Page 72 - The Mark of the Beast

Ephesians 4:17-24
So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the
Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their
understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in
them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have
given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with
greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him
and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Yahshua, that, in reference to your
former manner of life, you lay aside the old man, which is being corrupted in
accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your
mind, and put on the new man, which in the likeness of God has been created in
righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Paul declares that the new man has been created in the likeness of God in
righteousness and holiness and truth. We know these words are descriptive of Christ, and
they are descriptive of all those who are being conformed to the image of Christ. We must
lay aside the old man who bears the mark 666, who is being corrupted in accordance with
the lusts of deceit, and put on Christ. Only those who subdue and rule over the old man with
his bestial desires can be said to have attained victory over the beast, his image and the
number of his name.
Is it not apparent that a man could resist the influence of a pope, or an emperor, or
of some other evil despot, while still falling short of ruling over the beast nature within
themselves? It is the old man that all saints are called to lay aside and to have victory over,
with all of its evil lusts and desires. None can attain to the image of God who have not
overcome the image of the beastly man. I believe this is the deeper understanding of the
symbolism of the number 666 and the man whom it represents.