Church Heresies that Encourage American Socio-political Dysfunction - Part 1(a.)

…and there was a glitch in the evangelical/reformed matrix…

In 2013 a shocking statement, made years earlier by the foremost reformed preacher in America, came to light. During a Q&A session, John MacArthur had been recorded saying that, in the end times, Christians can take the “mark of the beast” and still be saved. There was an instant out cry by those who considered this statement to be a heretical contradiction of scripture. One YouTube commenter said (paraphrase): “… MacArthur is clearly going against the word of God to promote his own interpretation; Calvinism first, everything else second.”

Scriptural background: In the Book of Revelation, the BIBLE says that in order to be able to buy food and live, people on earth during the reign of the anti-christ will be forced to take a mark on their bodies (666) - signifying that they worship/belong to the beast (satan). Rev 13:15-18

What does the BIBLE say about taking the mark?

Rev 14:9-10:  …"If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb” (indicating final damnation). This is an “if – then” statement. IOW, if you (take the mark), then you will be damned. The word tenses in the original Greek indicate that this is a certainty – not just a possibility. It goes on -  Rev 14:13 tells us that “… anyone who receives the mark…” will receive eternal punishment. The BIBLE plainly states that those who receive the mark are damned; it never teaches that you can receive the mark and be forgiven. The certainty of damnation after taking the mark is the accepted interpretation of these verses. Rev 19:20, Rev 21:8

A Mistake?

MacArthur must have realized that he mis-spoke. He has a seminary, surely someone must have pointed this out and he made a correction – right?

Nope.   

A defense of this statement is still up on his website today. Typically, it begins by falsely re-stating the question that led to MacArthur’s heretical statement. The actual question asked by the audience member was: “once a person takes the mark, is there any possibility of him coming to Christ?” (The original Q&A transcript is here – search the word “beast.”) The website defense claimed that the original question was whether “taking the mark of the Beast during the Great Tribulation would be an unpardonable sin?” The “unpardonable sin” is an entirely separate theological discussion that is specific to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. MacArthur’s followers are still using this red herring to defend his teaching – they claim that since taking the mark is not specifically said to be the “unpardonable sin” – then this must be a sin that can be forgiven. 

An honest restatement of the question would be: “If you take the mark of the beast in the midst of the tribulation can you still be saved?” MacArthur says yes, if you repent after taking the mark you can still be saved. This is a weak “argument from silence” debate tactic, i.e., since Rev 14:10 doesn’t say that you can't repent, then you must be able to. The scripture, however, says elsewhere that the worshippers of the beast (those who take the mark) will refuse to repent - even as their souls are being destroyed. Rev 9:20-21, Rev 16:9-11  There is obviously a spiritual aspect to this scenario where those who do not love the truth are eternally deceived. 2Th 2:8-12

Why would MacArthur teach this? It may be as simple as the need to defend the Calvinist system. Maybe this stance seems necessary to support Unconditional Election / OSAS; the Calvinist teaching that says if you are one of the elect, your salvation can’t be lost for any reason. However, selling your soul to the devil to live a short while longer during the tribulation is plainly the opposite of faithfully enduring to the end to be saved.   

Why bring this up now - decades later?

Is this statement the heresy I wish to expose? No, I point to this episode in order to set the stage. In recent years, John MacArthur has gone on to make a number of public pronouncements that use similarly faulty interpretations of scripture to support right-wing, proto-fascist, republican propagandistic talking points. Many other American right-wing political christians, from across the evangelical spectrum, have signed onto these statements and, no doubt, convey these sentiments to their congregations.  

In upcoming posts I will show how such statements contribute to the division in modern American society by heretically contradicting the most fundamental teaching of scripture - to love your neighbor as yourself.