Beloved Christian, either this is the most important extra-canonical message from Jesus Christ to Christians that has ever been given, or it is all a lie. You decide.

I have written more than a hundred articles, tracts, booklets and a 200-page book about end-time Christianity. But this warning, given to me by Jesus Christ to proclaim to Christians, is by far the most gut-wrenching, agonizing piece I have ever written and ever expect to write. Only God and my dear wife know the anguish I have experienced since the Lord gave me this dreadful message to deliver. The agony has come from the realization that this warning will be summarily rejected by the vast majority of true Christians who read it, many of whom have already been essentially overcome by the spirit of Antichrist that is in the world today (and hardly any of them even suspect their true spiritual condition). I would be pleasantly surprised if one true Christian in one million would take heed to this dire warning. Jesus lovingly reminded me, however, that I was not responsible for whether or not this warning is heeded, but only to proclaim it.

I beseech you to please carefully and prayerfully read this entire treatise and ask the Lord to open your eyes so that you may "see" the veracity of this message from God to His people.

After being born again, if you do not become a disciple (learner) of Jesus by meeting the three conditions in Luke 14 (including verse 33 literally), and if you are alive at the time of the Great Tribulation you will likely be overcome by the Antichrist and take the Mark of the Beast, which will result in you being cast into the Lake of Fire, and confined there for all eternity.

Does this sound preposterous and impossible for a true Christian? Then, ignore this apocalyptic warning at your own peril.

Of all true Christians alive today very few have met the conditions to be disciples (learners) of Jesus. Our Lord said in Luke 14 that if you do not meet those conditions you cannot be His disciple (learner). What is presented in this admonition is the necessity of true Christians to become disciples of Jesus Christ and be filled with the Holy Spirit, the temporal and the eternal consequences of not doing so, and the main reasons why the vast majority will not heed this warning.

It is an absurdity for a "pastor" or Bible teacher to try to teach without having had the experience of being a disciple of Jesus (that is, without having met the conditions in Luke 14 to become His disciple), and therefore not having been taught esoteric scriptural truths by the Holy Spirit of Christ. Likewise, it would be an absurdity for anyone who had never been filled with the Holy Spirit to try to teach what it is like to be filled with the Holy Spirit to an audience comprised of people who had never been filled. That would be like a person who had never had a sexual orgasm trying to teach an audience comprised of people who had never had that experience what it is like to have that experience. (Note: If this analogy offends you, then please consider the Holy Spirit-inspired truths presented in the Bible concerning Noah and his sons, Lot and his daughters, the Levite and his concubine in Judges 19, et al.)

Even though the eleven disciples were indeed disciples according to Luke 14, before they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they all fell away (Mk. 14:27-31; Mat. 26:56 NASB). To be prepared to be an overcomer during the Great Tribulation we must be disciples and we must be filled with the Holy Spirit (endued with power from on High). God admonishes us to "be filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 5:18).

There is not much fear of God today. God, to most Christians, is not much more than a cosmic Santa Claus who exists to grant their every wish. Many Christians think God exists to provide all the toys for their playground and comfort zone, in spite of the fact that God says that Christians are called to suffer (1 Peter 2:21). In fact, persecution and martyrdom is the New Testament norm. (Please see the article titled Persecution and Martyrdom—The New Testament Norm.)

The wise man Solomon, after acquiring everything his heart desired, concluded that all that "stuff" was meaningless and the whole duty of man was to fear God and keep His commandments.

For Christians, who are living under the new and better covenant, this means obeying the approximately 180 New Testament commandments. Jesus said if we love Him we will keep His commandments. He did not say if we love Him we will keep the Mosaic Law. (Please see the article titled All The New Testament Commandments).

Not obeying Jesus’ New Covenant commandments after they have been made known to you is irrefutable proof that you do not love Him, and you have, at least, left your first love (Jesus).

"The Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1). This verse is speaking of true Christians because unsaved people have never had "the faith" from which to fall away.

We must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling in these perilous times of the last days, when there are no pastors who have been sent by God to be pastors, and everyone who assumes the role of a "pastor" is teaching many doctrines of demons. (Please see the article titled It’s Time To Come Out of The Churches.)

God solemnly warns Christians that, in the end time, Christians will not put up with sound doctrine (the truth) and will gather around them teachers to tickle their ears and turn away from the truth and turn to false teaching (2 Tim. 4:1-4). Because of the widespread apostasy of true Christians in the end time, God will allow Satan to give all his power to the Antichrist and overcome them; they will compromise and take the Mark, sealing their destiny to be confined to the eternal Lake of Fire (Dan. 7:25; 12:7; Rev. 13:7).

God will send a strong delusion to people who refuse to love the truth so that they will believe the Antichrist and his false teaching. Most Christians today refuse to love the truth, including the truths presented in this profound message.

Jesus is the Truth personified. Refusing to love scriptural truth is exactly equivalent to refusing to love Jesus.

In these last days of apostasy, most Christians worship God with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him. God is Love and Jesus is God manifested in the flesh, the fullness of the Godhead bodily, which is to say Jesus is Love personified. But many Christians refuse to fear Him, the One who has the power to throw body and soul into the Lake of Fire.

