Can A Person Take the Mark of the Beast and Still Be Saved?

There’s a controversy about whether or not a person can take the mark of the beast and still be saved, even if they believe in Jesus Christ. They say that taking the mark of the beast is just a sin with consequences, but salvation is still possible. The answer is straight forward, but there’s a little more to it. Let’s begin with these scriptures:

28 Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.” (Mark 3:28-29)

Some are using these scriptures to say that a person who takes the mark of the beast is not an everlasting sin because blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the only unforgivable sin mentioned in the Bible. In these scriptures, Jesus Christ is speaking in the context of words people speak, “As many as they utter.” Jesus said this because the scribes had essentially called the Holy Spirit a demon. So, these verses aren’t talking about deeds we do, but words we say. Taking the mark of the beast is a deed. Let’s go to Revelation 14:

9 And a third angel followed them, calling out in a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he too will drink the wine of God’s anger, poured undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented in fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever. Day and night there will be no rest for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” (Revelation 14:9-11)

These scriptures are clear. Verse 11 says that “anyone” who takes the mark of the beast is going to be tormented in fire, and the smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, no rest day or night. So, the answer is no. A person can’t take the mark of the beast and still be saved. Anyone who takes the mark of the beast is going to hell. So, we can stop right there or we can go on. Let’s continue. If a person takes the mark of the beast, that person’s name wasn’t written in the Lamb’s book of life from the foundation of the world.

No person set apart for destruction may be ransomed; he must surely be put to death. (Leviticus 27:29)

In Revelation chapters 14-16, we have a separation of those who take the mark of the beast and get the seven bowls of God’s wrath and those who refuse the mark of the beast and get harvested. But who are these harvested ones who miss the rapture in Revelation 7:9 at Jesus’s appearing on the day of the Lord from 6:16-17? They are Christians who have been left behind, and there will probably be a lot of them. This group will include unbelievers who have called on the Lord during this terrible time. All these people who aren’t raptured in the 6th seal are being subjected to God’s wrath. They are not being kept from the hour of trial that’s coming on the whole world, as we read in Revelation 3:10. Let’s look at the following scriptures in regard to believers who are subjected to God’s wrath:

“If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:10)

Blessed are these believers who die in the Lord from that point on, literally (see Revelation 14:13). But where have we seen these words before? Let’s go to Jeremiah:

He will come and strike down the land of Egypt, bringing death to those destined for death, captivity to those destined for captivity, and the sword to those destined for the sword. (Jeremiah 43:11)

Chapters 42-44 in the book of Jeremiah are an excellent shadow of disobedient believers (or the apostate church) in the end times. After the Babylonian exile, the remnant of Judah remaining in the land told Jeremiah they would do whatever God commanded them, whether it was pleasant or unpleasant (see Jeremiah 42:6). So, God commanded them to stay in Judah and not to fear the king of Babylon because God would protect them. But they wanted to go to Egypt to avoid hardship (see verse 14).

So all who resolve to go to Egypt to reside there will die by sword and famine and plague. Not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I will bring upon them.’ (Jeremiah 42:17)

When we’re born again, we come out of Egypt, out of slavery to sin and death. We die to our old self and come to new life in Jesus Christ.

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians. I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk in uprightness. (Leviticus 26:13; cf. 2 Peter 1:3-4)

We remain in the Lord whether it may be pleasant or unpleasant. We don’t go back into the slavery of sin and death. In Jeremiah, the remnant of Judah disobeyed, following the desires of their hearts to go to Egypt to worship the Queen of Heaven (see Jeremiah 44:16-19). In Jeremiah 42:6, when they told Jeremiah they would obey God whether it was pleasant or unpleasant, they were just letting themselves be deceived (see 42:20).

I am watching over them for harm and not for good, and every man of Judah who is in the land of Egypt will meet his end by sword or famine, until they are finished off. (Jeremiah 44:27)

So, Christians who are destined for the sword or captivity are those who remain in their sins. They might let themselves be deceived by false teachers telling them it’s ok to willfully sin, to go back to Egypt. They will be subjected to the final test. They might be faced with one, everlasting decision that means heaven or hell—the mark of the beast.

