Posted on 09/25/2001 10:04:45 AM PDT by Sir Gawain
Bzzzzt!! WRONG. It won't save your soul. Only Jesus Christ will.
Romans 3:20-26
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will
be justified in His sight, for by the law is the
knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the
law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the
Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in
Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For
there is no difference;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God,
24 being justified freely by His grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His
blood, through faith, to demonstrate His
righteousness, because in His forbearance God had
passed over the sins that were previously committed,
26 to demonstrate at the present time His
righteousness, that He might be just and the
justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
We are told there is no other name given by which we are saved.
Acts 4:12
12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no
other name under heaven given among men by which we
must be saved."
And we see in Romans 10:9-13
9 [ ... ] that if you confess with your mouth the
Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto
righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him
will not be put to shame."
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and
Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who
call upon Him.
13 For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall
be saved."
None of the beliefs about Babylon, what 666 is (or 999), or how prophetic events will work out -- will save your soul. It's only faith in Christ which will do that.
A person can be sincere and yet wrong on these other things -- and still be saved. It would be better if they were right, but it doesn't make them unsaved.
For the purposes of salvation, you need to keep with what the Gospel is and it's not about Babylon or 666 or who the Antichrist is or whatever.
Try to be less contrary, and think (possibly pray...?) before you speak. That's what I try to do, anyway.
In other words, it is all going to work out in the end. Why go looking for the antichrist when you can focus on the person of Christ?
Oh yes, I'm sure it's not long to wait before the Lord returns for the Church (of course, pre-trib idea here). How long -- don't know precisely (and we wouldn't). But, it's probably within a decade and perhaps less than a year.
The fact of the matter is that the whole world can't be kept at this "fever pitch" for longer than a decade anyway (in regards to the "burdensome stone" that Jerusalem is to the world). It would be surprising if everything held together that long (the way everything is proceeding). I mean, I know that Israel will not be destroyed, because God defends it and will keep it for His name's sake (because He chose them, to show Himself to the world).
And since I know that there Islamic hoards are dedicated to wiping Israel off the map -- it won't be too much longer before no one can stop them from doing it. That is, no one except Jesus Christ -- which He will do (i.e., stop them).
So, by way of that argument, you just have to ask yourself, "How much longer before no one can stop the Islamic hoards from destroying Israel with no one able to stop it (with nuclear or biological weapons)? You see, it can't be too much longer.
----------
You know, many times we look at the world situation and we can see trends developing. And by those means, you could logically "map out" which way the world is going and perhaps how long things can take before they "happen".
BUT, this event with the World Trade Towers being attacked and so many thousands of people killed -- shows how quick the world situation can change. God can bring about those kinds of quick changes in the world -- so that all our "projections" of how long it might be -- are really not viable. You notice how everyone is saying -- "Everything has changed."
God can bring about a change in circumstances in just "one hour" -- that can make the coming of the Lord be tomorrow -- if He wants. We just don't know.
It's soon, for sure. I don't know about you, but I'm not counting on retiring.
I have to agree. I don't think we can define the Babylon of Revelation by the borders of earthly countries. I think it is much more widespread than that.
Something I wrote to some friends this morning:
Do you all get the feeling, watching the news, watching the liberals still pushing their anti-family, anti-child, anti-Christian agenda, that we're getting played both ends against the middle?
Reading stuff, enemies terrorizing us from without, and this appointment of a "homeland security Czar" [Tom Ridge (supports gun control) and with a homeland security committe consisting of people like Nanci Pelosi, GaryCondit and Alcee Hastings!] -- I get the feeling that we have this circle forming around us (as Christians in this country) and it's slowly drawing closer and closer, and right now we're all obsessing on the one member of that circle who has leaped ahead of the others and drawn our attention. Regardless of whether we take out that one member of the surrounding circle, by the time we're done, the rest of the circle has drawn close enough to close that gap. Sure, homeland security may serve its purpose during a time of crisis, but when that immediate crisis is over, the mechanics will be in place to declare any group a "threat to national security."