Many Christians have been deceived to believe that they are unconditionally secure if they have been given eternal life. Their rationale goes something like this: ‘I was not saved by works, and I cannot keep my salvation by works.’ This is essentially true, but what Christians in this camp do not realize is that even though we are secure in Christ, our security is conditional.

We have no reason to believe that Adam would not still be alive today, 6,000 years later, if he had not disobeyed God. God warned the first man that if he disobeyed, he would surely die (spiritually) that very day.

Adam committed spiritual suicide and forfeited his free gift of eternal life. He knowingly and willfully disobeyed God, after the stark warning from Him who, among other things, is Love.

Esau, is another sad example. He forfeited his birthright, which depicts our inheritance through Christ. He did this for a single meal to satisfy his flesh. Even though he sought reinstatement with tears, it was to no avail. His destiny was sealed by his own choice.

This begs the age-old question concerning whether or not man has a free will. This doctrine has been debated for centuries by sincere scholars of varying renown. After the Holy Spirit, who teaches us all truth, revealed to me the answer to this enigma several years ago, it was so simple that one must sit in awe of the fact that, unless the Holy Spirit reveals scriptural truth to us we will never know, but rather, at best, will have only a mental ascent to truth.

The truth concerning whether a man has a free will or not is this: Before a man is born again and given the free gift of eternal life, he has a free will to choose anything except God. After a man is born again and has the Holy Spirit indwelling in him, he has a free will to choose anything including God. This is to say that a true Christian has the ability to choose to follow Jesus, or to disobey Him. We choose Christ if, and only if, He chooses us first (Jn. 15:16, 19, et al.). The essence of apostasy is losing our first love (for Jesus) like the seemingly exemplary Christians in Ephesus (Rev. 2:4) and disobeying Christ’s commandments in the New Testament.

Jesus made the promise that He would never leave us nor forsake us. But will you forsake Him?

Jesus said that no one can snatch us out of His hand. It is within this context that we have our Lord’s promise that we will never perish. Of this we can be sure and rest in the promise of this eternal security. So, the fact that we have the promise of eternal security from God himself concerning no one, including Satan, having the power to snatch us out of His hand should not cause us any worry. What should greatly concern us, however, is this: will we choose to remain in the security of our Lord’s hand?

Jesus said if we abide in Him, He will abide in us. It would be nonsensical for our Lord to make this conditional promise, if it was impossible for us to not abide in Him. Likewise, Jesus warned that he who overcomes during the Great Tribulation will not have his name erased from the book of life (Rev. 3:5). Those whose names are in the book of life, have been given eternal life. Those Christians’ names (that are in the book of life) who enter the Great Tribulation will remain there, if he or she is an overcomer during that most terrible time. It would be nonsensical and defy rational thinking to believe that Christ would warn us about our name being blotted out of the book of life if that was impossible.

God broke off the natural branches (Jews) for their disobedience and unbelief. He solemnly warns us (Christians) through the apostle Paul to fear being conceited about our security in Christ. He said that those (Christians) who fall away and do not continue in the kindness of God, will also be cut off (Rom. 11:19-22).

In A.D. 95, just one generation removed from the Day of Pentecost, Jesus adamantly warned the Christians in Laodecia, who were in Him, that if they did not repent of their lukewarmness He would vomit them out (Rev. 3:16).

Those Christians, like lukewarm Christians today, made our Lord sick to His stomach. Our loving Lord sharply rebuked those Christians and said they were "wretched" (Rev. 3:17). They were about to forfeit their salvation, not because they were cold Christians, but merely because they were lukewarm.

My beloved, are you a wretched Christian, perilously close to forfeiting your salvation and being vomited out of Jesus? If you are not hot for Christ do you think you could be an overcomer during the Great Tribulation, when God will allow Satan to give all His power to the Antichrist to overcome the saints, during the worst time the earth has ever seen?

The teaching of the perseverance of all the saints simply will not hold up under the scrutiny of the light of God’s Word. Notwithstanding the fact that millions of Christians believe the lie that they are unconditionally secure, the truth is that we are eternally secure as long as we choose to be so, and that by choosing to abide in Christ, obeying Him and, particularly, choosing not to deny or forsake Him.

For those who think that a true Christian would never choose to flee from Christ, Peter did, and so did the rest of the twelve disciples before they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Mat. 26:56).

Everyone, including true Christians, who take the Mark of the Beast in order to buy food, etc. for himself and his family (or for any other reason) will be confined to the eternal Lake of Fire (Rev. 14:11).

Jesus said if you deny Him, He will deny you before the Father in heaven. It would make no sense, at all, for Jesus to give this dire warning if it was impossible to deny Him. And, as if this warning being recorded once in Holy Writ was not enough, Jesus had this included by the inspired writers at least four times in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and 2 Timothy.

Jesus asked the rhetorical question, would He find faith (literally, "the faith") on the earth when He comes? The clear implication is that He would find very little of it, at best.

Jesus said when He returns it will be like the days of Noah and the days of Lot. There were only eight people considered to be righteous and saved in the ark, which is a type of Christ.

Immediately prior to Sodom being destroyed by fire and brimstone, only four people escaped, and one, Lot’s wife, forfeited her salvation from the destruction by looking back, which revealed where her heart really was.

