What Is The Antichrist?

Every student of the Bible will come across the word antichrist. Even many who are not familiar with the Bible have heard of the word antichrist and tend to wonder about it. This term is very much a part of present day preaching, especially among those who follow the false idea that when Christ returns He will reign on earth for one thousand years. The belief that this antichrist will someday appear to wage war against Christ and devastate the world is commonly held.

There are several false views regarding the identity of the antichrist. Many claim that it is one sSHFifiF SHrsRn. 2WKHrs sDy iW is D PysWHriRus IRrFH that will plague the world. Some believe it is anyone who is opposed to Christ. And even others feel it is the “beast” found in the book of Revelation. Though these views are all vastly different and erroneous, they all have one thing in common — they all contend that the antichrist is in the near future.

Background Information

DurinJ WKH firsW FHnWury A.D. vDriRus rHliJiRus movements arose promoting radically false teachings. In time, some of these teachings began to influHnFH FRnJrHJDWiRns RI WKH LRrG’s FKurFK. 2nH of these groups held the Docetic philosophy which WDuJKW WKDW KuPDn flHsK is inKHrHnWly sinIul. ,W is from this false teaching that the antichrist concept emerged and which became a disturbing issue within the church.

Those who espoused the antichrist doctrine did not deny the existence of God; they were not atheists. Nor did they deny Jesus, in fact, they would even defend Him. And, they did not reject Christianity, for they claimed to be Christians. John clearly said, “they went out from us” (1 John 2:19). So they were not anti-Christian, as they are often made to appear.

Meaning Of The Word Antichrist

The word “antichrist(s)” is mentioned only in the epistles of John. Four times it is found in 1 -RKn (2:18,22; 4:3). A fiIWK PHnWiRn is in 2 -RKn 7. Within these passages, John revealed several important facts about the antichrist which many false teachers have failed to acknowledge. First, we lHDrn WKDW in -RKn’s GDy IDlsH WHDFKHrs NnRwn Ey this name were already present. Second, we learn there were many of them.

In 1 John 4:3 he writes, ”and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” AnG in 1 -RKn 2:18 -RKn wriWHs, “LiWWlH FKilGrHn, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come....”

John is clear in showing his brethren that “the spirit of the antichrist” already existed among them, hence, the urgent need to warn them of this ever present danger.

In explaining that there were multiple antichrists, John exposes the false belief that the antichrist is Rnly RnH sSHFifiF inGiviGuDl. 2vHr WKH SDsW RnH hundred years, various men have been labeled the DnWiFKrisW, suFK Ds LHnin, 6WDlin, HiWlHr DnG HvHn -. F. Kennedy. Such foolishness!

A Look At 2 John 7

“For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flHsK. TKis is D GHFHivHr DnG Dn DnWiFKrisW.”

This passage gets to the heart of the matter. John explained that these deceivers denied that Jesus, Ds GRG’s sRn, FRulG rHsiGH in D KuPDn ERGy. 6inFH WKHy EHliHvHG WKDW flHsK wDs inKHrHnWly Hvil, WKHy FRulG nRW DFFHSW WKH iGHD RI DHiWy WDNinJ D flHsKly form. To them, Jesus only “seemed” to have a ERGy RI flHsK, DSSHDrinJ rDWKHr in sRPH sSiriWuDl, illusory form. Such a teaching would obviously lead to controversy.

A Look At John 1:1,14

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word as God. ... And the :RrG EHFDPH flHsK DnG GwHlW DPRnJ us....”

No doubt, John had the problem of the antichrist in mind when writing these words. First, he established the fact that the Word (Christ) was Deity (v.1). Then, KH sSHFifiFDlly SRinWHG RuW WKDW WKH :RrG “EHFDPH flHsK” (v.14). TKH WruWK -RKn recorded here is too clear to misunderstand; Jesus possessed a human body.

John Goes One Step Further

John explained that if this doctrine was true, it would follow that the Father should be denied as well. “...He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father.... “(1 John 2:22, 23).

