What I say now I say solely from the scriptures. The scriptures at no time say antichrist is a person! As a matter of a fact the word is only mentioned in four verses in all of the bible, at least by that name, which really isn't a name per se but a title or a description. Anti-Christ means "against" (anti) Christ (our Lord, the Messiah, the Savior of all mankind). We read those instances as spoken of by John (quotes are KJV from BlueLetterBible.org):
1Jo 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 1Jo 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 1Jo 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
Notice that antichrist is only mentioned four times in the bible, each is referring to a *spirit*, something invisible that works behind the scenes (unseen) so to speak, or a person that is a liar and deceiver. The search keyword I used was antichrist, or antichrist*. I would suggest you not only read those scriptures but read the entire books (very short books) of 1 & 2 John. Anti-Christ can be easily identified by the following traits ...
There are many antichrists today, as in John's day, identified by their lies as mentioned above. So that you may know you are not one of them, an antichrist yourself, you must then be able to confess the following, which is in direct opposition to what an antichrist professes ...
- There is a triune Godhead: God the Father, Jesus the Son, Holy Spirit (within each believer)
- Jesus DID come from heaven, from being God the Son in heaven to being a man (flesh), born of a virgin by the Holy Spirit
- Jesus lived a sinless life, bore YOUR sins thereby paying YOUR penalty of death and eternal separation from God, and died in your place on the cross ... in turn, and solely as a gift, you (if you accept Jesus as your Lord & Savior) get redeemed and suffer none of the things He suffered for you because He paid for you {this does not mean you can live a sin filled life but if you truly believe what He's done for you ... you won't want to live in sin any longer ... for His sacrifice in your place you will gladly want to root out all sin in your own life, which God knows will take time.}
- Jesus IS now back in heaven with His Father, ruling at His right hand, and preparing a place for all of us that believe on Him and await His return (known as the 2nd coming)
- Jesus IS coming back soon ... be watchful and alert, prepare to meet your Maker
Let me say it again, antichrist is not any one person, there is no one person coming that will be known as the antichrist. The spirit of antichrist is here now and has been since John's day and probably before that. This spirit is a liar, a deceiver, sound familiar? Of course it does, it is satan himself. He is a liar and the father of lies if you recall the words or our Lord ...
Jhn 8:44 Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. Yes, not only a liar but a murderer, from the beginning (through Cain the first murder of an innocent Abel). There is no truth in satan. Don't be deceived! You can still turn back. If you have believed any of his lies as mentioned above, get into the scriptures and prove all things, as it is written: "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (1Th 5:21). The scriptures are the truth and they can be trusted! God is fully able to get His word down to us in tact to this day and into the future, no matter who he uses to pen them. You can trust the bible, read it, believe it! You know I like to quote scripture so before I leave this article I will provide biblical proof that Jesus IS the Christ, the Son of God, born of a virgin, etc ...
| Christ's humanity: Jesus' birth prophesied in the Old Testament (covenant); Jesus' virgin birth, conceived by the Holy Spirit (not a man, not Joseph); Matthew confirms Isaiah; the full story of Jesus' conception can be found in Luke 1:26-38. | |
| Isa 7:14 | Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. {Immanuel translates to "God with us", see below, scripture interprets itself!} |
| Mat 1:18 | Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. |
| Mat 1:23 | Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. |
| Jhn 1:14 | And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. {Jesus is the Word, read all of the Gospel of John, chapter 1.} |
| Christ's divinity: God declares (through the writer of Psalms, King David) that Jesus is His Son; there is only ONE TRUE God, and Jesus Christ (His Son), whom God sent into the world to declare Himself; Jesus IS the Son of God and through believing in Him (Jesus) we gain eternal life with our heavenly Father and our Lord & Savior (Jesus). | |
| Psa 2:7 | I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee. |
| Jhn 17:3 | And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. {Jesus is praying to God the Father for the apostles, and believers to come in the future.} |
| Jhn 20:31 | But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. |
| 1Jo 4:9 | In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. |
| Jesus has been raised from the dead (resurrected); the first of many yet future to be resurrected (we will have a body like His when we are resurrected, not like this corruptible body), He is now at the right hand of God the Father; He is constantly interceding for us; He will be returning soon for us! | |
| Acts 13:33 | God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. |
| Rom 8:23 | And not only [they], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, [to wit], the redemption of our body. |
| Rom 8:34 | Who [is] he that condemneth? [It is] Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. |
| 1Co 15:20 | But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept. |
| 1Co 15:23 | But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. {Come Lord Jesus, come! Maranatha!} |
| Hbr 12:2 | Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. {Amen!} |
Sad to say, if you don't believe these critical scriptures, you are none of His ... you are an antichrist because you call His written word a lie. You must accept the bible and it's contents as truth, by faith, otherwise ... you are deceived of your father the devil. Please give this careful consideration, where you spend eternity depends on it!