Jesus included the distinctive conditional "if" in His promise of eternal security, and that depends on our choosing to obey and abide (remain) in Him. And, indeed, we have the grace to make that choice. Grace is the God-given desire and power to do His will. God gives us the grace to make choices, but we have to make the choices, and we can, indeed, choose to disobey Him. (Please see the article titled What is Grace?—Most Christians Don’t Know).

God wants us to choose with our free-will ability after receiving eternal life, to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength demonstrated only by obeying Him and keeping His commands set forth in the New Testament of His Word. If we do not obey Him in everything, even as a wife is commanded to obey her husband, then it is proof that we do not love Him—regardless of the words that come out of our mouth.

Jesus said if you deny Him He will deny you (Mat. 10:33; Mk. 8:38; 2 Tim. 2:12). Jesus said if we remain in Him and if we obey His commands we will remain in His love. Clearly, the promise is conditional. Clearly, if we, as Christians, continue to disobey His commands without repenting and confessing our sin (1 Jn. 1:9) at some point we will be vomited out of Him. Clearly, after we are born again and are in Him, the choice is ours.

If you still want to believe the heresy of unconditional eternal security because of the passages in the Bible that might seem to imply once-saved-always-saved, are you going to risk the possibility of being confined to the Lake of Fire for all eternity? Do you think it will make any difference whether you forfeit your salvation or whether you "prove" you were never saved by being cast into the Lake of Fire on the Day of Judgment?

In 95 A.D. five out of seven churches in Asia were in a state of apostasy. The church in Ephesus, that any so-called "pastor" today would think was ideal, had forsaken their first love, Christ. The church in Ephesus worked hard and persevered, could not tolerate wicked men, discerned false apostles, endured hardships for Jesus’ name, and had not grown weary—and yet they were in a fallen state (Rev. 2:5).

Those Christians were rebuked by Jesus and commanded to repent or else their lamp stand, which represented their Source of light, would be removed and they would be left in darkness. Jesus, who is the Light of the world, would no longer be there.

Jesus warned us that if that which we think is light (truth) within us is darkness (false teaching), how great is that darkness! Power comes from embracing the truth and being "filled" with the truth, the Truth being Jesus Christ. Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He said those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and truth. The more darkness (error) that you embrace, the more you worship a figment of your imagination, not God.

The more darkness within you, the less power you have to be an overcomer during the Great Tribulation. Jesus warned, "To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God." "He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death (Lake of Fire)." "To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna." "He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations." "He who overcomes will be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life." "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God." He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne." (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21).

Can you "hear" the warning that the Antichrist will have power to overcome true Christians and that if you are overcome you will not be able to eat of the tree of life? Can you "hear" that if you are overcome you will experience the Lake of Fire?

Beloved, what do you think will be the destiny of those who do not overcome and take the Mark of the Beast? Jesus solemnly warned, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Can you "hear" Jesus’ warning? Can you "see" in the light of Jesus’ lamp stand, or has it been removed? Can you "see" the truth of God’s warning or are you "wretched and blind."

Many Christians say that a loving God would never vomit them out or cast them into the Lake of Fire. The problem, my dear fellow-Christian, is not whether God loves you, but do you love Him—with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength? Do you love Jesus enough to meet the conditions to become His disciple and learn truths from Him that you will not learn, if you do not become His learner? Jesus emphatically said three times that if you do not meet those three conditions you cannot, cannot, cannot be His disciple (learner), and that includes literally giving up or forsaking everything you have, just as the twelve disciples and many early Christians did.

Many people today call themselves "Messianic Jews." These are Jews who have supposedly been saved by Jesus Christ. But by their embracing the false teachings that many of the Christians in the churches in Galatia did (tried to keep the Mosaic Law), they have actually been severed from Christ and fallen from grace (Gal. 5:4 NASB). (For more information about the Law please see the articles titled A Message For Messianic Jews and The Ten Commandments.)

We must compare scripture with scripture within the proper context to determine true doctrine. And then we can know the truth only when the Holy Spirit opens our spiritual eyes and our understanding (Mt. 23:8; Lk. 9:45; 19:42; 24:45; Jn. 3:27; 16:13).

Many verses seem to indicate unconditional eternal security, but when compared with other verses that are clear, within their proper context, they can only be interpreted as speaking of conditional eternal security. Many more verses could be cited, but that is not necessary for those who have ears to hear.

Before we look at the truth that there will be no pre-tribulation rapture, you need to see that the Great Tribulation (Daniel’s seventieth week) was shortened by God from seven years to three and a half years for the sake of the elect (Christians who will go through that terrible time, Mat. 24:21-22). The wrath to which God did not appoint the saints, is the wrath of the Last Day, at which time He will rapture all remaining Christians, just prior to destroying the earth, the entire universe and heaven. Also, the wrath to which obedient saints are not appointed is the Lake of Fire.

Christians will indeed go through the Great Tribulation, during which God will pour out His wrath on the earth in the form of various judgments. Many Christians will be martyred during that time, but very few will be overcomers, and endure to the end of the Great Tribulation, to be raptured on the Last Day when Jesus returns. (Incidentally, being martyred is not being overcome, but rather it is being victorious, and those who die for Christ’s sake will receive a crown to lay at His feet. Jesus is the only one worthy.)