Here is a call for the endurance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. (Revelation 14:12)

What is the faith of Jesus?

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8)

Obediens ad mortem. It will be better to choose death in Christ rather than life with the beast.

The mark of the beast will have to do with food shortages and famine. People won’t be allowed to buy and sell, including food, unless they take the mark. The following scriptures prefigure believers who will take the mark of the beast to avoid starvation:

31 “First sell me your birthright,” Jacob replied. 32 “Look,” said Esau, “I am about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?” (Genesis 25:31-32)

Yet, “few in number” will be saved by refusing the mark of the beast:

Those who escape the sword will return from Egypt to Judah, few in number, and the whole remnant of Judah who went to dwell in the land of Egypt will know whose word will stand, Mine or theirs! (Jeremiah 44:28)

Now let’s go to Revelation 15, which tells us that the wrath of God will be complete with the final seven bowls.

Then I saw another great and marvelous sign in heaven: seven angels with the seven final plagues, with which the wrath of God is completed. (Revelation 15:1)

Verse 2 goes on to talk about the harvested ones standing on the sea of glass mingled with fire singing the song of Moses (see Deuteronomy 32) and the song of the Lamb. These are the ones who refused the mark of the beast and were martyred, most likely beheaded. These are the ones who escape the sword and return to Judah, that is, the promised land—eternal life.

Now let’s go to Revelation 16 and break down verses 1-11, in which we get the entire answer:

1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out on the earth the seven bowls of God’s wrath.”
2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and loathsome, malignant sores broke out on those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 And the second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it turned to blood like that of the dead, and every living thing in the sea died.
4 And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned to blood.

After the third bowl, we have a break in the action and are reassured of just how evil these people are:

5 And I heard the angel of the waters say: “Righteous are You, O Holy One, who is and who was, because You have brought these judgments. 6 For they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink as they deserve. 7 And I heard the altar reply: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are Your judgments.”

Let’s go to the fourth bowl:

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given power to scorch the people with fire. 9 And the people were scorched by intense heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues; yet they did not repent and give Him glory.

In verse 9, it says the people didn’t “repent.” So, these people could’ve repented, but they were never going to in the first place. Let’s continue:

10 And the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness, and men began to gnaw their tongues in anguish 11 and curse the God of heaven for their pains and sores; yet they did not repent of their deeds. (Revelation 16:1-11)

Verse 11 says they did not “repent of their deeds.” That’s twice they didn’t repent. So, even after the fifth bowl of God’s wrath, they could’ve repented, but they were never going to from the foundation of the world. Yet God offers repentance out of his mercy. Instead, they curse the God of heaven.

So, people who will take the mark of the beast could repent, but they’re not going to, as is their destiny. Those who take the mark of the beast will suffer eternal torment because they’re going to know that Jesus Christ has come and is standing on Mt. Zion, as we read in Revelation 14:1. The angels warn them not to take the mark in Revelation 14:9-10, but many will take it any way to avoid the pain and suffering of hunger. When Jesus fasted forty days, he was at the point of starvation. When he was tempted by the devil, he stayed faithful. This tells us that we too can stay faithful if we’re ever in this situation. There’s nothing we’re going to go through that Jesus Christ hasn’t already done, including dying a torturous death.

God knew from the beginning the choices we would make. Even so, we see his goodness shining through. But let’s try to remember how evil these people are. If they were drowning and we helped them into a boat, they would push us in.

In short, if a person takes the mark of the beast in order to avoid starvation, in order to buy and sell, becoming a part of the new world order, they’re going to eternal torment in hell, no rest forever. People in this situation must starve to death or be killed first. Hopefully, none of us will be subjected to the final test, the hour of trial that’s coming on the whole world.

Let’s not sell our birthright for a bowl of stew like Esau. Let’s accept Jesus Christ as Lord and savior and turn from wrongdoing. Let’s do the right thing and receive God’s promise of eternal life, no matter how we meet our end in this dying world. Peace to everyone and may our Lord Jesus Christ return soon.