The Mark of the Beast and Legalism

I’ve been studying with “Steve,” who wanted to understand why his keeping Sunday did not mean that he had the mark of the beast now, as opposed to when persecution begins (Rev. 13:15-17; 14:9-11). Also, and perhaps even more to the point, is not this issue of those “who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Rev. 14:12), as opposed to those who get the mark of the beast, somewhat legalistic? If keeping the law, specifically the Sabbath, will separate the faithful from those who “drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation” (verse 10), is this not, essentially, salvation by lawkeeping, Steve asks? Why isn’t our eschatology vis-à-vis obedience to the commandments legalism?

For the same reason that it wasn’t for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in Daniel 3. The king sets up “an image of gold” (Dan. 3:1) and then commands everyone, on the threat of being burned alive in a fiery furnace, to “fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up” (verse 5). As we know, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego declare before the king that their God can deliver them from the flames. “But if not,” they continue, “let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (verse 18).

But why not? Were they trying to be saved by obedience to the law? Contrary to popular opinion, salvation in the Old Testament, as in the New, was by faith alone, a truth attested with (for example) Abraham, who “believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness” (Gen. 15:6), a verse picked up centuries later by Paul: “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness’ ” (Rom. 4:3). Why didn’t the three Hebrews just worship the image, save their sorry carcasses from the flames, and be done with it? (They could always ask for forgiveness later.)

But that’s not how faithfulness to God is manifested, is it? Their obedience was no more legalism than is the obedience of “those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city” (Rev. 22:14). When the Bible says, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments” (1 John 5:2), is Scripture teaching us salvation by works, or is it teaching us that our works reveal “both to angels and to men” (1 Cor. 4:9) the salvation that we already have, by faith, in Jesus? 

Amid the study, via email, I asked, “If someone put a gun to your head and said, ‘Curse God, Steve, or I am going to shoot you,’ what would you do? Probably not curse God, right? But why not? Are you a legalist? Are you dissing grace by refusing to violate one of God’s commandments?” 

I’m still awaiting his answer.