By Gillian Bethel
No one that I’ve talked to who’s “in the know” wants the mark of the beast, even if they hold differing opinions on what it is. They don’t want it because the Bible is plain that those who receive it experience the undiluted wrath of God against sin and will be destroyed along with it.
But according to the Bible, the vast majority of the earth’s inhabitants will receive the mark of the beast, and only one group of people won’t—not a variety of groups, but ONE! Who are they? What does the Bible say about them? How can we ensure that we are in that group?
The book of Revelation describes these people immediately after the warning about receiving the mark: “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:12.
This verse gives us four characteristics of people who don’t receive the mark: (1) they have patience or endurance; (2) they are saints or holy ones; (3) they keep God’s commandments; and (4) they keep the faith of Jesus. We’ll look at each of these attributes and then explore how these people get them and how we can be in this group.
Who are the saints? The literal translation of the word rendered saints is “holy or sanctified ones.” Notice how the apostle Paul greets the Corinthian believers: “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints,¹ with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Cor. 1:2.
Paul often calls church members who are in Christ “saints.” True believers will have a living connection with Christ, and it’s this connection that makes them sanctified or set apart. They “call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,” meaning they communicate with Him and rely on Him. Paul writes that if the saints spend time looking at Jesus, they will increasingly reflect His holy character—His glory. See 2 Cor. 3:18. Not all the Corinthian church members lived up to this, but those who escape the mark will.
What exactly is the faith of Jesus? It’s both the kind of faith He had and a personal belief in Jesus as a powerful, loving Savior. Jesus’ faith was anchored in what the Scriptures say; it was not affected by any circumstances. He trusted His Father and obeyed Him in everything. Jesus gives this kind of faith to His followers as they study the Bible. With it, they understand the significance of His life, death, resurrection, and work for them in heaven before His return. Embracing these truths transforms their lives. End-time Christians keep this faith and refuse to compromise it under any circumstances.
Are these last-day Christians legalists because they obey God’s commandments? No. They are obeying Jesus and the Father out of love and loyalty rather than fear or self-dependence. As they read the Bible, they’re reminded that their own sins made Jesus’ crucifixion necessary, and they grieve that they have caused Him such pain.
Understanding that “sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4), they ask for power from Jesus to obey God’s law. Their loyalty eventually develops to the point where they would rather die than knowingly disobey and dishonor God.
Those who resist the mark of the beast will continually ask Jesus for His own endurance to sustain them through the crisis.
And finally, they definitely need endurance! Those who resist the mark of the beast are willing to be patient through a time of difficulty and suffering without taking the easy way out. They’d rather stay faithful to Jesus. Their attitude is like the apostle Paul’s: “I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.” Phil. 3:8, 9. They continually ask Jesus for strength, and they receive His own endurance to sustain them through the crisis.
Can we really become such strong Christians? It sounds hard, and our past shortcomings sometimes haunt us. We may question our ability to withstand bullying from powerful groups pushing the beast’s mark. But Jesus has made provision for our weakness by giving us a huge gift—the Holy Spirit. We don’t always realize how much the Holy Spirit wants to do for us, so let’s look.
Remember the change in Jesus’ disciples? Before the Last Supper, they were still bickering about who would be the greatest when Jesus became king. They deserted Him in Gethsemane; and after His crucifixion, they were hiding in the upper room, afraid they’d suffer the same fate as Jesus. They were often dominated by pride, fear, and misunderstanding. Yet they became a united team of world-changers, fearlessly proclaiming the truths of the gospel. It was the Holy Spirit who made the difference.
On His last night, Jesus told His disciples about the Spirit of truth who would guide them into all truth. John 16:13. He later promised that the Holy Spirit would give them power to share this truth and be witnesses for Him. Acts 1:8. And He promised that when the Holy Spirit came to them individually, He Himself would also come and live in them. John 14:16‒18. The Holy Spirit would form a close, living connection between them and Himself, like that between a branch and a vine stem. John 15:5.
This union with Christ through the Holy Spirit is vital for His followers. Through it, they may share all that is Christ’s. Not only are His life and death credited to them,² but a continuing connection to Jesus through the Holy Spirit is what enables them to reflect His character traits and live for Him. They can also share in the faith, peace, and endurance He showed when under pressure.
How will the gift of the Holy Spirit specifically help Christians facing the turbulent end times?
As Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit will guide those who are searching for truth amid confusion. He’ll help them study and understand the promises and prophecies in the Bible. He’ll also help them see the need of obeying all of God’s Ten Commandments, and they’ll realize that the Sabbath commandment is especially important. It’s God’s seal on His law, identifying whose law it is and His authority as the great Creator.
Under the guidance and conviction of the Holy Spirit, truth seekers will honor their Creator by worshiping Him on the specific day He has set apart as holy time—the seventh day, not the first. The issues of the last days will make this a dangerous choice, but the true believers’ deepening loyalty and love for Jesus, given to them through the Holy Spirit, will override fear of consequences. They’ll proclaim and obey the truth in the power of the Spirit, even at risk of their lives.
You and I can have the courage and conviction needed to join these faithful Christians if we start preparing now. The Holy Spirit will teach and empower us, too. Our part is to spend time in the Bible, getting to know more about Jesus and the Father, their commands, their prophetic messages, and their sustaining promises. These need to be the foundation and compass of our lives. We cannot rely on our feelings or what people, even religious leaders, say. To identify and avoid the appealing errors and deceptions at the end, we must know for ourselves what the Bible says. Then, we must live by it and share it. Jesus will be with us, giving us His wisdom and strength through the Holy Spirit.
Most crucially, we need to submit our lives fully to Jesus each day, interact with Him constantly, and seek His power for obedience. He will become a joy and anchor in our lives like nothing else. All this will prepare us to make momentous future choices which honor Him.
Paul said, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Cor. 12:10. He discovered that real strength is moving forward and doing what’s right in spite of weakness, depending completely on Jesus and the Word of God. The first humans failed a test of loyalty and obedience because they didn’t trust God. There’s a final test of loyalty and obedience coming to humanity, and only those in Christ will pass it. God’s true children will obey steadfastly in spite of their weakness because they are receiving faith, love, and courage from Jesus.
At the end, God will place an invisible seal of His possession and protection on the foreheads of those who remain faithful to Him. Rev. 7:3. It won’t be seen by human eyes, but their loyal obedience to the fourth commandment—the seal of their Creator’s law—will be. This will bring persecution, but enduring to the end will be worth it! We can’t even imagine the wonderful future prepared for God’s people, but you and I can reach it in Christ. The good news is that it’s not about how strong we are, but how strong Jesus is!
For further study, see the following resources: Real Peace, Real Answers and Bible Readings for the Home.
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Gillian Bethel taught college Bible classes for many years. She is passionate about making Christianity practical for daily challenges.
