Beasts in the Church
The Greek term rendered “Antichrist” in English translations of the New Testament is found only in two of John’s epistles. In the first one, John warns that “it is the Last Hour; and just as you heard that Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come to pass.” Thus, the Apostle’s letter does not deny that an individual “Antichrist” is coming, but his more immediate point is that many “antichrists” are active already in the church.
This
Greek term is antichristos, a compound of the preposition anti and
the Greek term for “Christ,” christos. The preposition signifies “instead
of,” NOT “against.” An “anti-christ” is someone who works to replace the true Christ with a COUNTERFEIT
– (Strong’s - #G500).
The
“antichrists,” plural, to whom John refers are men who “went out from
us, but they were not of us; …but they went out that it might be plain that
they all are not of us.” They are false teachers that first appeared in the
church - (1 John 2:19. See also - 2 John 7).
Most
likely, John derives the term “antichrist” from the repeated warnings of
Jesus about coming deceivers:
- (Matthew 24:4, 24:24) - “Beware that no man deceives you…many will come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and deceive many…many false prophets will arise and deceive many… Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is Christ,’ or ‘there’; believe it not. For there will arise false Christs and false prophets and they will show great signs and wonders; insomuch-h that, if it were possible, they will deceive the very elect.”
Paul
presents a similar scenario in his description of the “man of lawlessness” and his ability
to deceive believers, and he connects that malevolent figure to the future “Apostasy.”
And his words are quite parallel to Christ’s warning - “Let no one in any
way deceive you” - (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4).
This
“Man of Lawlessness” will seat himself in the “Sanctuary of God.”
This is the only passage in which Paul expresses any apparent interest in the Jerusalem
Temple, assuming that structure is what he has in view.
However, elsewhere in his letters, and consistently so, Paul applies this and similar language to the church. The presence of God that previously dwelt in the old Temple now resides in the “Body of Christ.”
And
according to the Apostle, the church IS the naos or “Sanctuary
of God,” the exact same term he uses when describing the unveiling of the “Lawless
One” in the “Sanctuary”- (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19, 2 Corinthians
6:16, Ephesians 2:19-22).
IN DANIEL
The
idea of the “Man of Lawlessness” is derived from the Book of Daniel
which refers to the persecuting activities of the Seleucid king, Antiochus
IV, the so-called “Little Horn” of the “fourth beast from the sea.”
That
king most certainly was a political figure; however, in Judaism, he is remembered
far more as a deceiver who led many Jews to abandon their ancestral faith by his
promotion of pagan practices - (Daniel 7:7-8, 8:10-14, 11:30-36). Paul
links this figure to the coming “Apostasy who will act--:
- “In accord with Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who are perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth to be saved…” - (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).
In
2 Thessalonians, the emphasis is NOT on this man’s political
authority or his military prowess, but on his ability to deceive and turn
people from the faith. His purpose is to destroy the church, and
for that reason, Jesus will destroy him at his own “arrival.”
IN REVELATION
In
the Book of Revelation, although the “Beast from the Sea” has
some political aspects, he “wages war against the saints,” NOT
against other nation-states.
Whether
the “Beast” is the same figure Paul or John has in mind as the “Lawless
one” or the “Antichrist,” Revelation never applies either
term to him, or perhaps, “it” (in Greek, “beast” is in the neuter
gender). Consistently in the Book, Satan unleashes “war” against the
followers of the “Lamb” - (Revelation 11:7, 12:17, 13:7-10).
Thus,
even in the first century, deceivers were active in the church, hoodwinking as
many believers as possible. And to this day, the goal remains the same – to instigate
apostasy from the true faith.
Moreover, warnings about coming deceivers and apostasy are common enough in the
New Testament. For example:
- (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) - “False apostles and deceitful workers” of his day who “disguised themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan, disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore, it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.”
- (1 Timothy 4:1) – “The Spirit explicitly warns that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.”
- (2 Peter 2:1-22) - “False teachers among you who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality and because of them, the way of the truth will be maligned.”
By
misleading the elect, Satan is intent on destroying the church. It is only in
this way that he can attack and harm Jesus - by waging war on the “seed
of the woman… those who have the testimony of Jesus” - (Revelation
12:12-17).
In
the end, the “Antichrist” may turn out to be a world political leader.
However, considering the many warnings in Scripture about future deceivers and
apostasy, perhaps we should look for this figure to appear first in the church.
The modus
operandi of the “Man of Lawlessness,” for example, will be to
offer a false version of Jesus; something “instead of Christ.” He will
proclaim “another gospel” and present a “different Jesus” to
believers, one that is fundamentally at odds with the Messiah revealed in
the death and resurrection of the Nazarene.
