Hi there!
I did some searching of where it might say "those who received the mark will be thrown into the lake of fire" and I couldn't find it. In Revelation 14 it says "if you take the mark, you will suffer", but it doesn't set out why. It only says those that take the mark will develop a "sore". In other words, the Bible says there are consequences to taking the mark, but leaves it as an open question, as to whether the sore people get from the mark, will be reason enough to take the mark out. This is interesting, because the logical conclusion about the nature of the mark is that it will end badly.
When I say "badly", I will tell you what I mean. The anti-Christ is a slave to sin. Now, when the anti-Christ takes the mark, really he is doing something he has already done in sin: set himself up as his own "g"od. The mark - just like baptism - is a sign of something that is already the truth in his heart - not that he respects it as the truth. In other words, he is not just changed by it, he is in love with it. Being in love with the flesh, attaches you to the flesh.
Now, you say "so what the anti-Christ is attached to the mark", but there is a spiritual significance to this, because the flesh is tested with fire (as Jesus said "everyone will be tested with fire, every sacrifice seasoned with salt"). The longer you hold on to the flesh, the more fire that flesh is tested with. Ultimately, the flesh is tested with the "Lake of Fire" (which you read about in Revelation). Why does attachment to something that is destined for the lake of fire matter? Certainly if one person suffered because of that, you might not be concerned, but there is more.
The problem is, just as the anti-Christ is attached to his mark, so everyone who takes the mark, is attached both to the anti-Christ and his mark and their mark and themselves. If the anti-Christ is headed for the lake of fire, so are they! And its not their faith that takes them there, but their attachment! The mark is not an act of faith. The mark is an act of slavery. In other words, a mark is a mark of slavery to the lake of fire. The more you resist (without removing the mark), the more the anti-Christ strives to rule, and the deeper into the lake of fire you go.
This should be reason to you, for an about face! You may say "I would never take the mark" or "how can the mark be that bad?" these two things are much of a muchness - but you need to put distance between you and the mark, you need to turn over a new leaf and say "scripture condemns the mark, I will side with God" Only God can give you a seal of approval, that will deliver you from the mark - that's the flipside of what the Rapture is all about. The Rapture is about uniting with God, so that temptation in the world becomes clear.
I hope this has been of some encouragement and that you are able to ask "am I approaching the fire, or passing through?"
God bless.
I did some searching of where it might say "those who received the mark will be thrown into the lake of fire" and I couldn't find it. In Revelation 14 it says "if you take the mark, you will suffer", but it doesn't set out why. It only says those that take the mark will develop a "sore". In other words, the Bible says there are consequences to taking the mark, but leaves it as an open question, as to whether the sore people get from the mark, will be reason enough to take the mark out. This is interesting, because the logical conclusion about the nature of the mark is that it will end badly.
When I say "badly", I will tell you what I mean. The anti-Christ is a slave to sin. Now, when the anti-Christ takes the mark, really he is doing something he has already done in sin: set himself up as his own "g"od. The mark - just like baptism - is a sign of something that is already the truth in his heart - not that he respects it as the truth. In other words, he is not just changed by it, he is in love with it. Being in love with the flesh, attaches you to the flesh.
Now, you say "so what the anti-Christ is attached to the mark", but there is a spiritual significance to this, because the flesh is tested with fire (as Jesus said "everyone will be tested with fire, every sacrifice seasoned with salt"). The longer you hold on to the flesh, the more fire that flesh is tested with. Ultimately, the flesh is tested with the "Lake of Fire" (which you read about in Revelation). Why does attachment to something that is destined for the lake of fire matter? Certainly if one person suffered because of that, you might not be concerned, but there is more.
The problem is, just as the anti-Christ is attached to his mark, so everyone who takes the mark, is attached both to the anti-Christ and his mark and their mark and themselves. If the anti-Christ is headed for the lake of fire, so are they! And its not their faith that takes them there, but their attachment! The mark is not an act of faith. The mark is an act of slavery. In other words, a mark is a mark of slavery to the lake of fire. The more you resist (without removing the mark), the more the anti-Christ strives to rule, and the deeper into the lake of fire you go.
This should be reason to you, for an about face! You may say "I would never take the mark" or "how can the mark be that bad?" these two things are much of a muchness - but you need to put distance between you and the mark, you need to turn over a new leaf and say "scripture condemns the mark, I will side with God" Only God can give you a seal of approval, that will deliver you from the mark - that's the flipside of what the Rapture is all about. The Rapture is about uniting with God, so that temptation in the world becomes clear.
I hope this has been of some encouragement and that you are able to ask "am I approaching the fire, or passing through?"
God bless.
