortal, eternal bodies -- why would He send us to Purgatory? No, we will go directly into heaven to be with God. We must go directly into heaven -- for the Bride of Christ must be prepared for her wedding.
In heaven, believers will stand before Christ at the Believer's Judgment to be prepared, i.e, to receive our robes of fine linen, pure and white (Revelation 19:8) so that we, the Bride of Christ, will be ready for the Wedding Feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9). All of this happens in heaven. Where and how does Purgatory fit into this picture?
And, then, we, the Bride of Christ, clothed in fine linen, will accompany Him when He returns to earth for His Second Coming (Revelation 19:14). This precludes any PostTrib Rapture, for how can we be returning to earth with Him -- if we are not raptured until after He returns -- after the Tribulation.
And, the MidTrib Rapture does not fit -- for how is the Bride of Christ going to stand before Him at the Believer's Judgment to be prepared for His Wedding -- if we are still on earth during the Tribulation?
So, Vic, it seems that only the PreTrib Rapture fits -- which precludes the other alternatives and Purgatory.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill