The Antichrist
1 John 2:18-29
Tolerance. It is a word which is "politically
correct" in our time. One aspect of tolerance - which is
considered to be a very high virtue indeed by our modern
thinkers - is that we will put up with (in fact embrace)
practically any form of perversion. This is so as long as we can
find an organized collection of sinners who practice it. One
wonders how long it will be before the bank robbers form a union
- as the prostitutes already have.
This should not come as a surprise to anyone
in the church, but often it does. The Apostle John tells us of
the most deadly of those who desire "tolerance" - the
antichrists.
(1 John 2:18-29 NIV) Dear children, this is
the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is
coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know
it is the last hour. {19} They went out from us, but they did
not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they
would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of
them belonged to us. {20} But you have an anointing from the
Holy One, and all of you know the truth. {21} I do not write to
you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know
it and because no lie comes from the truth. {22} Who is the
liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a
man is the antichrist--he denies the Father and the Son. {23} No
one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the
Son has the Father also. {24} See that what you have heard from
the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain
in the Son and in the Father. {25} And this is what he promised
us--even eternal life. {26} I am writing these things to you
about those who are trying to lead you astray. {27} As for you,
the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do
not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you
about all things and as that anointing is real, not
counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in him. {28} And
now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we
may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. {29} If
you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does
what is right has been born of him.
Belief and Action
Does what you believe really count? Or is it
really a case of, "It doesn't matter what you believe as long as
you're sincere?" In some senses it doesn't matter what you
believe as long as your actions are right. I'd rather play cards
with an atheist who believes that gentlemen do not cheat at
cards than a sleight of hand artist Christian. But in most of
the circumstances of life, we act as if belief is important -
and say that it is not. Why?
Sometimes we use the word "belief" in two
different senses. We can believe something in the sense that
we think it's factually correct (the earth goes around the
sun, not vice versa) but having no impact on us. Then we can
also believe in the sense that we trust the result (my wife
is faithful, for example). If you believe that the sun goes
around the earth, so what? But as to your wife, …
Suppose you could separate belief from
action. What would that make you? Suppose you really believe
in being charitable - but not to the extent of actually
doing anything. Isn't there a word for such people? In fact,
isn't action matching belief the core of integrity? Oneness
of soul and action?
Honest differences of opinion will always
exist, of course. So it is important for the Christian to
separate our what is a matter of opinion and what might be
called "core belief." But how?
First, it's much easier to know the core
beliefs than it is the others. So we should focus on what
the Scripture tells us is the dividing line.
That, however, is no excuse for not doing
the best job I can in interpreting other matters.
In all this, we need to remember Thomas à
Kempis' test: suppose you knew the answer - would it make a
difference in your actions?
The nature of heresy and antichrists
John, in this brief passage, outlines for us
the general nature of heresy and the antichrists who conjure it
up:
First, they come from within the church
itself. This is not some rose petal strewing Hindu telling
you to take a dip in the sacred (and badly polluted) Ganges.
You'd laugh at that, and Satan knows it.
Next, these people will look good. They
will use the same terminology (with different, "enlightened"
meanings, of course) that Christians use.
Then, there will be the tendency to
schism. These people will "go out from us." They will form
their own denomination, or whatever.
The warning is to us - because we know
This is a letter to those who are mature in
the faith. John is not writing this letter to beginners, but to
those who are experienced. The beginners can easily be led
astray (all the more reason for the teacher to work hard). But
the mature have their problems too:
Because we are "in the know," more is
expected of us. We judge the ignorant very lightly; the
knowledgeable more heavily - and so does God. The peril is
much greater for us.
Heresy is the specific trap for those in
the know. It is directed at the knowledgeable, not the
ignorant. (The ignorant Satan likes to get with new age
crystal powered pyramids). So we need to be more aware of
it.
What is our defense? We have two things
we need to do. The first is to diligently study the
Scriptures, so that we will know the truth from the
falsehoods. The next is obedience, so that our sins do not
provide a handle for Satan (how quick we are to justify
ourselves!)
Core Beliefs
OK, just what are the core beliefs of
Christianity? John outlines some here; others are given in other
passages - but in all cases we are told that these are necessary
to salvation. So there's the test: if it's necessary to
salvation, it's a core belief.
