you are correct the mark will involve an irrevocable act of worship of the antichrist. Many things around us could be considered forerunners of the mark but are not evil in themselves ( ie debit cards). It is no sin to use them. However as I said before if you wish to protest a mask order do so with the governing body that issued it do not disrupt worship on Easter Sunday. As a practical matter alone how many people do you think you would win to your cause doing so?
I don’t agree with you on the rapture I am pretrib or at the very least. is trib as the Bible tells us we are not appointed to wrath. God took Noah and Lot to safety before judgement fell not after. However this is not a salvific issue, Christians can and do disagree. I think we will all know quite soon. Maranatha
True, even though some are preconditioning precursors, as in increasing dependence upon the government and accepting long-term restrictions on freedom of movement and association.
"I don’t agree with you on the rapture I am pretrib or at the very least. is trib as the Bible tells us we are not appointed to wrath. God took Noah and Lot to safety before judgement fell not after."
Yes, and while prophecy is not much my study, we know the gathering together will not come at least until the anti-Christ is manifest (2 Thessalonians 2:1-8) while Lord does indeed promise His faithful, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth," (Revelation 3:10 but the but the word for for "keep" also means "preserve, as in "keep your own tradition" (Mark 7:9) and the preserving is from wrath, as in "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent." (Revelation 12:14) Thus saints are still on the earth at least up to the 2nd part of the Trib., and with the 144k preaching, and their deliverance would be by martyrdom (presuming all are), not rapture.
Therefore "not being appointed to wrath" cannot mean that no believer will suffer the wrath the devil. Meanwhile some off-the cuff the speculation on my part is that if the 2nd half is the time when God will bring the Jews into the wilderness and there will plead with them face to face. (Ezekiel 20:35) And as God can be "a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come" (Ezekiel 11:16) so can He also preserve His remnant from the wrath to come. For the Lord also says,
Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. (Isaiah 26:20-21)
In any case, first century believers were foretold, "that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22) and if they saw some intense persecution those who dream of being delivered from such today via the rapture are in for a ride shock.