It reminds me of The Matrix, where everyone is a potential agent. Once the "agents" have you located, they just home in on you and take over the structures/people that are already in place, to pursue you. Even if you manage to destroy or elude one, it will only find you in a different place.
The only way out seems to be up.
The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. Psalm 27:3-5
Very succinctly put.
Try to be less contrary, and think (possibly pray...?) before you speak. That's what I try to do, anyway.
Well, that's true with prophecy -- in that it can have a positive effect that way -- leading someone to Christ. However, I know what the Bible says about these things and I know that a lot of what I hear is wrong. So, I wonder to myself -- "How is one led to the truth of the Lord, by false prophetical explanations? Does falsehood and error bring truth and light?"
BUT, if I were to put a positive spin on this -- the best I could say is that "perhaps" by the discussion of this, someone might be led to the truth of the matter. And in that case, one might be led to the truth of the Lord and His Salvation.
That means in the discussion of this, one must be on the side of truth, and not go with error. To say that a certain prophetical explanation is wrong and is ridiculous is not to say that the Lord is wrong, that the Bible is wrong, that Christ won't return, that all the things that Revelation says won't happen. All those things will happen. It's just the explanation of them (the error of it) which won't happen.
Will there be a "mark"? Yes, there will be. Will that mark have to do with buying or selling (in that no one can do it without the mark). Yes, that's true. Will it involve worship of the beast (i.e., the Antichrist). Yes it will.
By these things I know several other things. First the Antichrist will be identified, because whoever takes the mark will be worshipping him. It will be something that is tied into every transaction of buying and selling. The mark is given in two specific places. This tells me that there has to be a "massive infrastructure" in place to be able to implement such a thing, because it has to be implemented on a person-by-person basis. Consider doing that for the whole world. That's a massive project. So, we'll see the "beginning stages" of such a thing taking shape, before anyone ever is required to follow through. If you keep your eyes open, you'll see the thing taking shape. A simple "I.D." system is not quite going to do it. It doesn't involve worshipping the Antichrist or controlling every single buying and selling transaction you do. But, if it gets to that point, then you'll know it. And then it will be clear.
It's obvious that things are moving in that direction, though. They are just not there yet. But, as we've seen with the World Trade Towers, the "world" can change in an instant.
BRAVO!!! Well put.
There is NO salvation/redemption for ANYONE of ANY 'age' apart from the EXCLUSIVE 'Blood of the Lamb-Jesus'!
Salvation in every and all 'ages' is the SAME: Confidence in The Lamb's (Jesus the Lamb God has personally provided for redemption) death, burial, and Physical/material Resurrection according to THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, which ALONE can save believing sinners from eternal penalty/judgment of God's wrath! ( because of their being born sinners AND therefore active sinners.)
Trust the PROMISES of our LAMB-GOD, Jesus. HE/GOD is our Salvation. (The Penalty is PAID IN FULL, ONCE for all!)
Our God is Love! See 1st John 4:9-11.
Thus, six hundred sixty six (or six hundred sixteen) looks like: DCLXVI or DCXVI in the only accepted Biblical writing of the time. The difference between the two possible versions being whether or not the L number (50) is present.
But turning either version upside down is nonsensical, as is the entire article that you cited above...
Also, note that the purpose and effect of giving mass quantities of people the same identical Mark is to dehumanize them, not to "identify" them individually. People are either Marked or unmarked, not tracked to their home via zip codes, to their bank accounts via check routing numbers, or to their retirement plan via social security numbers. Those who are Marked can buy and sell. The rest can not. In effect, those who are unMarked are exiled OUT of the economic system. In contrast, every square foot of America has a zip code, so no one is exiled out of that system. Ergo, zip codes aren't part or all of the Mark of the Beast.
Let me know when you can't buy and sell. Until that time, you haven't seen the Mark.
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