The false teaching of so-called pastors that Christians will be raptured before the Great Tribulation sells books and movies and brings more members and money into the so-called churches, but the teaching is patently heretical.

God clearly warns us Christians to let no one, in any way, deceive us concerning the coming of Jesus and the rapture---the apostasy must come first and the Antichrist revealed, before our Lord comes back on the last day of the Great Tribulation (2 Thess. 2:1 & 3).

Many Christians will be martyred during the Great Tribulation (Rev. 7:13-14). There will, however, be many Christians who will be overcome by the Antichrist (Rev. 13:7; Dan. 7:25; 12:7) and take the Mark of the Beast, thereby forsaking Christ and forfeiting their free gift of eternal life. (It is very important to read these passages of Scripture.)

Since the vast majority of true Christians refuse to love the truth (Jesus), the Antichrist will be given power to overcome them. The unfruitful branches (Christians who do not bear fruit) of the Vine (Jesus) will be cut off and cast into the (Lake of) fire.

You can read a virtually exhaustive treatment of the pre-tribulation rapture hoax by reading the articles titled The Pre-Tribulation Rapture Hoax and Pre-Trib Rapture—Fact or Fable?

For those who have been deceived by the false doctrine of Preterism (the demonic idea that all prophecies of the end time were fulfilled in 70 A.D.), a clear refutation is presented in the article titled A Refutation of Preterism.

The False Teaching of Amillennalism

Concerning Amillennialism, those who spiritualize everything in the Revelation that is futuristic are sadly deceived. While there is much in the Revelation that is symbolic (like the Book of Daniel), there is much that is literal that is corroborated in Daniel and other futuristic passages in Ezekiel and the synoptic gospels.

There is indeed a time during which the saints in heaven will reign with Christ for a thousand years from heaven prior to Satan being released from the bottomless pit and entering the Antichrist near the beginning of the Great Tribulation. It is not the case that Jesus will return and reign on this earth for a thousand years. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords and has been reigning from heaven since His ascension.

Satan is bound in the bottomless pit now, but his demons are not. The release of Satan at the end of his incarceration will coincide with the beginning of the Great Tribulation when he goes up to heaven and engages in war with all the holy angels before he is cast down to earth. He will be furious, knowing his time is short (about three and a half years) and will give all his power to the literal Antichrist.

A complete exegesis of the sequence of these events can be read in the article titled The Last Day. The truths revealed in that article are essential for understanding the chronology of events of the Revelation.

If there ever was a need for the gift of discernment it is now. But a truly discerning Christian who has a teachable spirit and is more concerned about scriptural truth than denominational or congregational loyalty is a rare one indeed.

There is much spiritual leanness today because of Christians filling their minds with the filth and humanistic philosophy on the TV, the Internet and suchlike. The Holy Spirit has been so quenched that they can no longer discern the more subtle tactics of the enemy. Most Christians are like those Old Testament saints spoken of in the book of Judges, "Every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (17:6).

Most Christians have become desensitized by listening to the enemy saying again and again concerning so many teachings in the Scriptures, "Yea, hath God said..."

To the saints of old, God "gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul."

Christians cannot indulge in the carnal offerings of the world and expect to be discerning. The Scriptures teach not only that there is a gift of discerning of spirits but that we can also learn to discern. This can only come as we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. But the learning is a result of the Holy Spirit teaching us, and discernment being a spiritual ability, one must be spiritual as opposed to carnal. There is a high price to pay for indulging in that which appeals to the carnal nature. (Please see the article titled The Church is Losing Discernment.)

God’s People Have Always Gone Through Tribulation

It has always been God’s way to take His people through tribulation and persecution, not keep them from it. Some good examples of this are Noah, the three Hebrews in the furnace and Daniel in the lions’ den. This says nothing of the martyrdom of the apostles and untold numbers during the first and second century, and throughout Church history. Again, persecution and martyrdom is the New Testament norm. (See books such as Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and Martyrs Mirror).

Noah and his family were not spared the tribulation of the Great Flood, but rather were taken right through the middle of it, with torrential rains from above and gushing waters from below. They were safe in the ark, which was a type of Christ. They abided in the ark for the duration. Jesus said He will continue to abide in us if we continue to abide in Him. There is no other hope for Christians during the Great Tribulation.

The three Hebrews were not spared the tribulation of the furnace heated seven times hotter than normal, rather they were thrown right into the middle of it. They were safe in the fire in which was observed a fourth person, Christ. The three Hebrews did not even have the smell of smoke on them when they came out. They were faithful to God and He protected them through that severe time of testing.

Daniel was not spared the tribulation of the lions’ den, he was cast right into the middle of it. Daniel, being faithful to God, was supernaturally protected by the closing of the lions’ mouths.

Christians have a higher calling than the Old Testament saints. This includes the call to suffer. Numerous passages in the New Testament speak of our call to suffer with Christ, rather than to be delivered from persecution and tribulation. Jesus spoke of the last days when many Christians will fall away and betray one another (Mat. 24:10), and He said, "He who endures to the end, will be saved" (Mat. 24:13). The apostle Paul said, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). Jesus said, "In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" (Jn. 16:33). Peter wrote, "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps" (1 Peter 2:21).

