“Now, the question is: IF you are living in the tribulation period and you take this mark, in other words you identify with the beasts empire (emphasis mine), will you still be able to be redeemed? And I think the answer to that is YES! Yes! Otherwise there would be no salvation of anybody in the end of the tribulation and you’ve got to have salvation of folks at the end of the tribulation. You’re going to have the Jews redeemed. You’re going to have according to Revelation 7 an innumerable number of Gentiles redeemed so many that can’t even be counted from across the face of the earth. So I don’t think the fact that someone takes that is a sentence to permanency anymore than you being a part of this world’s system once in your life means you have to be a part of the system all of your life. Especially when the 144,000 don’t start their ministry until the second half. That would make it a little tough!”
You may not agree with his reasoning, but it is a reasonable argument - that God’s Word says people will still be redeemed after the mark of the beast becomes universal.
And as a friend of MacArthur points out:
“Yes, Revelation 14:9–11 says, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Clearly, receiving the mark is a sin that will send those who commit it to hell.
But the Bible also says, “Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–10). In short, all sin carries the threat of eternal doom, and some particularly heinous sins have a built-in hardening effect that makes them particularly dangerous. Scripture occasionally singles out common sins that have this peculiarly soul-destroying effect.
On the other hand, only one very specific sin is ever said to be unforgivable. Any sin that is repented of is forgivable. Immediately after declaring all fornicators, drunkards, and swindlers unfit for heaven, the apostle writes, “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). After saying, “Whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven,” Jesus famously forgave Peter, who denied Him before men.”
That is another reasonable point based on scripture. You may not agree, but it is a reasonable interpretation.
But you have gone further and said MacArthur teaches salvation by works (”It means a tyrannical works-based salvation”), which is blatantly untrue.
MacArthur’s argument flies in the face of scripture regardless how he qualifies it; he plainly states people can be redeemed AFTER they take the Mark of the Beast.
This is dangerous and damnable heresy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU3tjRq6tX4
There are numerous videos on this topic; please argue with all of these other pastors and Christians who are as outraged as I was.