THE ANTICHRIST

Who is he? What does this strange word mean? How can you avoid being a victim of this person's deception ? 

Speaking of the time just before the return of Jesus Christ, the apostle John wrote, “Little children, it is the last time; and according to you heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have arisen; This is why we know that it is the last time ”(1 John 2:18).

The term antichrist means against or contrary to Christ. Albert Barnes explains that this term "can denote anyone who claims to be in place of Christ, or someone who, for whatever reason, was in opposition to him" (Bible Notes, 1 John 2:18).  

Who and what is the antichrist?

The previous passage shows that a specific person will appear as "the antichrist" before the return of Christ and that many "antichrists" - those of the same spirit or philosophy that are against Christ - already existed. The specific person whom John referred to has additional names in other passages of the Bible. These include:

"The man of sin" who, with the help of Satan, will work miracles to deceive people before the return of Christ (2 Thessalonians 2: 3).

"Another beast that rose from the earth" (Revelation 13:11).

"The false prophet" who will deceive the inhabitants of the earth to fight against Christ when He returns (Revelation 16: 13-14).

Although we do not know who this specific individual is for now, we will be able to identify him in the future through the “power and liars and wonders” that will be granted by Satan the devil to deceive humans by causing them to disobey and rebel against Christ ( 2 Thessalonians 2: 9). This person will be destroyed when Christ returns to earth (2 Thessalonians 2: 8; Revelation 19:20).

Many deceivers

In addition to the "antichrist" Jesus and the apostles warned that there would be many false prophets that would arise and deceive human beings at the end of this century (Matthew 24: 4-5). Later John identified anyone who was a false prophet as "the deceiver and the antichrist" (2 John 1: 7).

The anti-Christian movements are already in action in our world today. In the United States, atheists want to remove the name of God and Christ from national monuments and from the circulating currency. Such efforts are disrespectful of God and are perhaps some of the most obvious efforts directed against God. As John explained, “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son ”(1 John 2:22).

The deception that is more difficult for many to identify is of a religious nature . As Jesus warned, "Because false Christs will rise, and false prophets, and will make great signs and wonders, so that they will deceive, if possible, even the elect."

The teaching of antichrist

How can we identify the teaching of those who oppose Christ so that we can avoid being deceived? A careful study of the Bible reveals the following about false teachers:

His teaching repeals or minimizes the law of God. Jesus came teaching his Father's laws, which include the 10 commandments. He specifically stated, "Do not think that I have come to repeal the law or the prophets" (Matthew 5:17). Christ used to observe all these fundamental principles of God's law. The apostle John wrote, "He who says he abides in him must walk as he walked" (1 John 2: 6). 

However, most churches today believe that it is not necessary to follow the example of Christ to keep all the commands of God. Many have been deceived and believe that the law has been nailed to the cross and that Jesus kept it for us.

But let us notice what Jesus said: “Not everyone who says to me: Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me on that day: Lord, Lord, do we not prophesy in your name, and in your name we cast out demons, and in your name we performed many miracles? And then I will declare to you: I never met you; depart from me, doers of evil ”(Matthew 7: 21-23).

Summarizing the words of Christ, John declared, "Anyone who goes astray, and does not persevere in the doctrine of Christ, does not have God" (2 John 1: 9).

They will impersonate themselves as legitimate religious teachers. In 2 Corinthians 11:13 Paul identified these people as "false apostles, fraudulent workers, who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ." Continuing, Paul declared that these people who appeared as “justice ministers” were simply following the example of Satan who presents himself as “an angel of light” (vv. 14-15). 

This false teaching, which Paul called "mystery of iniquity", had already begun in the first century (2 Thessalonians 2: 7) and continues today.

How can we know who is a legitimate minister of God? God, through the prophet Isaiah, said: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not say according to this, it is because it has not dawned them ”(Isaiah 8:20). The true ministers of Jesus Christ will teach what Jesus taught!

They deny that Christ came in the flesh and that He and God the Father live in true Christians today. The apostle John declared: “Because many deceivers have gone out into the world, they do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. Who does this is the deceiver and the antichrist ”(2 John 1: 7). 

Apparently, there were false teachers who recognized Christ and yet taught that He was not really a man and that He only seemed to be human, to suffer and die. The apostle countered the misconception that Jesus was not completely human in 1 John 4: 2-3. And in the story of his Gospel, the same author, John, also emphasized the humanity of Jesus by recording that when one of the soldiers opened his side to Jesus during his crucifixion, "blood and water came out" (John 19:34) . The Gospel of John also addressed the point that the false teachers were denying — that the Father and the Son would make their homes in true Christians through the Holy Spirit (John 14:23).

As the time for Jesus Christ's return to this earth to establish the Kingdom of God approaches, it is necessary that you be more careful with the false prophets and antichrists that according to the prophecy will come. Don't let them fool you. Remember the warning of Christ: "If you want to enter life, keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:17).