In one of my first blog posts I shared about how my great-grandfather chose to not receive his social security number and why he thought it was the Mark of the Beast.

In this blog post I am going to share why I have also chosen to not receive the number, and why I believe it is wrong to have one.

Let me begin by explaining what I mean by wrong. I do not mean immoral, as in if I were to have a number I’d be damned to Hell.

I do not believe to have the social security number is to have the Mark of the Beast, or not in the sense that many do. The Bible isn’t so clear when it speaks of this mysterious Mark of the Beast, yet we all think we know so much about it and fear it even more.

What Revelation 13 does say is that the mark will be forced upon all. At this point in history, a social security number is still a choice, to some degree. If you read on in Revelation 14, it speaks of the Father’s name being written on His people’s foreheads.

I do not believe either passage is talking of a literal number, but of who owns our allegiance and of which ideas are kept inside our heads and how we carry out those ideas into life.

I do not believe that a baby who had no choice in being numbered is condemned to Hell. I do not believe it is immoral to be subjected to numbering. Though, sometimes there are major consequences when it is done without God’s blessing and direction (2 Samuel 24).

Even more, I can’t believe a social security number is the true Mark of the Beast, because it is predominately an American thing. Other countries may have their own form of identification tax numbers, but every country is different. A true Beast’s Mark would be uniform throughout the world, forced upon all, and impossible to navigate as I have done.

And yet I believe it is wrong to have a social security number.

I know many Christians who like to think ALL SIN IS EQUAL. But I do not agree with that. Some sins transgress against Divine law. Some are simply “missing the mark”, and err in that they are not perfect. Such sins result in grave Earthly consequences, rather than eternal punishment.

I believe a social security number falls under a sociological and economical sin.

Sociological, because it does not allow for humanity to live under their God-given rights fully.

Economical, because it is socialism.

It is wrong, not because of some religious reason, but because it violates a free market. It has been accomplice in violating American’s rights to work, to be educated, to travel. It is wrong because it is being used to identify people, a wholly un-American practice.

In America, nothing ought to be required except honesty and hard work.

It is not immorally wrong for me to have a social security number, but it is not right that I should have to have one.

I was born in a country that supposedly supports the right (not the privilege) of “giving it your all” to produce what you will.

The American dream sings loudly in my blood. And I desire to pursue life according to my conscious. I desire to fail and learn, to love and hate, to make my money and spend my money, to make my way in life toward death, and I desire to do all under only God’s rule.

Americans left Europe and its government, saying, “Only God granted us the right to be human. Only God gives us rights. We will live accordingly, under no man.”

And yet we continue to try to be like those we fled from. We continue to be like the Israelites, crying out, “Give us a king to judge us.” (1 Samuel 8:6).

If you truly believe you ought to have a government to be ruled by and to bow down to, then move back to Europe. If you truly want to take another’s earnings to secure your own old age, then move to Europe. If you truly want socialism in any form, then go to Europe. Or anywhere. But if you do not value liberty over security, if you do not love freedom over socialism, you do not belong in America.

You do not belong here if you only wish to make America like that which we fought to not be. Do not spit on the heritage of our American Revolutionary War. Do not say you value freedom and then hand over every blood-stained victory for a moment of ease.

It is wrong to have a social security number because it is anti-American.

But being American is not a salvation issue. And having been forced as a baby to have a social security number doesn’t necessarily make you un-American. If you truly want to live free as an American and according to the principles of the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30, then you can be both American and live life fully with or without a number.

If you live with what you’ve been given and increase that bountifully, then you are free from how socialism is plaguing this country’s principles.

Me not having a social security number does not make me more free or moral that you. My choosing to appreciate this blessing from my great-grandfather and my using this blessing to learn and live better is what makes me both free (but I’m still not better than anyone). And you can still be free if you choose to learn and understand both your constitutional and Biblical rights.

I do not exist because of the lack of a number. I exist because I have accepted the breath God put into my lungs. You need not be a slave because of society’s lies. You can learn your rights and work them to your advantage.

Yes, it will be harder for you in some ways. And it will be harder for me in other ways. America is no longer truly free, but embracing more every moment the ideologies of socialism.

But even if we lose our rights and are forced to live under tyrants, forced to not be free, we need not sin. The number we may end up all having will not define us or be our master as long as we hold onto the truth that we are more.

Even if we all become slaves. Even if we are forced under complete socialism, or full communism. Even if we die. This need not define us or our morality. Life is a gift, and the only sin is not living it when we can. The only sin is not loving when we ought to, or worse, loving that which we ought to hate.

If this blog has ever made you feel immoral because you have a social security number, please do not feel that way. Your salvation does not depend upon whether you must pay unlawful taxes or not. Your salvation does not depend upon how easily you are able to live life.

But if this blog has ever made you feel immoral because you have not used the talents God gave you to full capacity, then good. In this, I wish all consciences to be convicted.

Life may not look the same for all of us. We are not all dealt the same blessings. Different callings, different heritages, different dreams make each of us who we are. It will look different for each of us, and yet we may all have life if only we choose and live it.

Our existence is not our morality, but our blessing. The only sin you can possibly commit in this is refusing to acknowledge your blessings, hiding them under a rock, and saying, “Father God, you have given me nothing.”

Existence does not make morality. But morality can be found and made in our existence. Life does not guarantee salvation, but salvation is only found as we live life. We are only doomed when we refuse the freedom of salvation.

Be free in the blessings God has granted you.