It is interesting to note that over the ages the term Antichrist exudes dread among the believers as well as a badge of honor among infidels and Satan loving revelers. Even Hollywood is quick to incarnate the Antichrist in the form of a 15 foot fire breathing tail whipping horned monster to a suave and slick handsome man of charm; wit sipping champagne and chomping a Cuban cigar with gusto. Others persist that it’s the Pope while some insist its Barack Obama or it could well be the one and only self proclaimed bona fide proud Antichrist superstar Marilyn Manson.
Having an eclectic line up of superstars, vicars and presidentiables, one can be as far-fetched as the other but there could be a grain of truth from such wild theories no matter how crazy it may seem when it comes to the modern church. I would like to add my own seasoning of “not so” brazen viewpoint on this matter. “Pseudo” brazen maybe.
Though the Antichrist is cloaked both in mystery and hype but the bible is quick to point out how to spot one just like telling between the goats from the sheep. The problem is that we don’t use the bible as a snipers scope to single out the threat from the friendlies anymore.
What’s happening is that all we have about the information on the Antichrist were supplied by Holy Hollywood, sensational media moguls, no hit wonder artists and supplemented by self appointed end-time million dollar super apostles.
Now here’s my point. I always thought of the Antichrist as a being, a group of person or system that opposes Christ period. It never occurred to me that the Greek word “anti” in “anti + kristos” doesn’t just mean “in opposition or against” but it can also mean “in place of” which translates it as counterfeit Christ or pseudo Christ. The word Antichrist (and Antichrists) only appeared in the 1st and 2nd epistles of John. Consider this one commentary I found in the web:
“The original Greek word for ‘Antichrist’ can have two meanings. It can mean ‘against Christ’, in the sense of someone or some power who opposes the work of Christ. Or alternatively, the word can mean ‘instead of Christ’, signifying a person or power who ‘takes the place of Christ’, or is a ‘counterfeit of Christ’. In the verse we read, God informs the brethren that in addition to the coming of a special Antichrist, there were many other Antichrists already in existence during the era of the early church.
The Bible explains in 1 John 2:19 & 26 NIV, “They (the antichrists) 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… I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.” Thus, according to God’s Word, the antichrists were counterfeit Christians who had split away from the body of true believers.
They were deceivers who had not really experienced a genuine gospel conversion. They were liars who denied the Messiahship of Jesus; for the Bible declares in 1 John 2:22 NKJV, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.”
In 2 John 1:7, NKJV, God states “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” And in 1 John 4:1 NKJV, Scripture admonishes “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
http://www.bibleinfo.com/en/content/who-or-what-antichrist
Here’s another one I found intriguing:
” The Anti-Christ, One Person Or Many?
Q. A friend sent me the article about Obama and the anti-Christ. I am so tired of people talking about THE anti-Christ as if it were one person in history. John the apostle defined “antiChrist” as anybody who denies that Jesus is God in the flesh. (I John 4:2-3) That makes whole groups of people and some religions “anti-Christ.” They were in the world then and they are in the world now!
A. You are correct in your interpretation of John’s “spirit of anti-Christ” and of the 40 or more titles given him in Scripture, “Anti-Christ” is perhaps the least accurate. Technically he’s a “pseudo-Christ” because he pretends to be the Christ.
However there is a person who comes on the scene at the end of the age who personifies John’s spirit of anti-Christ. So many personal pronouns are used of him that it’s impossible to see him any other way. Daniel called him the coming prince, Paul called him the son of perdition and the man of lawlessness, and to John he’s the beast, but the world thinks of him as the anti-Christ”
http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/the-anti-christ-one-person-or-many/
Considering the definitions given above I cannot help but wonder. Knowing that the counterfeit gospels rampant contamination of the church in epidemic proportion is undeniably seen in this present age, no one can blame me if I end up concluding that the very Antichrist John the beloved is warning us about in his epistles is not just very well and alive but quite frankly it is taking full control of what is left of the biblical church.
These Antichrists are not in the business of blatant opposition but are cunning in subtle deceptions by identifying us one of us. In fact they masquerade as preachers of the gospel but which and what gospel? Is it the gospel of Christ or the gospel of wealth (Mammon) and greed?
Here’s another noteworthy excerpt:
” Antichrist poses as the true representative of Christ, not Christ’s enemy, hence deception and lying are his stock-in-trade. Atheists, Communists, Mohammedans and many others do not claim to be Christ’s sole representatives on earth.
They openly declare their opposition, hatred, and undying antagonism to Christ. They don’t lie about that. They do not conceal their blasphemies against Christ. They openly declare themselves haters of our Lord Jesus Christ. They wear no masks. Therefore they are not the Antichrist.”
http://www.ianpaisley.org/article.asp?ArtKey=antichrist_4
Though the entire article of this excerpt was leveled against the pope, I believe it applies to all christians because being a christian is being a representative of Christ but the question is which christ are we representing? The Christ of the bible or the christ of our caricatures?
The tell tale signs is very evident and it’s up to us Christians to follow this trail of crumbs or not. My advice is know and study the bible from time to time to know important spiritual and biblical matters such as this.
The Antichrist could very well be the person leading the worship team or the person giving sermons in the pulpit; it could be you and your egocentric band of acolytes baptizing in the name of the bloody church of Mammon without you knowing it.
Worst, it could be your church that is suspiciously demanding your loyalty and zeal. Hence the title for this blog: The Antichrist Fellowship Center.
So that’s my take! What’s yours?
Yobz
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