Jesus and the Father held a special Father-Son relationship, being uniquely joined together. They were “one” (John 10:30). Hence, to deny the FaWKHr’s 6Rn wRulG DlsR rHTuirH D GHniDl RI WKH )Dther Himself. So the antichrists were trapped in a lRJiFDl FRnWrDGiFWiRn. 2n RnH KDnG, WKHy EHliHvHG that God was the “Father” of Jesus; yet, on other hand, they denied that Jesus, if possessing a human body, could really be His “Son.”

This Doctrine Was Also A Denial Of Jesus’

Resurrection

In 1 John 2:28 John wrote, “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we PDy KDvH FRnfiGHnFH, DnG nRW EH DsKDPHG EHIRrH him at his coming.” Here, John assured his readers that Christ would come again.

However, He could not come again if He had not firsW DsFHnGHG WR WKH )DWKHr. YHW, HH FRulG nRW KDvH ascended to the Father if He had not been raised from the dead. And, He could not have been raised IrRP WKH GHDG wiWKRuW D ERGy WR EH rDisHG. 2Eviously, Jesus must have inhabited a human body. Hence, the teaching of the antichrists ultimately GHniHG WKH JrHDW WruWK RI CKrisW’s rHsurrHFWiRn.

TKH Hvil influHnFH RI WKis IDlsH GRFWrinH wDs suFK that the Holy Spirit found it necessary to make exposing it a part of the inspired record. Notice WKH DSRsWlH’s sWrRnJ DGPRniWiRn IRr Kis rHDGHrs WR steadfastly guard themselves against this teaching, “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flHsK. TKis is D GHFHivHr DnG Dn DnWiFKrisW. LRRN WR yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 7-11).

Clearly those who espoused the antichrist doctrine today are promoting a false doctrine.

YRu FDn EH D SDrW RI WKH 1Hw THsWDPHnW FKurFK Ey simply obeying the pure gospel of Christ. When you do this, you will not be a part of any man PDGH GHnRPinDWiRnDl ERGy. YRu will EH D CKristian, nothing more, nothing less, and a part of the only church which Jesus built.

Question: Have You Obeyed The Gospel Of

Jesus Christ?

It is our sincere desire and prayer that you obey the gospel today and be saved. Remember the words of Jesus, “Not every one that saith unto me, LRrG, LRrG, sKDll HnWHr inWR WKH NinJGRP RI KHDven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in KHDvHn. 0Dny will sDy WR PH in WKDW GDy, LRrG, LRrG, KDvH wH nRW SrRSKHsiHG in WKy nDPH? DnG in WKy nDPH KDvH FDsW RuW GHvils? DnG in WKy nDPH GRnH PDny wRnGHrIul wRrNs? AnG WKHn will , SrRfess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, yH WKDW wRrN iniTuiWy” (0DWWKHw 7:21-23).

The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Is His Power

Unto Salvation

If you are not a Christian you can be by obeying the gospel. Jesus says, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). Paul said; “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every RnH WKDW EHliHvHWK; WR WKH -Hw firsW, DnG DlsR WR WKH Greek” (Romans 1:16). The words of Jesus teach us that to become a Christian one must:

• Hear the gospel (John 6:44-45)

• Believe in Jesus as the Christ (John 8:24)

• 5HSHnW RI Dll sins (LuNH 13:3)

• CRnIHss CKrisW Ds LRrG (0DWWKHw 10:32-33)

• And be baptized to be saved (Mark 16:16)

• After baptism remain faithful to God. (Matthew 10:22)

,I wH GR MusW wKDW Rur LRrG FRPPDnGHG wH NnRw that our salvation is certain and we will hear Him say “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into WKH MRy RI WKy lRrG” (0DWWKHw 25:21). LHW us JR back to the Bible, back to Christ and His church and do exactly what He commanded. Please let us help you in your obedience to the gospel before it is eternally too late.

[This material is presented by the members of the Northside church of Christ - 700 Jolly Road, NW - Calhoun, Georgia 30701. If you would like to have a Bible Study or discuss this subject further please contact one of our elders; Kent Bailey at 706-629-6111 - Ron Hall at 770-548-3167 -

Eddie Jones at 706-264-2651]