The Great Tribulation will be a time of judgment on the world, and a time of severe testing of the saints. It will not be a time of Christians evangelizing the world, nor a time of great revival, nor a time of salvation of the unsaved. It will be a time of judgment on unrepentant mankind and apostate, lukewarm Christians who have left their first love (Christ) that will culminate with the Great White Throne Judgment on the last day of the Great Tribulation, that will coincide with the Last Day and complete destruction of the earth and the entire universe, and heaven. Also, on the last day of the Great Tribulation a new heaven and a new earth will be created. The Great Tribulation will be a time of the most severe testing of true Christians, who will not be able to buy or sell anything without the Mark of the Beast.

There is no mention whatsoever in the Scriptures of anyone being saved during the Great Tribulation, except for the 144,000 Jews. There is no mention of any of those Jews being evangelists, contrary to popular teaching. Christians refuse to become disciples of Jesus and evangelize the world as the apostles and early Christians did before the end of Paul’s ministry. There will, however, be an angel who proclaims the Gospel to the whole world during the Great Tribulation, but apparently no one is saved (Rev. 14:6). Prophecy will be fulfilled by the angel that God will send to preach the Gospel in the whole world and then the end will come (Mat. 24:14).

Why will God send an angel to do that which is the main work of the Church? Because Christians refuse to become disciples and be filled with the Holy Spirit so that they can evangelize the world and make disciples of the converts, as set forth by the pattern given by Jesus with the Twelve who turned the world upside down (without cars and airplanes).

It takes wheat to reproduce wheat, it takes sheep to reproduce sheep, and it takes disciples to reproduce disciples. And most so-called evangelists omit the necessity of repentance as part of the Gospel message. It is a little-known fact that the whole world was already evangelized before the end of Paul’s ministry. (Please see the articles titled The So-Called Great Commission and Repentance—A Forgotten Doctrine.)

The two prophets during that time will torment "those who dwell on the earth" (Rev. 11:10) with their preaching, but there is no mention whatsoever that anyone (apart from the 144,000 Jews) repents and is saved. Even after God uses the angels to pour out the plagues and kill a third of mankind, the rest "did not repent" (Rev. 9:20-21). When the sun’s heat will be increased and men are scorched "they did not repent" (Rev. 16:9). When people gnaw their tongues because of pain, they still "did not repent" (Rev. 16:11).

It will be to no avail to have food stored or gold and silver hidden. Gold and silver will be worthless to Christians because they will not be able to buy anything without the Mark. If you have a stockpile of food and water it will either be plundered by starving hordes or pleaded for by hungry Christians, neighbors and family. No matter how large your supply, it probably will be gone within the first week. Then what are you going to do during the remaining three and a half years?

Having firearms and plenty of ammunition will, doubtless, be your own undoing because of the clear teaching and commands of Jesus concerning being non-resistant.

Paul said, "Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh [physical], but divinely powerful" (2 Cor. 10:4). Our sword is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17).

There is among true Christians in these last days of apostasy the concept of an "underground" church in parts of the world where Christians are persecuted. But let us think about this for a minute. In light of what the Bible teaches, is an "underground" church scriptural?

There are para-church organizations whose primary ministry is to raise money to help support the underground churches. First of all, their para-church status has no scriptural warrant. But more important, perhaps, is the unscriptural idea of catering to persecuted Christians who have gone "underground" so they can survive or avoid persecution.

Nowhere in the New Testament does it teach us Christians to go underground to avoid persecution or suffering, or to save our lives. In fact, the Scriptures teach quite the contrary. Jesus told the Twelve that when they were persecuted in one city flee to another. In this way the Gospel would be spread (Mt. 10:23). He did not say when you are persecuted go "underground." Paul said, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12). And Peter said that "even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps" (1 Peter 2:21).

Many Christians in some parts of the world are fearful of suffering or losing their lives. Jesus said, "He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal" (Jn. 12:25).

Paul said to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phil. 1:21). Paul was torn between wanting to go to heaven and wanting to stay and minister to others. He had been caught up to the third heaven and knew how indescribably great it is to leave this world and be with the Lord. Also, the apostle had been filled with the Holy Spirit and knew from that experience (apart from the born-again experience) what it was like to have a little taste of heaven.

"God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power" (2 Tim. 1:7).

Paul did not fear persecution or dying. He said that he had received stripes above measure, been frequently imprisoned, five times received thirty-nine stripes from the Jews, beaten with rods three times, stoned, in perils from robbers, from his own countrymen, from the heathen, and from false brethren (2 Cor. 11:23-26). Aren't you glad the apostle Paul didn’t go underground?

When the apostles were arrested, as recorded in Acts 5, and the angel set them free they were brought before the council and told not to preach Christ. So, did the apostles go underground? No. A thousand times, No. Scripture records that Peter and the other apostles answered and said, "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). Aren't you glad that Peter and the other apostles didn't go underground?

