How Do I Avoid the Mark of the Beast?
The Message of Revelation 14:12
The three angels present us with powerful appeals and dire warnings. It's clear that we should take these warnings seriously. The angels also leave us with a solution to the problem and a way to escape the fate of those who continue in rebellion against the Creator. The Third Angel presents the characteristics of God's end-time people.
Here is the patience of the saints:
The word "patience" is better translated as "steadfast endurance." According to Bible prophecy, God's people in the last days will face persecution, imprisonment and the threat of death. They will be unable to buy or sell (Revelation 13:17). Through it all, they will place their trust fully in Jesus and will refuse to submit to the attacks of the beast powers.
The only way to stand firm in those difficult times is allow Jesus to develop a strong faith in you now. Surrendering your life fully to Him and growing in a personal relationship with Him now will prepare you for whatever you face in the future. This includes studying the Word of God for yourself and rejecting the false teachings so prevalent in Christianity and other religions today. Spending time in prayer is essential, listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit as it seeks to direct your life. Through personal study of God's Word your mind will be opened to His truth. Living your life for Jesus will prepare you for the difficult and dangerous times ahead.
. . . here are they that keep the commandments of God
There are many voices today that say that God's commandments were nailed to the cross. This is another example of misunderstanding a Bible passage, taking a verse out of context, and misapplying it. God's Ten Commandments were written with His own hand on tablets of stone (Exodus 31:18). He made it clear by that action that His law is permanent and unchangeable. While here on Earth, Jesus said "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15), and "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love (John 15:10). He gave no indication that either His commandments or His love would be terminated at His death. What was nailed to the cross was the ceremonies and rituals that pointed ahead to His mission and death.
God's commandments existed before the creation of this planet. They are the foundation of His kingdom and the basis of His government. They were given to us as guides for righteous living in a sinful world. Satan, through the papal system, has worked to undermine God's government by attempting to weaken or remove His commandments. The devil has focused on the one commandment that involves the worship of the Creator - The Fourth Commandment. In it, God says to "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8). He specifies that "the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God" (Exodus 20:10). Saturday is the day that God Himself designated as a special day set aside to worship Him. He established it as a memorial of His creative work (Exodus 20:11) and instructed us to "Remember."
God's people in the last days, despite persecution, willingly live according to the commandments of God, not in some legalistic sense, but as a love response to His love, grace and mercy. They will stand in opposition to those who continue to rebel against the Creator. The central point of the controversy over God's law is the issue of the Sabbath. The papal system changed God's day from the seventh day to the first day of the week, from Saturday to Sunday. The rejection of God's Sabbath is the identifying mark of the beast.
If you wish to be among the people of God in the last days, now is the time to study the Bible about this issue. In God's Word you will discover that God is clear about the Sabbath day. You will learn that the change from Saturday to Sunday has no Biblical basis. He says "I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God." (Ezekiel 20:19,20). Jesus tells us plainly that He, the Son of man, is "Lord even of the sabbath day (Matthew 12:8).
It all comes down to your choice: the seal of God or the mark of the beast, and that choice determines your eternal destiny.
. . . and the faith of Jesus.
Billions of Christians have been caught up in the unbiblical act of working to save themselves. Rituals, attending mass, confession to a priest, doing penance, indulgences, and the list goes on of religious works that many do to earn their way into Heaven. None of these are found or supported in the Bible.
The “faith of Jesus” refers to the faith that Jesus Himself exercised while on Earth. His faithfulness to the Father, the sinless life He lived, and the perfect character He developed all demonstrate for us the way to eternal life.
Some newer versions of the Bible say "faith in Jesus." It is trusting Him and His promises. If we accept His free gift of eternal life, Jesus works in us to make it a reality.
Either wording is correct because both apply to Christ's work of salvation for us. The important point is that it is not our efforts that save us. The Bible says "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus tells us "that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians1:6). It is the work of Jesus to save us. He works through our faith in Him and His sacrifice. When we allow Him to shape our characters, He will transform us into His likeness (Romans 8:29).