Bible Studies

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There is the one Antichrist (singular) that comes to power during the future Tribulation dispensation. But there are antichrists (plural) who walk among us (1) now, during the dispensation of the Church Age.

The Church Age began at the feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem shortly after the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ and comes to its prophesied end when the Rapture takes place.

There are three types of such Church Age antichrists. These antichrists consist of anyone or any teaching that rejects the full Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ; that presumes to take on what is His role, or function; or adds other things to His finished (2) work, as the means to obtain, retain, or regain salvation.

Followers of the past and present Psalms 96: 5 religions of the world, are “antichrist” in that they deny the deity (that He is God) of the Lord Jesus Christ (3). Most followers of such religions do not dispute that there was a First Century “man” named Jesus.

They will tell you that they “believe” in Jesus. But a close examination of their doctrines and accompanying practices will reveal that they are among those who will die (spiritually) in their sin, having never been born again (4).

Spiritual death is not a state of non-existence. It is a state of existence while separated from a relationship with God. Since the Fall of Man, all human souls, *with one exception, comes into this world spiritually dead, in the need of Titus 3: 5 regeneration, that only takes place when one is born again.

This spiritual death condition is passed down to the humanity of the incoming generation through the male partner at the moment of conception (5).

*The one exception is the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ whose conception did not involve a human father (6). This was necessary in order for the pre-incarnate God the Son, to become the PERSON of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the capacity of the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son became, “… the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1: 29 NASB2020,” and performed the atoning WORK that He completed on the cross.

Acknowledging and placing one’s faith (trust and confidence) in this, is what it means to “believe that I am,” spoken of in John 8: 24.

“ Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins (John 8.24 NASB2020).”

Any teaching that does not acknowledge the full divine nature of the PERSON of the Lord Jesus Christ, or His atoning WORK that He finished on the cross, is ANTICHRIST.

As Peter put it, “...You are the Christ (Matt. 16: 16 NASB2020).”

Some will go as far as conceding that He was a prophet (spokesman for God), and that there was a connection between Him and reported miracles, but stop short of acknowledging Him as being God the Son, in human flesh.

John 8: 24 and Revelation 20: 15 make the eternal outcome of such antichrists clear.

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am (God the Son), you will die in your sins (John‬ ‭8: 23‭-‬24‬ ‭NASB2020/parenthesis mine‬).” ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

‭”And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation‬ ‭20: 15‬ ‭NASB2020‬).”‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬


The types of antichrists that either add to His work or presume to perform His function (or the function of another member of the Trinity) are harder to detect.

This is because many of them have the endorsement of religious leadership within different sectors of the Christian Community at large.

One wouldn’t think that one clothed in religious garb, and or standing behind a pulpit, was antichrist. But that i s why Scripture refers to them as wolves in sheep’s clothing, posing as a member or shepherd of the flock.

Perhaps the ceremonial ritual of water baptisms is the classic example of something that has been added on to the singular John 3:16 requirement for salvation, and performed by human clergy.

Water baptisms are, at best, an overt activity in recognition of what has already taken place in the spiritual realm.

A person is baptized (7) and regenerated (8) by God the Holy Spirit the moment he or she believes in the divine Person and in the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Many denominations and local assemblies require a public confession of faith and water baptism for membership in their local assemblies.

But the doors to the Church that God designed are open to the ones in need of salvation, where they can be presented with the Gospel Message. The doors of the Church that God designed are also open to born again believers as the means to grow in God’s grace and knowledge and develop the 24/7 life of discipleship.

I have no problem with promoting a public confession of faith for membership in a local assembly or an accompanying water baptism ceremony, p-r-o-v-i-d-i-n-g that such membership and rituals are not perceived to be requirements for salvation.

Connecting with a local assembly has much to do with post salvation discipleship, but is only one of many places where one can (should) hear the Gospel Message and be eternally saved.

Water baptisms recorded in Scripture were/are all about being identified with Someone or some thing.

Jesus was baptized in water identifying with the Work that He came to do. John baptized his followers with water who identified with his message of repentance. Early converts were baptized in water, identifying themselves as members of the developing Christian Community.

The baptism being spoken of in the Great Commission (9) is the Work of God, being the automatic divine response to the individual choices that people make when the Church does its part in the spreading of the unadulterated Gospel Message.

Keep in mind that connecting with a local assembly or ministry is a post (after) salvation activity for those who have ALREADY been born again. The only part in the salvation process that attending or connecting with a local assembly MAY have, is that it is one of many places where one MIGHT hear the unadulterated Gospel Message, affording one the opportunity to be saved.

Until one is born again, he or she is spiritually dead, no matter what else is or is not a part of one’s regular routine.

This includes going or not going to worship services. Just as a physically dead man can do NOTHING in the natural realm, a spiritually dead man can do nothing of significance in the spiritual realm. There are many, many, religious folks who have dotted the “I’s” and crossed the “T’s” of the religious traditions of their chosen denomination, but are just as spiritually dead as the day they came into this world.

Jesus could not have made it any clearer when He taught Nicodemus (a very religious man) that he must be born again (10).

Water baptism rituals do NOT seal or regenerate anyone. This sealing (baptism) and regeneration is the automatic Work of God the Holy Spirit that takes place at the moment of salvation .

End of Part Two

(1) 1John 2: 18 (2) John 19: 30 (3) 1John 4: 3 (4) John 8: 24/John 3:7 (5) Psalms 51: 5 (6) Luke 1:35 (7) Eph. 4: 30 (8) Titus 3: 5 (9) Matt 28: 19 (10) John 3: 5, 7

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