The revival of the papacy will affect Christians dramatically. The religious
liberty obtained at great cost, guaranteed by the separation between church and
state, will erode and finally be abolished. With the support of powerful civil
governments, this apostate power will attempt to force its form of worship on
all people. Everyone will have to choose between loyalty to God and His
commandments and loyalty to the beast and his image. [ REV 14:6-12 ]
The pressure to conform will include economic coercion: "No one may buy or
sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his
name." [ REV 13:17 ] Eventually those who refuse to go along will face a death
penalty. [ REV 13:15 ] During this final time of trouble God will intervene
for His people and deliver everyone whose name is written in the book of life.
[ DAN 12:1; REV 3:5; 20:15 ]