Left Behind Authors Answer Questions About Chang

The following is an excerpt from The Mark Live Global Chat - Transcript
from November 15, 2000, 8:00 - 9:00 EST P.M. on the official LEFT BEHIND website, at: C:^#92;web page info^#92;The Mark Live Global Chat - Transcript.htm

Someone queried the authors, Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins about Chang and the result of his taking the mark of the beast:

05:30:33 PM> MODMSG ru4ou2:in the case of young chang will he be held accountable or is he doomed for a life in hell

The authors responded as follows:

05:30:56 PM> The Authors: God looks on the heart. He was a believer first, and thus, always.

Left Behind authors, Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, sent the message that because Chang was a believer when he received the mark of the beast he would remain a believer and remain sealed unto the day of redemption. The authors denied the inerrant word of God.

This is real life doctrinal teaching, not a teaching encased in fiction. Dr. LaHaye is teaching believers that as long as a Christian is genuine in his faith, his taking the mark will not result in the fate scripture describes for ALL who take the mark of the beast!

Yes, an overcomer is one who "believeth that Jesus is the Son of God" (1 John. 5:5) but an overcomer also keeps Jesus' works unto the end:

 "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:"-Rev. 2:26

Lest anyone misunderstand the dire consequences of receiving the mark of the beast, God's word is explicit in its warning:

 "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."-Revelation 14: 9-11

Perhaps the authors might say in their next book, DESECRATION (scheduled for release on October 30, 2001 the eve of the most powerfully evil "Satanic high day" of the year)  that Chang did not worship the beast. In fact he confessed Christ in a fashion after he received the mark when he said, "Christ is risen indeed" when everyone else was saying "He is risen indeed" in reference to Antichrist. (See The Mark, page 146) The authors depicted Chang declaring his loyalty to Christ (notice he did not say Jesus Christ) after receiving the mark of the beast. They are teaching people that they can still turn their lives over to the Lord Jesus Christ after they have received the beast's mark. Receiving the mark of the beast is a "no-turning-back" situation, and those who take it will not be filled with remorse and desire to serve the true, living, Lord Jesus Christ, who is God!

Chang did not declare his loyalty and allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords when it was time to take the mark of allegiance to Antichrist. In real life, it would be for this reason, and none other, that he had the mark of Satan. He would have received the mark in real life because he was not willing to lose his life on this earth in order to save it, as Christ taught all his disciples. In the book, Chang did not scream out that he was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (the book, The Mark, depicted a believer commending him for not doing this! see The Mark page 353) and thus was not putting Christ first, above his own life. He did NOT have the "victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name,"! (See Rev. 15:2)

The scenario of being forced to take the mark of the beast will never happen if the believer does what God's Word commands every true Christian to do and that is to confess Christ before men and accept the consequences. Satan will not force his mark upon any believer who declares their allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ! No true Christian will be held down and forcibly marked! Why? Because taking the mark is an act of worship in itself, and worship can only come from the will and the heart.

Satan demands worship and a believer resolutely standing firm in his love for and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the one true God and only savior of mankind, is worship to Christ and NOT to Satan!

This "believer first, and thus always" false teaching (a highly popular teaching in Baptist circles but a direct contradiction to scripture) is also behind the "two books of life" and false definition of overcomer taught in Dr. LaHaye's non-fiction works such as: Are We Living in the End Times?, The Tim LaHaye Prophecy Study Bible: King James, and Revelation Unveiled.

The Holy Bible teaches that all will be "caused" to take the mark of the beast, NOT "forced."  Please see the article, "Caused" or "Forced" to Take the Mark of the Beast: What's the Difference?

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