catholic199_returns
For your consideration...
"Under the reign of Roman Emperor Decius (249-251) the early church faced the first systematized empire wide persecution.
This persecution led to the death of many believers and even almost entire faith communities.
The only way to escape persecution was to offer sacrifices to the pagan gods on behalf of the emperor.
Decius made this mandatory for all citizens, and it was locally enforced.
Once you sacrificed, you were give a Certificate of Sacrifice, which was the ticket of life.
Christians, however, refused to offer sacrifices because they worshiped only one God and had only one Lord–Jesus Christ.
To offer sacrifices would have been idolatry and was considered a major no-no.
https://alexandriantheologian.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/certificate-of-sacrifice/
Publius
I don't think so. I think people who accept it will know what they are doing.
Believeth
Most who receive the Mark of the Beast will not even know they have it.
People will receive the "Mark of the beast" through deception. They will not know they have the The "Mark of the Beast" because they are deceived. The Mark of the Beast is 'IN' the forehead. What is in your forehead, your brain. It is deception. Without this deception you would not worship the beast. The only ones that will not be deceived into taking the Mark of the Beast are God's elect, for they are sealed with the truth and are not deceived.
Revelation 12:9 “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
Revelation 9:4 “And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.”
yesmar
The “mark of the beast” was particular to events and people in the first century. No, you can’t take it by accident.
Brianna
Interesting Question!
From my study of the Bible, I don't see anyway someone could accept the mark accidentally.
According to the last book in the Bible, 666 is the number, or name, of the wild beast with seven heads and ten horns that comes out of the sea. (Revelation 13:1, 17, 18) This beast is a symbol of the worldwide political system, which rules over “every tribe and people and tongue and nation.” (Revelation 13:7) The name 666 identifies the political system as a gross failure in God’s sight.
The Bible says that people receive “the mark of the wild beast” because they follow it “with admiration,” to the point of worshipping it. (Revelation 13:3, 4; 16:2) They do this by giving worshipful honor to their country, its symbols, or its military might. As The Encyclopedia of Religion states: “Nationalism has become a dominant form of religion in the modern world.”
I placed in the source box the link to the article that quotes the above.