Who is the Antichrist?
Who is the Antichrist?
Along with all the rest of the tension being built up due to the
current crisis in the Middle Eas.te is the continued speculation
relative to the Antichrist. Modern day prophets are not only seeing
signs of the impending (and I might add imaginary) Battle of Armageddon,
they also see the Antichrist about to be revealed. But, listen
carefully, dear friend -- there is no such person. Don't be misled --
the Bible does not specify a person as the Antichrist. Do you doubt it?
Please stay tuned and you will see clearly.
But first, the West End Church of Christ presents these fifteen
minute sermons each Sunday. We have only one reason for doing it -- we
want to preach the truth of God's word without being restricted by human
doctrines, creeds, and wisdom. That is why we repeatedly ask anyone who
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Bible study is each Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
"Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that
the Antichrist is coming, even now many Antichrists have come, by which
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 none of
them were of us ... Who is a a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the
Christ? He is Antichrist who denies the Father and the Son" (I John
2:18, 19, 22).
Advocates of the premillennial dispensationalism are quite vocal
about the Antichrist. .One might not be able to explain what a
"premillennial dispensationalist" believes, but can certainly identify
him by the way he describes the "Antichrist." Dispensationalists
believe that the "Antichrist" is a man, now living, who will soon rise
to the position of world-dictator. He is supposed to be produced by a
ten national confederacy, commonly thought of as the European Common
Market, although some do not know for sure about that.
This world dictator is called "The Future Fueher" in the book, The
Late Great Planet Earth, authored by Hal Lindsey. Lindsey says, the
"Antichrist" will "come to power just before the return of Christ" (page
140), and that "according to all the signs, we are in the general time
of his coming" (page 133). According to Lindsey, "The time is ripe, and
getting riper for the Great Dictator, the one we call the 'Future
Fuehrer.' This is the one who is predicted in the Scriptures very
clearly and called the 'Antichrist'." (page 92). Mr. Lindsey suggests
that he believes all of this will take place within a forty year period
from 1948. That is the year in which the state of Israel was
established (page 43). This means this imaginary "Antichrist" should
appear by the end of 1988! Lindsey's speculations have proved (or at
least should prove) embarrassing to all who have been influenced by his
baseless speculations. His case for his entire doctrine of the
"Antichrist" is founded on a gross misinterpretation of plain
Scriptures.
The dispensational view of the "Antichrist" has absolutely no basis
in Scripture. The Greek word antikristos appears five times in the New
Testament, all in the letters of John (I John 2:18, 22; 4:3; II John 7).
These are the only instances where the "Antichrist" is discussed in
Scripture, yet in Lindsey's chapter on "The Future Fuehrer" (pages 87-
102) he does not make reference to a single one of these passages in
First John! Is this not significant? We suggest that his failure to
use the information in First John is because his theory and plain
Scripture do not agree.
Listen to another speculator who holds this unscriptural view of
the "Antichrist." Mr. Tim LaHaye's book, "The Coming Peace in the
Middle East," page 144 contains this unfounded guess. "Gog comes from
the North, the Antichrist from Europe. Gog the prince and Magog the
country are predicted to come from the 'north parts' (Ezekiel 38:15).
According to Daniel 7:8, 24, and 26, the Antichrist comes out of Rome, a
mixed blood of Romans, Greeks, and possibly Jews." When you simply turn
and read the references LaHaye cites you will quickly question just how
he extracted such ideas from these passages. There is only one basis
for such forced speculations -- a biased mind that is intent on making
the news media a guide for Bible study. Furthermore, books such as
Daniel and Revelation, highly symbolic in nature, cannot be regarded as
oracles of future political and military developments. But, sadly that
is precisely what the millennialists and dispensationalists do.
Here are some plain facts about the biblical doctrine of the
antichrist.
1. John does not designate one specific person; as the
"Antichrist." In fact, I John 2:18 says that "many antichrists have
come." See also II John 7. Yet, Lindsey insists that the "Antichrist"
is one specific person.
2. John does not describe an "Antichrist" as some diabolical
character who will make his appearance in the 1980's, as does Lindsey.
Instead, John affirms that there were "Antichrists" in the first
century! "Even now many antichrists have come..." (I John 4:3).
