WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED?

This is the same question asked by the Disciples.

The Ten Commandments present problems to people who believe in easy salvation. People don't want to believe that they will drink God's wrath (Rev 14:9-10) and be tormented with fire and brimstone, and have no rest, day or night, who worship the Beast and his image, and whosoever receives the Mark (Rev 14:10-11).

I've added this Chapter because people expect me to have advice on how to cancel their Social Security Number. People accuse me of damning them, with no hope of salvation. I've been accused of being paranoid, fearful, negative, indignant, and not having the joy of Jesus.

People say that having a Social Security card cannot damn them because they are Christian; they are saved by grace; Christ's blood paid the penalty for their sin. I cannot respond to these statements because I am not your sovereign. I can only tell you what Scripture says. All us sinners will NOT be saved. It seems to be very arrogant for any sinner to insist that "God will save me just because I call myself a Christian."

Jesus is our only hope for salvation; no one can save himself or herself. All I do is quote from the Bible and reference some verifiable facts. Your assignment is to decide whether or not to live in the fear of God's wrath. You get to decide whether or not to obey the Ten Commandments. I'm just a shouting watchman warning people to the dangers of false authority. Have I become your enemy because I tell the truth?

You must decide between Beast worship and buying/selling. Christ says if your right hand offends you, cut it off. I'm sure that He was using a metaphor to say that this is not going to be easy.

Some people believe in easy salvation based upon Romans 10:9: "... confess that Jesus is Lord and was raised from the dead and you WILL BE saved."

• In my way of thinking, the words "Jesus is Lord" is not a chant to open heaven's gate, but an Oath of Allegiance to obey your Lord, to the exclusion of all authority that is not ordained of God (per the 1st Commandment). You will not force God to save you by saying a mystical incantation.

• Matthew 7:21 (NIV) "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

• My paraphrase of Romans 10:9: ... confess by your actions, not just words, that Jesus is your government and you will be saved. (More about this government of Jesus in my Appendix L). 

• In the previous Chapter, I already covered the other easy-believer "whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" in Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13.

I happen to believe that there is no assurance of easy salvation. This topic seems to irritate some people. They say that my message ignores that Christ died to save us. The following comments are intended to instill the fear of God.

• the Saints at Philippi were told to work out their salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).

• Christ told the truth in Matthew 7:21 (NIV) "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." [I've underlined the word "enter," so that you can confirm that it still matches the definition of voluntary citizenship]. If you don't obey the will of the Father, then what? Peter asked the same question. 1st Peter 4:17b (KJV) "... what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" Peter's answer in verse 18 is that "THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SCARCELY BE SAVED."

• Acts 14:22 (KJV) "... we must through much tribulation to enter into the Kingdom of God." 

• Romans 9:27 "only a remnant will be saved" 

• Luke 13:23-24 (KJV) "Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." 

• Matthew 7:22-23 (KJV) "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, ... And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

• Matthew 8:12 (KJV) "But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 

• Matthew 22:14 (KJV) "For many are called, but few are chosen."

• When a rich man who had obeyed all the Commandments asked how he could be saved, Jesus told him to sell everything and follow Him. 

Matthew 19:25,27 (KJV): "When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?" ... "Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?" 

Do you sense how astonished Peter was at this news? 

Aside: I've been told that this story proves the awesome forgiveness of God's grace is so great that He would save someone who worships money. I don't see this as a love-of-money story, I see this for what it says it is. Those who do the will of God (obey the Commandments) must still leave everything and follow Christ to be saved. 

• When the amazed disciples asked Jesus "who then can be saved" (Matt 19:25, Mark 10:26, Luke 18:26) Jesus responded "with God all things are possible," Jesus then, after confirming that the disciples had left everything to follow him, confirmed that their salvation was assured. If there were an easy salvation they would not have been so amazed. Salvation involves more than just obeying Commandments; You must leave all to follow Jesus. 

• Once you put your hands to the plow, you cannot look back (Luke 9:62 - referring to those who make the decision to follow Jesus). I see this as another "leave everything to follow Christ" message. [I've been told that this isn't a leave-everything message, but that those called do not need to look back at their previous lifestyle.] 

