The Mark of the Beast

Dr. Couch, in the tribulation, will those who take the mark of the beast be unable then to come to Christ as their Savior? Can they recant and turn to Him and deny the works of the antichrist? ANSWER: This is a tough question by the way Revelation 14:9-12 is written. Those who worship the beast and his image, and who receive his mark upon their forehead, or upon their hands, "will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength. He will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb" (vv. 9-10). This judgment has to do with "those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name" (v. 11). Is he condemned who simply receives the mark, and what about his worshipping the beast? In other words, maybe one has received the mark but then ceases worshipping the beast. Can he repent, turn from his loyalty to the beast, and then come to Christ? The passage is clear in that if he receives the mark, AND then continues to worship the beast, he is lost, and there is no turning back for salvation. But if he has received the mark, repents, and stops worshipping the beast, it is possible that he can come to salvation in Christ. Could it be that the one who has received the mark of the beast will not in any sense then stop worshipping the beast. In that case, he could not be saved. The logical conclusion may be that those who have given themselves to the beast will not recant. Because they had become so blinded, they could never repent and turn away from the beast's power and control over their lives! In his Revelation commentary, Hindson assumes that the one who has received the mark, remains as an unbeliever and as one who is continually and forever unrighteousness. In other words, his loyalty to the antichrist is unchangeable and irrevocable! This may certainly be true! Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch