The opponent of Christ

“It makes no difference what you believe, just as long as you are sincere? This is the philosophy of many people today but it is not what the Bible teaches. Sincerity doesn’t necessarily make something true. Suppose I feel sick in the night and go to the medicine cabinet to … More

John is talking about the last days, the time between Christ’s first and second comings. During this time antichrists (false teachers who pretend to be Christians) will appear. Then finally, just before the world ends, one great Antichrist will arise (Rev. 3:19-20; 20:10). We meet the concept of Antichrist. Antichrist is a word which occurs only in John’s letters in the New Testament. Antichrist can mean either the opponent of Christ or the one who seeks to put himself in the place of Christ. There were false teachers in the church in John’s day and there are false teachers in the church today. John warns the believers that they are in a last-hour-kind-of-a-time. The last hour began in his day and has been growing in intensity ever since (v. 18). The “spirit of Antichrist” is in the world today. It will eventually lead to the appearance of a “satanic superman” whom the Bible calls “Antichrist“.  John wanted his readers to be on guard against antichrists and know how to recognize them.

  1. An Antichrist is a Separatist (v. 19) - They went out from us, but they did not belong to us.
  2. An Antichrist is a Liar (v. 22) - He is a liar and denies that Jesus is the Christ.
  3. An Antichrist is a Heretic (v. 22) - He denies the Father and the Son.

Not everyone who belongs to a church is necessarily a member of the family of God. It is possible to be close to an experience of salvation and yet not be a child of God.

Application

The rapture of the Church will be the next event on God’s prophetic calendar. My job is to share His Word while there is yet time.

I John 2:18-22 (English Standard Version)


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