The Ultimate Antichrist

The Spirit of the Antichrist is raising up deceivers in the Church, but a final Master Deceiver will appear at the end of the age.

The Apostle John applied the term “antichrists”, plural, to false teachers who were disrupting his congregations, deceivers who denied that “Jesus is the Christ” and “came in the flesh.” They were driven by the “Spirit of the Antichrist” that has been operating in the world since the beginning of human history.

However, John does refer to a future “Antichrist” in the singular, presumably, one who will have the same characteristics as the false teachers who deceived members of John’s congregations. This end-time figure will be the final and most destructive incarnation of the “Spirit of the Antichrist.”

[Photo by Michael Krahn on Unsplash]

Before discussing the many “antichrists,” John warned his audience not to “love the world or the things in the world.” If our hearts remain fixated on the present world order, we do not have the “love of the Father in us.”

John describes the “world” by alluding to the temptation of Adam. By “world” he means humanity under the dominion of sin and Satan, the existing world order that stands condemned to destruction because of its rebellion against God.

• (1 John 2:16) – “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

• (Genesis 3:6) – “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”

The Greek term translated as “vainglory” in 1 John is ‘alazoneia’. It is from a root word with the sense of “boasting, braggadocio.” Hence, the term denotes ideas like misplaced self-confidence and hollow pride. Perhaps this is John’s offhand way of alluding to the Beast’s “horn” in the Book of Revelation with the “mouth boasting of great things” - (Revelation 13:1-6).

In Adam’s case, the first man desired “wisdom” from the “Tree of Knowledge” to make him self-legislating and no longer dependent on God for guidance and wisdom. That is the way of a “world” separated from God. According to the Apostle Paul, this world order has been “passing away” since the Death and Resurrection of Jesus – (1 Corinthians 7:31).

The only human activity that will stand the test of time is “doing the will of God.” This exhortation by John leads to his discussion about the many “antichrists”, plural, who are infiltrating the Church.

The term “antichrist” is formed from the Greek noun ‘christos’ or “anointed one” and the preposition ‘anti’. The preposition signifies “instead of” rather than “against.” It refers to someone who attempts to replace Jesus, a substitute or counterfeit.

The term “antichrist” does not occur in ancient Greek documents written before John’s first epistle. In the fourth chapter of 1 John, he associates these opponents with “false prophets.” Taken together, John’s usage suggests the source of the term “antichrist” is the warning of Jesus on the Mount of Olives:

• (Matthew 24:24) – “Then, if any man says to you, ‘Lo, here is the Christ’, or, ‘Here’; believe it not. For there will arise false Christs [‘pseudoxristoi’] and false prophets [‘pseudoprophétai’], and will show great signs and wonders; so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

John does refer to a coming “Antichrist,” singular, but he provides virtually no information about this figure. Whether he means the same person that Paul calls the “Man of Lawlessness,” or perhaps the “Beast from the sea” from the Book of Revelation, there are no direct literary links between John’s “Antichrist” and the figures described in 2 Thessalonians and Revelation.

MANY ANTICHRISTS

Of John’s immediate concern are the “antichrists,” plural, who cause problems in the Church. As John writes:

• “Little children, it is the last hour: and, as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now, many antichrists have arisen, whereby we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us…Who is the liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, even he that denies the Father and the Son” – (1 John 2:18-22).

John thus affirms that the final “Antichrist is coming.” However, “many antichrists” were disrupting the Church already in the first century and continue to do so until this very day. Moreover, their presence demonstrates that it is the “Last Hour.”

John labels both the deceivers in his congregations and the coming Master Deceiver as “Antichrist.” In Chapter 4 of his first letter, he associates these tricksters with “false prophets” and attributes their activities to the “Spirit of Antichrist.” It is reasonable to assume that the “antichrists” in his congregations were of the same nature as the final “Antichrist who is yet to come.”

The first thing John told his audience was that the deceivers “went out from us.” They originated in his churches, and therefore, at some point, they must have been followers of Jesus, or at least, appeared to be.

The same warning is found in John’s second letter where he identifies the false teachers as “deceivers.” As in his first letter, they deny that “Jesus came in the flesh,” and that he is the “Christ,” the Messiah. The two charges are related. To deny that he “came in the flesh” is the same as denying that he is the “Christ”- (2 John 7).

• (1 John 4:1-3) – “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesses not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it is coming, and now it is in the world already.”

Precisely how these men “denied that Jesus came in the flesh” the Letter does not elaborate. In biblical usage, the meaning of “flesh” is fluid, but more often than not, it refers to the human tendency to sin - man’s carnality. Terms like “flesh” and “flesh and blood” refer to man in his weakened state due to sin - man in his mortal and fallen nature - (1 Corinthians 15:50-58).

These deceivers were denying the genuine humanity of Jesus, that he participated fully in human nature though “apart from sin,” including human mortality and death.

John attributes this false teaching to the “Spirit of the Antichrist.” This parallels Paul’s teaching that the “Mystery of Lawlessness” is working in the world as it prepares the way for the “arrival” or ‘Parousia’ of the “Man of Lawlessness.” The terminology may differ, but the idea is the same. Just as Jesus will have his “arrival” or ‘Parousia’, so also the “Lawless One” will have his counterfeit version - (2 Thessalonians 2:1-7).

In 2 Thessalonians, the “Man of Lawlessness” is linked to the coming “apostasy.” The stress is on his deceptive activities, especially his use of “all power and signs and lying wonders” to mislead “those who refuse the love of the truth.” Believers will remain safe from this deception only as long as they “hold fast to the traditions” taught by the Apostles - (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12).

John’s explanation of the final Antichrist is brief. Both the deceivers in John’s congregations and the coming Antichrist are energized by the same “Spirit of the Antichrist.” The “antichrists” in John’s churches were forerunners of this malevolent end-time figure.

What John does not do is portray the future “Antichrist” as a global political or military leader who wages war against other nation-states. While this figure may also be a powerful politician, John shows no interest in that direction. His concern is closer to home.

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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)

• His Repeated Warning -  (Jesus stressed critical information that is vital for his disciples if they wish to avoid deception by false prophets and other deceivers)

• False Anointed Ones - (Since the founding of the Church, Satan has sent many deceivers and false prophets to destroy it from within)

• L'Antéchrist Final - (L'Esprit de l'Antéchrist suscite des séducteurs dans l'Église, mais un Maître Séducteur final apparaîtra à la fin de l'âge)