I have to smile at those who are willing to attempt to positively identify the Anti-Christ! Practically everybody who has had an influential role in history has been labeled as that 'man of sin' by somebody. Lately it is Barack Obama. Tomorrow it may be me! Forever, it seems, souls have ventured guesses as to the identity of this figure.
Remarkably, THE Antichrist is not even a Biblical concept. There is no hint, in scripture, of any single figure who has emerged or will emerge as such.The Bible does say that 'antichrist' will come and even now there are many antichrists (1 John 2:18). We are warned that there is a spirit of antichrist (1 John 4:3). Much of this is practically ignored, however, often in favor of fantastic speculation (e.g. the Left Behind series). Meanwhile the real culprits go unidentified.
What we should be focusing on then is not the Antichrist but on what the spirit of antichrist is and on how it operates. John describes this spirit simply and plainly;
He is antichrist whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), God the Son incarnate, the Savior of the world (1 John 2:22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7). We might read this to say that every spirit (man or devil) that would set aside Christ in His Biblical, Mediatorial role, and every spirit (man or devil) that refuses to confess Jesus in His Biblical Person, offices, divinty and work, are the antichrists. Not one man, per-se but one spirit, a spirit of deception and error.
This description fits the majority of humanity. In fact it fits all who do not truly believe on the truly Biblical Christ! Such people may be religious or non religious, moral or immoral, intelligent or not so intelligent, they may be of any sex, any ethnic background, any age, any nationality. They may be passive or aggressive in their antichrist convictions. Regardless, those who refuse Christ are antichrist!
This may sound terribly simplistic but it certainly cuts through the 'where's the antichrist' maze. The search is over. Look in the mirror, look over the back fence, look across the mall, look in all four directions, there you will see people who set aside Christ in His Biblical role and refuse to confess Him in His Biblical office. There you will find antichrist.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be! TRUST JESUS NOW
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