• Christ told the truth in Matt 7:13-14: "narrow is the gate that leads to life and few will find it." Suppose, just suppose, that by the term "few," Christ meant that only 144,000 would have His Father's name (Greek onoma = "authority") written in their forehead ("foreheads" refer to "obedience") and that these are the only ones to be redeemed from the earth (Rev 14:3). That's less than a thousandth of one percent of those, living and dead, who claimed to be Christian. It's far less than one person per church.

• Christ said that we will be persecuted, and that those who endure until the end shall be saved (Matt 24:13 and Mark 13:13 and Matt 10:22). 

• Those who fear the Lord are close to salvation (Psalm 85:9, Isa 33:6).

Participating in Socialist benefits is violation of the Ten Commandments - theft and covetousness. Even if you don't include worship, oaths, and falsifying federal documents. And yes, those who refuse a Socialist security number can be victorious over the Beast, just as if it were the Mark of Rev 15:2. Nor will they be funding vile abominations with their taxes.

1st Corinthians 7:21 (NIV) "Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you -- although if you can gain your freedom, do so."

If??? Don't let it trouble you??? How does a permanent slave regain his freedom if he cannot purchase it? Answer: He can't. He must suffer the consequences. Just like an enlisted serviceman cannot change his own status. Repenting doesn't change your status. Wanting to get back into God's chain of command will not change your status. What then can you do, and what are the consequences?

Since you cannot change your slave status, there are still a few things you can do when you decide you want citizenship under God's chain of command. But you will be an AWOL runaway slave. You must forevermore be a fugitive, and rely upon the grace of your sovereign to protect you. The same sovereign who said you must endure persecution. Onesimus voluntarily returned to his owner, but then again, he could still serve the one Master, because his owner was an authority ordained of God. But he still had to suffer punishment from his owner.

I can give you some crumbs of comfort, and reasons for the faith that lies within. But if you want legal advice, consult your lawgiver. 

• The Apostles were joyful when they were persecuted and in jail, a Government jail. They had fear and trembling, and much tribulation as I've just quoted. They enjoyed the same persecution that we now suffer under the very same brutal Roman civil law. 

• "They that understand among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days." (Daniel 11:33)

•  Repent. If King David can be a man after God's own heart after what he did, then there is hope for all repentant sinners.

• You can still be rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the kingdom of the Son in whom you have forgiveness. Colossians 1:13-14.

• If you never qualified for a Social Security number, then repent (never use it again). This is a good time to witness to others. This will also cause persecution, unemployment, and homelessness and perhaps be jailed by corrupt officials who expect you to be numbered. The Disciples were joyful when they were persecuted. (I am NOT telling you to be a homeless beggar.  I'm telling you that the Beast's intent is to deny you wages and housing without a Mark - to causeth all to receive a Mark.)

• Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and never again embrace Socialism.

• Never swear an Oath to a state god (as the term "god" is used in 2nd Cor 4:4).

• Note that there are two different ways to receive the Mark, only one of which condemns. The damnation of anyone in Rev. 14:9&11 who "receives" (Greek "lambano" in both verses = "to take," "get hold of," "accept," "obtain") the Mark is altogether different from taking the Mark in Rev. 13:16 that the Beast causeth all to "receive" (Greek "didomi" = "bestow," "deliver," "grant," "offer," "put," "strike with the palm of the hand," "take"). In Rev. 20:4 - those who did not "receive" (Greek "lambano") the Mark will rule with Christ for a thousand years. 

• In Revelation 14 - those who receive the Mark will drink God's wrath and be tormented with fire and brimstone. The term "receives," (Greek "lambano") in Rev 14:9,11; whosoever receives the Mark of his name (the word "name" is the Greek "onoma" which means "authority"), may mean much more than merely having a Mark. It may refer to those who embrace an evil system, who knowingly worship the Beast to receive the benefits, who force numbers on others, to plunder their neighbors. Verse 12 then contrasts against verse 11: "... here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" - as if to emphasize that attaining the Mark violates the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

• Furthermore, even today's legal definition of the term "receives" means acquiring control, and not merely possession of the item. Black's Law Dictionary even cites a Court case that defines the crime of "receiving stolen property" as excluding mere possession. Hopefully we will find out on the judgement day that we haven't received the Mark-Name-Number if we have refused to use it. 

• Those who endure to the end shall be saved. 

• Hebrews 4:16 (KJV) "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."