One of the reasons that many Christians have gone underground is because they have never been filled with the Holy Spirit. They do not have the power to face suffering or martyrdom. Their love for their families and their safety is greater than their love for Christ and spreading the Gospel.

God's grace is sufficient for everything that He requires of us, whether it involves suffering or martyrdom or forsaking all that we have. After I met the conditions for being Jesus' disciple, He later added back what I needed to do His will, and more, (which is precious little compared to the vast majority of Christians in this country).

Talk is cheap. I know what it is like to be thrown into jail and prison for following Christ. I know what it is like to lose my family and everything for which I worked for many years to follow Christ. Beloved Christian, I could only do it because of the grace of God and because I had been filled with the Holy Spirit. I give the glory to Jesus Christ, who is our all.

Without Jesus we can do nothing. With Him and the filling of His Holy Spirit and faith even as small as a mustard seed we can do anything. Christians do not need to go underground now, or during the Great Tribulation.

Our Lord did not tell the apostles or anyone else to go underground to avoid suffering or martyrdom.

According to early-church history, all the apostles, except John who was banished to the Isle of Patmos, suffered martyrdom. Jesus told Peter how he would die to glorify God. He showed Paul how much he must suffer for His name’s sake (Acts 9:16).

The Lord also said, "Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful" (Jn. 14:27). Christians who go underground do not acknowledge the absolute sovereignty of God. Christians who go underground are driven by fear.

Jesus said, "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Mat.10:28).

Following are some very pointed questions that Jesus asked that we need to consider: "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" "When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?" "Will thou lay down thy life for My sake?"

Our Lord also said the cowardly shall have their part in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 21:8).

Perfect love for God casts out fear. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7). The apostle Paul said, "Join me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God" (2 Tim. 1:8).

Many Christians today are in a suffering-avoidance-survivalist mode.

There are many claims today concerning what the Mark of the Beast is. Some Christians have believed that it is the Social Security number, notwithstanding the fact that most countries around the world do not even issue Social Security numbers or cards.

Many Christians believe that a UPC (bar code) is the Mark of the Beast.

In the past few years many Christians have accepted the idea that an electronic chip, biochip, microchip, or VeriChip that can be implanted under the skin is the Mark of the Beast.

There are other ideas about what the Mark is, or will be, but most have no real basis from the Scriptures.

So, let us see from the Word of God what we can know about the Mark of the Beast, and what we can deduce, by implication, from the Scriptures.

The Mark of the Beast will be a literal mark. It will not be some kind of "spiritual" or non-physical mark. We can know this because, according to Revelation 16:2, those who take the Mark will later have a physical reaction: "it became a loathsome and malignant sore" (NASB), "a bad and evil sore" KJIIV), "there came a sore---bad and grievous---to men, those having the mark of the beast" (Young's Literal Translation).

The Mark of the Beast will not be under or "in" the skin such as a chip implantation, but rather it will be "on" the skin. "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on [epi] the forehead or on [epi] the hand, he, too will drink of the wine of God's fury...He will be tormented with burning sulfur...And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever" (Rev. 14:9-11).

Notice that the Greek word used to describe the location of the Mark is epi which means "on" or "over," and not eis which means "in" or "into."

It will be on the forehead or right hand, and will probably incorporate some type of vaccination that will later turn into an ugly sore. The mark (Greek, charagma, which means a stamp, an impression or an engraving), will be a visible mark, not an invisible chip implanted under the skin.

Those who receive the Mark will break out with a loathsome sore. This suggests some kind of reaction similar to that of an inoculation such as a smallpox vaccination that, years ago, was required of everyone who entered the public school systems in the United States. No vaccination---no education---at least, no education in the public schools. No school attendance---jail time for parents and loss of children to the State. Then, the children get the vaccination and education from the satanically controlled public schools---without their parents.

This writer had a smallpox vaccination more than 55 years ago and it left a mark (scar) on my upper left arm that is visible to this day. The vaccination became an ugly sore before healing.

If the Mark incorporates some type of vaccination against one or more diseases, the protection may be from cancer or AIDS or something worse. This would be in addition to the primary reason for the Mark, which is, a visible identification for buying and selling in order to survive.

Without the Mark no one will be able to buy food, gasoline, pay rent or mortgage payments, pay taxes on property, pay for medical treatment, prescription drugs or anything else. In short, without the Mark, no one will be able to survive very long---unless God supernaturally provides for His faithful and obedient saints.

There are in the Scriptures several accounts of God's supernatural intervention and provision for His saints. Some of them are: Noah and his family provided for in the Ark (food and safety), the three Hebrews protected in the blazing furnace heated seven times hotter than normal, Elijah fed meat and bread by ravens, and later by the destitute widow. And, of course, the Israelites in the wilderness were fed with manna for forty years, and their clothes and shoes did not even wear out.

God will allow Satan to give his power to the Antichrist to overcome true Christians during the Great Tribulation. "The saints [Christians] will be handed over to him [the Antichrist] for a time, times and half a time [3 1/2 years]" (Dan. 7:25); "It will be for a time, times and half a time [3 1/2 years]. When the power of the holy people [Christians] has been finally broken, all these things will be completed" (Dan.12:7); The beast was given "authority for forty-two months [3 1/2 years]...He was given power to make war against the saints [Christians] and to conquer them" (Rev. 13:5-7).

