Blog Archives

CHRISTIANS MAKING NICE WITH THE ANTICHRIST [Part 3: New Testament References]

Though many Christians believe otherwise, the New Testament does not actually refer specifically to any individual as the antichrist but rather to a demonic spirit…

ANTI-MESSIAH

The word Christ (anointed one) is derived from the Greek Christos which is translated from the Hebrew Mâshîyach from which we get the English word Messiah. Therefore, the antichrist spirit is especially and specifically opposed to the Lord Jesus as Messiah and rejects the fact that He is the Messiah. Those possessed by, deluded by, or strongly influenced by this particular evil spirit act as stalwart adversaries to the Lord’s Messiahship.

Regarding Scriptural reference, there are only five occurrences of the word “antichrist” in the New Testament. They occur in four verses. One occurrence is in plural form. The original Greek word is antichristos (“the adversary of the Messiah”).

All five occurrences are found in the first two epistles of John, the only NT writer who uses this word (and might have coined it). These epistles (along with his third) were actually written just prior to the events of 66-70AD which he refers to as the “last hour.” By this designation John is echoing the Olivet Prophecy of thirty years before spoken by the Lord Jesus when He referred to the final end of the Israelite Nation. John was thus living at the very end of the “end times” when he wrote these epistles and was by that time extremely well aware, both externally and spiritually, of the parameters of the prophetic times in which he lived and that which was on the immediate horizon.

The five occurrences of the word “antichrist” and the four verses containing them are as follows:

ONE

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. [1John 2:18]

TWO

Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. [1John 2:22]

THREE

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. [1John 4:2-3]

FOUR

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. [2John 1:7][1]

From these passages, we learn several things that assist in identifying this bad spirit. In 1John 2 we discover that the appearance of antichrist was expected, that many antichrists were already present, and that those who denied that Jesus was the Messiah are liars. We also discover that these liars denied Jesus as both Father and Son in that a person either honors both are honors neither. (The Father and Son cannot be separated—if one is denied so is the other. It is therefore impossible to honor the Father while denying the Son.)

In 1John 4 the author contrasts the Spirit of God from the spirit of antichrist and provides the clear identifying signs of both. The author also confirms that the antichrist spirit was then in the world. In 2John 1 the author specifically uses the word deceiver(s) as an additional descriptive of the antichrist spirit in that it not only fiercely opposes the Lord Jesus but also works to deceive people about Him. In this process this demonic spirit employs and works through a relatively homogenous group of its human supporters/worshippers, international in scope, to deceive the people of the world about the true Messiah.

This also signifies that the antichrist spirit uses its powers of deception to fool others about itself and its followers. It is said that the greatest trick the devil ever used is to convince people he doesn’t exist. We see a similar trick in that the antichrist spirit in concert with its human supporters/worshippers attempts to delude others about its actual evil nature. This trick of deception is especially used against naïve unsuspecting Christians and has been quite effective historically but perhaps never as effective as at present.

WATCH OUT!

The Lord warned His followers about great deception. He commanded that His followers give it their all and follow His example. He taught them many lessons about the power of sin and temptation and that they must overcome sin and master it in order to live spiritually fruitful lives which honor and please the Lord. Sadly, the majority of Christians in the world never do these things or fail to do them consistently and thus open themselves up to the deceiving power of the enemy.

Many Christians fall into the same trap Judas did. Others go so far as to follow the example of Cain rather than Abel. A large distinct faction of Christians even joins forces with the spirit of antichrist and its unbelieving anti-Lord Jesus cultists to the point of justifying the latter group’s gross violations of His teachings.

Such people are deluded by false prophecies, man-made religious doctrines, and cultural propaganda. They are much more familiar with and accepting of such aberrant indoctrination and the deceptive literature thereof than the actual New Covenant writings taught by the Lord Jesus and His early followers.