The Antichrist Spirit

The Antichrist is presented in popular preaching as a political tyrant bent on world domination. However, Jesus and his Apostles expressed more concern about the deceivers who would spread false teachings in the Church. Where the term 'Antichrist' is found in the New Testament, it is applied to false teachers infiltrating the Body of Christ, distorting apostolic teachings, and raising false expectations about the future.

Thus, the “Antichrist Spirit” manifests itself in deceivers, false prophets, and their deceptive activities inside the Church of Jesus Christ. The only New Testament author who employed the term was John. He warned his congregations: “It is the last hour; and just as you heard that Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.”

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John did not deny that an individual final “antichrist” would come, but in the meantime, many “antichrists” already were infiltrating the Church and deceiving followers of Jesus - (1 John 2:18-22).

The Greek term commonly translated as “antichrist” is a compound formed with the noun christos (“anointed”) and the preposition anti. The latter denotes “instead of” rather than “against.” Thus, an “antichrist” is someone who attempts to replace or counterfeit Jesus. The “antichrists,” plural, to whom John referred were those false teachers 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.”

John admonished his congregations to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” He warned of “the spirit of the antichrist of which you heard that it is coming, and now, it is already in the world.” The “antichrists” of immediate concern were the false teachers disrupting John’s congregations, not national, military, or political leaders of the larger world- (2 John 7).

Similarly, the Apostle Paul warned of the coming “Man of Lawlessness.” His concern was about an individual who would be well able to deceive the Elect, including his use of “signs and wonders” to cause many to abandon their faith.

Paul warned the Assembly in Thessalonica to “let no one in any way deceive you.” He identified the event that would unveil this figure for whom and what he was – When he “seated himself in the Sanctuary of God.” That description is more religious than political.

Elsewhere, Paul used the term “Sanctuary” or naos metaphorically for the Body of Christ, the church, the “Assembly” - (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19, 2 Corinthians 6:16).

Furthermore, he linked the “Man of Lawlessness” to the final “Apostasy.” When he is revealed, his activities will be “in accord with those of Satan,” and this will include “lying signs and wonders” intended to deceive believers:

• “…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 so as to be saved. And for this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, so that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in wickedness” -(2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

BEASTS AND DECEIVERS

In the Book of Revelation, after his failed attempt to destroy the Messianic “Son,” the “Great Red Dragon” departed to “wage war against those who have the testimony of Jesus Christ” - (Revelation 12:17).

Likewise, the “Beast from the Sea” was authorized to wage “war” against the “saints and to overcome them.” In both images, Satan persecutes the saints, and his earthly agent, the “Beast,” is his instrument for doing so. Whether this “Beast” is a global political leader, Satan’s purpose is to destroy the Church, not to start wars between nation-states - (Revelation 12:17, 13:7-10).

In the seven letters to the “Assemblies of Asia,” Satan attacks the congregations with persecution and deception. Consistently, the Devil and his servants conduct warfare against the “Lamb” by attacking anyone who follows him - (Revelation 2:10, 2:18-29).

In his 'Olivet Discourse,' Jesus began with a dire warning about coming deceivers hellbent on deceiving the “elect of God”:

• “Beware lest anyone deceive you. For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and deceive many … and many will fall away… and many false prophets will arise and deceive many… False anointed ones and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect” - (Matthew 24:4-23).

False prophets and other deceives strive to hoodwink the disciples of Jesus, not to deceive an already deceived world that lies “in the lap of the Wicked One.” Furthermore, warnings of this kind are common in the New Testament - (1 Timothy 4:1-2, 2 Peter 2:1-2).

The “Antichrist” may prove to be a global political leader.  However, considering the New Testament warnings, we should not be surprised if this creature appears first in the Church where he works to deceive the “Elect.” As Paul warned, the “ministers of Satan disguised themselves as angels of light.”

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RELATED POSTS:

• Howling Imposter - (The New Testament warns repeatedly of coming deceivers and false prophets who will cause many disciples to depart from the faith)

• Seated in the Sanctuary - (The Man of Lawlessness will be unveiled when he seats himself in the House of God - 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)

• The Apostasy - (Paul warned the Thessalonians of the future apostasy which he linked to the unveiling of the Man of Lawlessness, the Son of Destruction)