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The Bible shows us that at some point in the future there will arise a last one world empire which will be the culmination of all the previous world empires. We see the vision of this empire represented in Daniel’s visions and in Revelation (Rev. 13).
This empire will have at its head a leader who is referred to as the antichrist, or false prophet. We see him operating specifically in verses 36-45 of Daniel 11.
He is called the antichrist because he is anti-Christianity. It is his goal to destroy the Christian faith. Christianity is founded on the atoning death of the Messiah Jesus and His resurrection from the dead. If this foundation is removed, then there can be no salvation for Christians or anyone.
Jesus and His founding apostles have made it very clear how salvation is given to mankind. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except by Me” (John 14:6).
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have, everlasting life (John 3:16).
Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s plan of redemption that He instigated before the foundation of the world. – Jesus was slain “before the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8).
If the antichrist can dupe people into thinking there is some other way to obtain salvation apart from the cross of Jesus, then he has accomplished his goal. For example, Seventh Day Adventists believe that at some point in the future their salvation will depend on which day they attend church. They believe that the mark of the beast prophesied in Revelation (Rev. 13:16,17, 14:9,10), is going to church on Sunday. They believe this because their guru, Ellen G. White, told them that an angel appeared to her and told her Sunday worship was the mark of the beast. Therefore, to the Adventist, salvation will no longer depend on what Jesus’ accomplished on the cross, making God’s plan of redemption obsolete.
Keeping in mind the fact that it is the goal of the antichrist to destroy Christianity by removing the atonement, it seems that antichrist spirit has accomplished its goal already among the eight million adherents to Ellen G. White’s deception. Jesus said many false prophets would arise and deceive many (Matthew 24:11,24). The Apostle Paul reiterated by saying that the devil’s agents appear as ministers of righteousness (II Corinthians 11:14,15).
Make no mistake, if there is no cross, there is no salvation. Taking the mark of the beast has to in some way be a denial of God’s plan of redemption through Jesus. That mark will be taken by people who are willing to align themselves with a system that seems outwardly good, but will affirm that people must accept that all religions are a valid means of attaining heaven.
To the Adventist, God’s plan of redemption is only temporary to be replaced at some point by Ellen G. White’s hallucination. Even though they believe that this “mark” is in the future, because they have accepted that the gospel as it was preached by Jesus and His apostles is only temporary, psychologically they cleave to Saturday worship as the means of their salvation now. Their allegiance to the cross has been subtly eroded whether they realize it or not.
Ellen G. White made it very clear to her followers that observing the Saturday Sabbath was the means of salvation. –
The Sabbath is the golden clasp that unites God and His people. It means eternal salvation to keep the Sabbath holy unto the Lord. - Ellen G. White “My Life Today” P. 287, par. 5,6
…the rejection of God’s holy memorial (the Sabbath) will decide the fate of many professing Christians. - Ellen G. White, Review and Herald Dec. 20, 1898
And if one believed, and kept the Sabbath, and received the blessing attending it, and then gave it up, and broke the holy commandment, they would shut the gates of the Holy City against themselves, as sure as there was a God that rules in heaven above. – Ellen G. White, “A Word to the Flock,” P 18, par. 4
The Apostle Paul warns “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).
Adherence to the doctrine of Jesus and His disciples must override allegiance to anyone.
The Saturday Sabbath was always intended to be a day of physical rest and refreshment. Religious services were added to it at a later time. The Apostles recognized that the Sabbath was designed to be a foreshadow of the rest we are given when we receive God’s plan of redemption through Jesus. If we are not resting in Jesus for our salvation we are not keeping the Sabbath as it is designed to be kept under the New Covenant.
Those who are resting in Christ, will not fall victim to the antichrist’s deception, and they will be the sole survivors found clinging to the raft of eternal life found only in Jesus’ sacrifice.
Copyright 2021 by H. D. Shively
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