3. John's usage of the term "Antichrist" is a general term which
suggests a disposition of unbelief and rebellion toward God. In this
vein, there are several ideas in the world, both past and present, which
are "Antichrist." Atheism is Antichrist in its denial of the Father (I
John 2:22). Anyone who denies that the Son became flesh and dwelt among
men is Antichrist (I John 4:2,3). Persons who deny the divinity of
Jesus Christ (as do the "Jehovah's Witnesses") are Antichrist (John 1:1;
20:28). "Oneness" Pentecostal groups who refuse to distinguish between
the Father and the Son, as separate persons within the Godhead possess
the spirit of Antichrist (I John 2:22). The Roman Catholic Pope in
usurping the role of Christ, actually claiming to be the representative
of Christ on earth -- is Antichrist by claiming authority which is not
his own (Matthew 28:18). Finally, any person who rejects the authority
of God's Son is anti- (against) Christ.
Fanciful theories of men are often exploded by honest investigation
of simple Bible teaching. Such is the case with the premillennial
dispensationalist's view of "Antichrist." Do not be duped by such
ungodly rhetoric.
Adolf Hitler, Charles Manson, John F. Kennedy, Mikhial Gorbachev,
Saddam Hussein, and a host of others throughout history have been called
The Antichrist. Men have written books, Hollywood has made movies, and
preachers have preached sermons about The Antichrist. Before we go
further, let me flatly state, the Bible says absolutely nothing about a
man called The Antichrist!
There are four passages which speak of antichrists, an Antichrist,
but never The Antichrist. In I John 2:18 John says at the "last time"
there are to be antichrists, but he identifies the era of which he is
speaking by saying, "even now are there many antichrists, whereby we
know that it is the last time." Clearly the expression, "last time"
cannot refer to the end of time because John said, it is "now" and that
was about 2,000 years ago! The writer of Hebrews said that ever since
the first century we have been living in the "last days" (Hebrews
1:1,2). The expression last days or last time, then, does not refer to
the end of time, but rather the last or final dispensation of time, that
is, the gospel age (John 1:17).
Now what is an Antichrist? According to I John 2:22, it is anyone
who "denieth that Jesus is the Christ" (verse 22). This would include
first century gnostics, atheists of our generation and all infidels
between. No singular world figure will arise and be called The
Antichrist. John says, "every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of
Antichrist (I John 4:3). There are many deceivers in the world who
confess not that Jesus is the Christ. They are called antichrists (II
John 7). The word literally means "against Christ." We know men have
been against Christ since He came in the flesh and will continue to be
against Him even until the end of time. They are all antichrists.
The idea that some charismatic figure will arise, deceive the whole
world, come to world-wide dominance, and be called The Antichrist is
nothing other than contemporary mythology resulting from poor Bible
exegesis.
Finally, hear the words of the late and respected E.G. Sewell.
"The word Antichrist means against Christ, opposed to him. A man
that in any way opposes Christ is an Antichrist. Denying that Christ is
divine, denying the existence of such a being, is one way of opposing
Him. But there are people all over the land that do deny Christ, that
utterly refuse to believe on Him. Then many who are the pretended
friends of Christ are in their teaching and practice opposed to Him and
are among the very worst enemies He has. They pervert and hide the
truth and put the doctrines and commandments of men in the front.
Whenever you see any of these things, you see Antichrist." Questions
Answered, page 21.
Think on these things, dear friends. The Antichrist is the
personification of ageless evil. He is not identifiable with one
nation, institution, or person. As long as satan struggles against
Christ through his agents, the Antichrist is at work. Only when Christ
shall have put down all rule and authority and delivered the kingdom
back to the Father will the struggle end. Please don't be misled by
those who oppose Christ by false speculations relative to Armageddon,
Antichrist, and the end of time. They really are blind leaders and if
you follow them you are a blind follower and Jesus said they are headed
for the ditch.
If you have any question at all about this topic, or if you would
like extra study materials on it, contact us. You can write us at
West End Church of Christ, 1609 Parkside Dr., Bowling Green, KY. 42101.
Until the next time we have this opportunity to be with you by radio,
may God richly bless you and yours. Good bye.
Radio Sermon No. 50
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Children's NT Studies
