This article was originally posted 10/22/2013 at 9:40AM (PST), we changed the date to receive more coverage.
When Ephesians 5:11 Blog first revealed John MacArthur stated that he believed one could receive the Mark of the Beast and still be saved, out came the John MacArthur defenders stating that this was an old position that John recanted from. Some cited a 1993 message John did where he stated that if you take the Mark of the Beast you will receive the wrath of God. However, we could not find an official recant of the other message.
So we scoured and scoured looking for the official recant of John MacArthur stating you can still be redeemed after taking the Mark of the Beast. Nothing.
Plus, if John MacArthur DID recant from that, why would he leave the “you can still be redeemed after taking the Mark of the Beast” audio & transcript still up?
One would think that if you recant from something, take it down or at least put some sort of a footnote in the transcript so people can see you recanted. However, that’s not there either and GTY still has the audio & transcript of the “you can still be redeemed after taking the Mark of the Beast” Q and A along with the audio and transcript of the “you take the Mark of the Beast you will receive the wrath of God” message.
How can they have both up there with NO official recant of the one potentially damning statement?
Then I realized what’s going on, John MacArthur believes both statements can mutually co-exist together and still be correct.
This is really what Brannon Howse, Jimmy DeYoung, and others must believe also.
The New Unbiblical “Gap Theory”
The idea is that there is a gap in time between receiving the Mark of the Beast and the wrath of God. In that gap of time between the two events, if one receives the Mark of the Beast you can still be saved. You can still repent of taking the Mark of the Beast. Once the wrath of God begins, it’s too late.
This is the only explanation we can figure as to why John MacArthur has both statements on the GTY website with no official recant and/or removal of the potentially damning statement. It’s his way of saying it without saying it in one message.
Of course it’s playing with fire in the truest sense, it’s erring on the side of danger, and it’s unbiblical.
Revelation 19:20 – “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”
People that receive the Mark of the Beast are deceived. They were deceived BEFORE they took the Mark and they are deceived AFTER they took the Mark. There is no fear of God anywhere, before or after. Things won’t “get better” for them AFTER they take the Mark of the Beast, they get worse.
For those who know what the Bible says about the Mark of the Beast but still decide to take the Mark of the Beast, they are rejecting the Word of God. We know if one “takes away” from the Word of God, one is removed from the Book of Life. Is rejecting the Word of God on the Mark of the Beast the same as “taking away from the words of the book of this prophecy”?
Revelation 22:18-19 – “ For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
The Word of God states “ANY MAN” in Revelation 14:9 –
Revelation 14:9-11 – “ And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice,If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God…”
Romans 1:23-25 – “And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”
Psalm 81:11-13 – “But My people would not hearken to My voice; and Israel would none of Me.
12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
13 Oh that My people had hearkened unto Me, and Israel had walked in My ways!”
12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
13 Oh that My people had hearkened unto Me, and Israel had walked in My ways!”
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 – “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not (didn’t embrace the truth, make it their own) the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Right now Satan is raising up his “ministers of righteousness” sending out his message that one can take the Mark of the Beast and still be saved before the wrath of God. This message has a “light” of truth that is actually darkness.
This message talks about God’s forgiveness, God’s wrath, and gives an escape to those who don’t want to exercise their faith to the end. This satanic message appeals directly to the flesh.
1 Timothy 4:1 – “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils”
Revelation 14:9-11 – “ And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice,If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
BREAKING NEWS – We were informed today that GTY was going to issue a statement on this. Let’s see what they say.
For us a statement could be this simple and Biblical –
“We no longer believe one can be redeemed after taking the Mark of the Beast.”
Just 15 words.
However, somehow a statement needs to be fashioned and well crafted, make sure your radar is turned on because a curve ball might be thrown.
While they are working on the “official statement” on the Mark of the Beast, maybe they can issue a statement why they partnered with the Roman Catholic Mormonism promoter, Arthur Brooks. Click on the link below for the documented evidence.
