The Antichrist Spirit

The Spirit of the Antichrist works to destroy the church from within through deception propagated by false teachers and false prophets – 1 John 2:18-22.

In popular preaching, the Antichrist is a political tyrant determined to rule the world for Satan. Yet Jesus and his Apostles expressed far more concern about deceivers who spread false teachings among Christ’s disciples and in the Church. Moreover, the New Testament applies the term ‘Antichrist’ to false teachers infiltrating the Body of Christ to distort the Apostolic Tradition.

This subject is relevant for us since many churches today are overrun with false teachers, false “prophets”, and lying “apostles,” and, it seems, especially in the English-speaking parts of the world.

[Photo by Frans Ruiter on Unsplash]

The “Antichrist Spirit” is manifested in deceivers and their deceptive activities inside our congregations. The only New Testament author to use the term is John in his first and second epistles. He warned his congregations: “It is the last hour; and just as you heard that Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.”

John did not deny that an individual “antichrist” would come, but in the meantime, many “antichrists” have infiltrated the Church. Among other things, they deny the full genuine humanity of Jesus, a problem that has plagued the church for centuries (“With this know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God” - 1 John 2:18-22, 4:1-6).

The Greek term translated as “antichrist” is a compound word formed with the noun ‘christos’ (“anointed”) and the preposition ‘anti’. The latter denotes “instead of” rather than “against.” An “antichrist” is someone who attempts to counterfeit the Son of God and replace him with a false Christ.

The “antichrists,” plural, to whom John referred were 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.” They were not pagan philosophers or Ceasar’s agents, but members of John’s congregations.

The Apostle 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.” These “antichrists” were false teachers disrupting the Church, not national, military, or political leaders of the larger Roman World- (2 John 7).

The Apostle Paul likewise warns us of the coming “Man of Lawlessness” who will deceive believers and cause many to apostatize. This figure will use “signs and deceitful wonders” to cause many to abandon their faith in Jesus. He will be revealed when he “seats himself in the Sanctuary of God,” a description more religious than political.

Elsewhere, Paul uses the term “Sanctuary of God” or ‘naos theou’ (ναος θεου) metaphorically for the Church, and not for any building in old Jerusalem - (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19, 2 Corinthians 6:16).

Paul links this “Lawless One” to the final “Apostasy,” the great “departure” from the faith. When this man is revealed, his activities will be “in accord with those of Satan” - (“The Spirit says expressly, that in later times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons” - 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, 1 Timothy 4:1).

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,” namely, the followers of the Son who is identified as “Christ” - (Revelation 12:5-17).

Likewise, the “Beast from the Sea” in Chapter 13 of Revelation is authorized to wage “war” against the “saints and to overcome them.” Satan persecutes the saints with his earthly agent, the “Beast from the Abyss/Sea.” This is done with the support of the “False Prophet.” The Devil’s goal is to destroy the “saints,” those who “follow the Lamb wherever he goes” and have the “testimony of Jesus” - (Revelation 11:4-7, 12:17, 13:7-10).

In the Seven Letters to the “Assemblies of Asia,” Satan attacks believers with persecution but more often from within through deceivers, the “false apostles,” the “Nicolaitans,” the “doctrines of Balaam,” and the “Prophetess, Jezebel” - (Revelation 2:10, 2:18-29).

In his last discourse on the Mount of Olives, 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).

The stress in Christ’s words is on the term “many.” Many deceivers will come, and alas, they will succeed at deceiving many of the elect.

False prophets, “false anointed ones,” and deceivers strive to hoodwink us, the disciples of Jesus, and not the already deceived world. They are driven by the “Spirit of Antichrist” to mislead the followers of Jesus Christ.

The “Man of Lawlessness” will appear before the return of Jesus, but like the “Spirit of Antichrist,” the “Mystery of Lawlessness” is working even now to prepare the way for this Master Deceiver’s unveiling – (2 Thessalonians 2:3-9).

The “Antichrist” may prove to be a global political leader.  However, considering the New Testament warnings, we should not be surprised if this creature of Satan appears first in the Church and deceives many, causing them to abandon the Apostolic Faith.

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SEE ALSO:

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

• 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)

• The Coming Storm - (The New Testament warns of a future apostasy caused by deceivers and a Lawless One that will precede the Day of the Lord)

• L'Esprit de l'Antéchrist - (L'Esprit de l'Antéchrist travaille à détruire l'Église de l'intérieur par la tromperie propagée par de faux enseignants et de faux prophètes – 1 Jean 2: 18-22)