Hi Bill, nice to see you; Some comments for your consideration below.
Absolutely Bill and well said. Of ourselves we can do nothing but as we have FAITH in God's WORD God's Spirit enables us to FOLLOW him and produces the FRUIT in those who BELIEVE (Romans 8:1-4). However, there are conditions to receiving God's Spirit. I am sure you will agree with the following Bill as I believe you study God's WORD.
WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS TO RECEIVING GOD'S SPIRIT IN ORDER TO RECEIVE HIS SPIRIT THAT WORKS IN THOSE WHO BELIEVE (there are plenty more scriptures only providing a few for each condition here)
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1. REPENTANCE IS THE CONDITION OF FORGIVENESS (turning away and forsaking SIN)
Act 2:38
Then Peter said to them,
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 3:19
Repent you therefore, and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
Act 8:22
Repent therefore of this your wickedness,
and pray God, if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.
Act 17:30
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men every where to repent
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:
be zealous therefore, and repent.
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2. CONFESSION
Pro 28:13
He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I to you, that you
sin not. And
if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
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3. FAITH (BELIEVING AND FOLLOWING GOD'S WORD)
Rom 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Heb 11:6
But
without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
James 2
17, Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.
18, Yes, a man may say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19, You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20, But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21, Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?
22, See you how faith worked with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23, And the scripture was fulfilled which said, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24, You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25, Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26, For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Romans 3:31
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yes,
we establish the law.
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CONCLUSION; REPENTANCE FROM OUR SINS; COFESSION of SIN and FAITH IN GOD'S WORD are the CONDITIONS for RECEIVING God's SPIRIT. In times of ignorance of sin when somoene does not know better God does not hold someone accountable untill they RECEIVE a KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH.
When a KNOWLDGE of the truth COMES we can choose to accept God's WORD or reject it. If we REJECT Gods' WORD then we become an UNBELIEVER. Those who CONTINUE in KNOW UNREPENTANT SIN and REJECT God's WORD will not enter into the KINGDOM of HEAVEN (Hebrews 10:26-27; Hebrews 4:6-8)
God Spirit is HOLY and he ONLY gives his SPIRIT to those who OBEY him
Acts 5:32
And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost,
whom God has given to them that obey him.
Yes Bill this is God's WORD and as has been mentioned earlier; I believe God has his people in all the Chruches living up to all the KNOWLEDGE of God's WORD that he has revealed to them.
AS you have mentioned there is time for growing in GRACE and the KNOWLDGE of our LORD Jesus Christ. In times of IGNORANCE when somone does not KNOW any better God does not hold it accountable to somone until they RECEIVE a KNOWLEDGE of the truth and choose to reject God's WORD.
Act 17:30
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men every where to repent.
The MARK of the BEAST is given to those who continue in SIN and not given to those who BELIEVE and FOLLOW God's WORD.
ALL the judgements of GOD that have been given to mankind from the world being detroyed by a flood in the days of Noah to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorah to Israel departing from God have only EVER been given to those who SIN (break God's Commandments and do not believe and follow what God says).
It will be exaclty the same reason God executes his Judgements once agian to mankind. The penalty for those who continue in KNOWN UNREPETANT SIN is DEATH because they have refused the GIFT of God's dear SON to free them from SIN.
Luke 17
26, And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27, They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28, Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
29, But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30, Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
None of that is true Bill it is only those who BELIEVE and FOLLOW God's Word that are his people. God's WORD clearly descripbes who his people are. Let's have a look...
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU KNOW GOD?
1 John 2
3, And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4, He that said, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 John 3
3, And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
4, Whoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5, And you know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
6, Whoever stays in him sins not: whoever sins has not seen him, neither known him.
7, Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8, He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9, Whoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10, In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whoever does not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loves not his brother.
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WHO ARE GOD'S PEOPLE?
Revelation 12
17, And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ
Revelation 14
12, Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
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WHO ARE THOSE THAT RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE?
Revelation 22
14, Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
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CONCLUSION: Gods people are NOT CONTINUING in KNOWN UNREPENTANT SIN, God's people keep all of God's Commandments through FAITH in Jesus.
To CONTINUE IN KNOWN SIN (Breaking God's LAW) or NOT CONTINUING IN KNOWN SIN (OBEDIENCE THROUGH FAITH) shows if you are following GOD or NOT FOLLOWING GOD.
ONLY those who keep God's Commandments will enter the kingdom of heaven (Rev 22:14)
Bill, your understanding here is not correct. NO one as yet have recieved the Beasts Mark. This does not take place until it is forced upon people under Government legistation of the 2nd beats power of Revelations 13. You will notice that there is two beasts spoken about in this chapter. The second beast is the one that forces the Mark of the Beast on people as described in REV 13:11-18. So no one at this stage has received the Mark of the Beast until it is forced on people.
Bill some interesting things you may or may not have known. In the US they have what is called the "BLUE LAWS" These are still active in the federal law books although dormant and not enforced. These were developed back in the late 1800's early 1900's. The purpose of these laws is to force Sunday rest and worship.
You can read more about the BLUE LAWS here at wiki linked.
As these laws a already passed into legislation in law in the US there is nothing stopping them for when the time is right to be forced into action. God's Sabbath is not Sunday it never has been.
Hope this help my friend, God bless you as you seek him who loves us through his WORD.