At the rapture anyone who loved the Lord Jesus and followed his commandments will be caught up to be with the Lord forever. This applies not only to the living but also to the dead. Ever since Jesus died and was raised some 2000 years ago Christians have been dying. They have not died in vain but have now been resurrected to be with the Lord along with the living on the day of rapture.
However the statement tells us that the remainder of the dead, those who were evil or just rejected Christ are left where they are for a further 1000 years, until they will be called not to go with Christ but to be called before the judgement seat of God.