"There is no rest day or night...for anyone who receives the mark of his name. This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints [Christians] who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus" (Rev. 14:11-12). (The commandments mentioned here are the commandments of the New Testament, not the Mosaic Law.)

Many Christians will not have the discernment so greatly needed even before the advent of the Antichrist. Many Christians simply will not have the spiritual power to endure to the end of the Great Tribulation.

The Mark of the Beast will be forced on everyone, not by the Antichrist, but rather by the False Prophet. (Please see Revelation 13:11-17). Forcing people to take the Mark will be in the form of economic pressure or the threat of being killed if they do not take the Mark. There is no reason to believe that those in authority will constrain anyone and place the Mark on them without that person’s cooperation.

What are the three conditions to become a disciple of Jesus, and why, along with being filled with the Holy Spirit, is this necessary in order to be an overcomer during the Great Tribulation?

Virtually all so-called pastors, Bible teachers, Christian authors, seminary professors, and others who preach, teach or write about becoming a disciple of Jesus say one of the following: 1) All Christians are disciples of Jesus by virtue of being born again, or 2) in Luke 14:33 Jesus did not literally mean that Christians should give up everything to become His disciple, or 3) we just need to be willing to give up everything without having to actually do it.

The truth is that Jesus never even hinted that we should be willing to give up everything, but rather that we should, in fact, give up everything or else we could not be His learner. It is the same with becoming born again and saved from your sins. One must not merely be willing to repent, one must actually repent or they will perish in the Lake of Fire.

When Jesus told Peter and Andrew to follow Him they left their nets and followed Him. When Jesus called James and John they left their boat, their nets, and their father and followed Him. Luke recorded about Peter, James and John, "They left everything and followed Him" (Lk. 5:11).

When Jesus told Levi (Matthew), the tax collector, to follow Him, "He left everything behind, and rose and began to follow Him" (Lk. 5:28).

When the rich ruler confronted Jesus, He told him to sell everything he had and give the proceeds to the poor and then follow Him. But the ruler was wealthy and refused to give it all up in order to enter the kingdom of God (and become a disciple of Jesus) (Lk. 18:18-23). Afterward Peter said to Jesus, "We [the twelve disciples] have left all we had to follow you" (Lk. 18:28 NIV).

When Jesus was speaking to Christians (little flock), He told them, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor...For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Lk. 12:32-34).

Jesus said unless you meet the conditions as recorded in Luke 14:26, 27 and 33, you "cannot...cannot...cannot" be His disciple. In verse 33 Jesus said, "Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple."

After Jesus had finished His earthly ministry and had ascended into heaven, Luke recorded in Acts, "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods they gave to anyone as he had need (2:44-45).

Later, Luke recorded in Acts, "All who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need" (4:34-35).

Luke 14:33 is the requirement that disqualifies the vast majority of Christians, in these last days of apostasy, from becoming a learner of Jesus. The other two requirements in verses 26 and 27, however, also disqualify many Christians.

In Luke 14:26 Jesus said, "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple." As with formulating all scriptural doctrines, we must compare scripture with scripture to understand this verse. Many other passages of Scripture command us to love others, including even our enemies. Husbands are commanded to love their wives as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it.

None of the scriptures are contradictory, therefore Jesus is saying in Luke 14:26 that your love for anyone else, including yourself, must look as though it is hate compared to your love for Him. In fact, we are commanded to love Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. Our incomparable love for Jesus is proven by our obedience to His New Testament commandments. Jesus said if you love Him you will keep His commandments (Jn. 14:21).

When is the last time you told Jesus that you love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength? Would you be lying if you told Him that?

Do you love your neighbor as yourself? Would you give your life for your neighbor if the situation called for it? Do you love your enemies? Husband, do you love your wife as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it? Wife, do you love and respect your husband, and obey him in everything? Do you borrow money even though Proverbs 22:7 says that the borrower is slave to the lender, and Romans 13:8 commands you to owe no man anything? These are just a few of Jesus’ commandments. Are you obeying His commandments? If not, you do not love Him according to Luke 14:26 and you are disqualified from becoming His learner.

Another condition to become Jesus’ learner set forth in Luke 14:27 is, "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." Searching other passages makes it clear that we are called to suffer for Christ’s sake, as mentioned above.

The overwhelming majority of Christians in these last days of apostasy are not only disqualified to be a learner of Jesus because of the other two conditions, but this one also. Most Christians think they are on a playground instead of a battleground. And what most Christians think is carrying a cross is actually chastisement by the Lord for their unconfessed sins, their carnality, or for being out of His will.

If you are living at the time of the Great Tribulation you are going to lose virtually all that you "own" anyway, because unless you take the Mark you will not be able to buy or sell anything.

Even though Christians will suffer the loss of many of their possessions during the Great Tribulation, the loss will be something that will be forced upon them, not a voluntary surrender that is required to become a disciple. Christians who have not previously become a disciple will lose everything and not become a disciple either, therefore they will likely be overcome by the Antichrist.