Jesus is the Christ
His last name is not "Christ." People usually
didn't have last names in those days; if anything, his would be
"of Nazareth." "Christ" (or its Hebrew equivalent, "Messiah")
means "the anointed one." From this we can see three of our core
beliefs:
First, that Jesus is the fulfillment of
Old Testament prophecy, specifically those prophecies which
promise the "Holy One of Israel." We may disagree as to
which ones have been fulfilled at his first coming and which
will be fulfilled at the second - but the prophecies apply
to him, and to no other. He is the Holy One of Israel,
foretold of old.
In particular, that makes him the atoning
sacrifice for our sins, as laid out in the Old Testament.
The man of sorrows came to suffer and die for our sins,
becoming sin that it might be taken from us.
If that is so, then we must accept that
he came in the flesh, that he died and was buried - and rose
again, in bodily form, the third day. The Resurrection is
clearly a core belief.
God the Father, Jesus the Son
In this relationship we learn about Jesus -
do you notice how everything seems to revolve around the person
and mission of Jesus? - and in particular:
We learn the humanity of Jesus - the Son
of God. We know that he is human like us, yet without sin.
As a son, he is obedient to the Father, showing us what God
is like.
We learn of the divinity of Jesus - that
he is "of the same essence" as God. Therefore his teaching
is divine and his church the only path of salvation -
because he said so.
We also learn of unity in the trinity. We
do not worship three gods, but the one Living God - in three
persons.
Is this important? Nothing less than eternal
life is at stake here. No wonder, then, that Satan will do
whatever he can to lead us away from this.
Antichrists and the Antichrist
We now come to a most difficult passage,
concerning the antichrist and the antichrists. In reading such
passages it is most important to distinguish between the
singular and the plural - but remember the singular may be just
an example of the plural. So there are many "antichrists" and
one coming "Antichrist." What, then, do we know about the plural
ones?
We know that there are going to be a lot
of them. Our Lord explicitly warns us that false prophets
and false Christs will appear.
In reading this, we must remember that
"last hours" or "last days" means now. The final
revelation of God to man is Jesus, the Son. After his
departure in the flesh, we began the last days, however long
those might last.
The antichrists are simply forerunners, minor
examples of, the one Antichrist to come - the "Man of Sin" as
Paul describes him. So we can see what these little ones are
like by looking at the main one - and be prepared for the coming
of the main one at the same time.
The Antichrist
(2 Th 2:3-12 NIV) Don't let anyone deceive
you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion
occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to
destruction. {4} He will oppose and will exalt himself over
everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets
himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. {5}
Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you
these things? {6} And now you know what is holding him back, so
that he may be revealed at the proper time. {7} For the secret
power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now
holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the
way. {8} And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the
Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and
destroy by the splendor of his coming. {9} The coming of the
lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan
displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and
wonders, {10} and in every sort of evil that deceives those who
are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the
truth and so be saved. {11} For this reason God sends them a
powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie {12} and so
that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but
have delighted in wickedness.
In this passage we see the main
characteristics of the Antichrist:
He will exalt himself over God, or
anything else that is worshiped. Isn't that characteristic
of those who establish a sect? God's word is complete, but
they must add to it; they are above God.
He will set himself up in God's Temple.
This has a variety of interpretations, but one thing is
certain: heresy comes from within the church. This man will
come from within the church too.
He will proclaim himself to be God.
He will back up this claim with
counterfeit miracles - miracles which will be believed by
many.
But right now, he is held back by the
power of the Holy Spirit - for a while.
Depending upon your theories on Revelation,
you may see this person in many different ways. But this set of
clues should be sufficient to identify the real thing when he
comes along.
Results
This would sound rather gloomy except for two
things:
First, though such deception seems
completely "without redeeming social significance," it has a
purpose for which God allows it. This deception separates
the wicked from the righteous. The wicked, by their willing
acceptance of the lie, show themselves to be who they are.
Ultimately, however, the Antichrist is
defeated. Such will not happen until the return of our Lord,
but note how this defeat is arranged. For our part, we see
this Antichrist being overcome by the breath of Christ (the
word can also be translated "spirit") - which I take to mean
the living word implanted in us, defending us against the
evil one. Even more gloriously we see this: he is defeated
by the sheer splendor of Christ's return.
Even so, Lord Jesus, come!