Ironically, most Christians do not realize, in a truly practical way, that all their possessions belong to the Lord, not them. Jesus asks them to voluntarily give them all up and start with a clean slate, and by doing so they prove that they are not covetous and do not love money or anything else more than Him.

The test to meet the requirements to become a learner of Jesus is not so that He will know the true condition of your heart and your true motives (He already knows), but so that you will know. Everyone, including Christians, have the ability to rationalize anything, including not obeying the commands of Christ.

Jesus will give back everything, in due time, that you need, which may be only food and clothing, with which you are commanded to be content. In any case, the Lord will give back everything that is needed to do His will, including everything needed to minister to others.

The time to become a disciple is now, as the Lord leads, so that you can have as much time as possible to learn from Jesus and renounce all the false teaching that you embrace, and increase your power. In being obedient to Christ’s call to become His disciple, with no known unconfessed sin in your life, you will likely be filled with the Holy Spirit, which is an enduement with power from on High. The more truth you embrace, the more discernment you will have to detect the great deceptions of the end time, including all the false doctrines taught by so-called pastors, teachers and Christian writers.

When there is no rapture prior to the Great Tribulation, lukewarm Christians will be devastated by the realization that their so-called pastor and all the popular pre-trib writers, in whose teaching they trusted more than the Word of God, were deceived. Many of these Christians will be especially vulnerable to being overcome by the Antichrist and take his Mark, thereby forfeiting their salvation by denying Christ. Jesus said, "Whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven" (Mat. 10:33). Paul wrote to Timothy, "If we endure [to the end], we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us" (2 Tim. 2:12).

Everyone who is born again has the Holy Spirit in their spirit, but not everyone who is born again has been filled with the Holy Spirit. If you believe that all Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit when they are saved, or you are not sure whether or not you have been filled, then one thing is sure—you have not been filled.

In some cases God fills people with the Holy Spirit virtually at the same time of their born-again experience. A number of Christians throughout Church history were filled sometime after they were born again. In some rare cases God fills a Christian with the Holy Spirit more than once (Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 9:17-18; 13:9; 52). God even filled some saints prior to Pentecost. John the baptizer was filled from his mother’s womb. His mother and father were also filled prior to Pentecost (Lk. 1:15, 41, 67). All the apostles were commanded by Jesus to wait in Jerusalem until they were filled with the Holy Spirit, so that they would have the spiritual power to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.

The Bible tells us that God fills with the Holy Spirit those who "ask" and those who "obey" (Lk. 11:13; Acts 5:32). Today, many Christians ask to be filled but they refuse to obey God in everything. Therefore, they are never filled. To obey God means to be obedient in everything that He reveals to you to do or not do, and to have no unconfessed sin in your life. The vast majority of Christians in these last days of apostasy are not obedient to Christ and the clear teachings of His Word. Partial obedience is disobedience. Jesus said, "Why do you call Me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?" (Lk. 6:46).

The apostle Paul admonished Christians to "be filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 5:18), but hardly any Christians will "obey" Jesus in everything, even as wives are commanded to be subject to their husbands in everything, as unto the Lord (Eph. 5:22-24).

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is a sovereign act of God and cannot be accomplished merely by laying hands on someone and praying for them to be filled, as many Pentecostals and Charismatics claim.

Even though God sovereignly sent messages through Christians who were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (they spoke in foreign tongues), that is not always the case when one is filled with the Holy Spirit. Contrary to modern-day Pentecostal teaching, speaking in tongues is not the manifestation of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

The only biblical account of speaking in tongues upon being filled was on the Day of Pentecost, with no mention of that for subsequent fillings or when Paul was filled. There are many testimonies of Christians throughout Church history who tell of their experience of being filled, but never spoke in tongues.

This writer has been filled with the Holy Spirit three times and never has spoken in tongues. Every time was unexpected and the third time was upon meeting the conditions to become a disciple of Jesus Christ on 6/14/1984, three and a half years after I was saved and filled the first time. (The second time was about a year after I was saved.)

Noah had the privilege of serving God at the time that He destroyed everything that lived on the land of the earth.

Thousands of Christians had the privilege of serving God at the time of the beginning of the Church Age. Now we Christians, today, have the great privilege of serving the Lord at the time of the end of the world.

The Great Tribulation is now on the horizon. Assuming that you could be alive at that time, are you going to bring glory to God by becoming a disciple of Jesus and be an overcomer? Or are you going to refuse to become His disciple?

How does a Christian go about actually giving up everything to become a disciple of Jesus? What about Christians who have children, etc.?

Fast and pray, and seek the Lord with all your heart about how He wants you to go about this. If you are really sincere, He will show you. If you are not sincere, you probably will not hear from Him on this matter.

By giving up everything to become a learner of Jesus you actually gain much more (spiritually), if you continue to be a faithful disciple of our Lord. Every pursuit, except that of learning from Jesus and serving Him, is nothing but vanity and meaningless, anyway.

Solomon accumulated everything that his heart desired, but discovered the timeless truth that all of those pursuits had no lasting satisfaction. He also discovered that the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). For Christians this means the commandments of the New Testament. You have the grace to be obedient to Christ and show your love for Him by keeping His commandments. The Lord’s grace is also available to become His disciple. Beloved, why don’t you do it?

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