Who is Paul discussing in 2 Thessalonians 2?

MatthewG · May 25, 2026

CTK said:
Okay, now, would you mind telling me who the man of sin is? Is this the same individual that is mentioned in Daniel 7,8 and 11? Is this the same individual mentioned as the "lawless one" in 2 Thessalonians 2? Is this the same one that is mentioned in Revelation - sea beast, whore of Babylon? If not, who are these other fellows?

I would have an answer because it use to be claimed Nero, but I think information coming out that perhaps it was a person who lived in Israel whom claimed to be above every God.

I get Nero did the same thing but that would not matter as much as it would coming from the people whom God had chosen which became known as spiritual Egypt and Egypt was filled with sin.

Those are just some thoughts on my end they don’t mean much as I have no documentation to really back me up, unless there is something from Josephus time we can find in his writings or something I don’t know and can’t remember as I did not get into those studies very often though I heard some.

Not debates but just studies.

CTK · May 25, 2026

ewq1938 said:
AC is used only one time in the bible in the singular and it is about one single man, not a series of men. It is not a reference to the Papacy or Popes. They certainly are a type/shadow of him but not whom was being spoken about.

This singular man is mentioned many times by other names and again, he is always one certain man not men holding an office etc.

I would not focus one second on the term AC or anti-Christ figure. Because there is NO anti-christ literal figure. The 4 times this term is used is only found in the NT and they ALL speak to a "spirit of the anti-christ." Not a literal person who comes on the scene. However, God has gone to great lenghts in Daniel 7, 8, and11 as well as 2 Thessalonians 2, and in Revelation to identify the ONE character that is purposely labeled as the little horn. He is the one that "continues until the end when he will be destroyed without human hands." He does, therefore, not arrive at the time of the end but CONTINUES TO THE END. So, if you want to identify who this evil one is, where he came from, when he arrived, and all of the many characteristics he will carry during his 1500 year reign as well as to preach a very different gospel, claim divinity, claim to forgive sin, change Gods laws and commandments, require the worshipping of saints, Mary, etc., allow idol worship, and institute a very different path to salvation - not through the blood of Jesus but through their church only and the keeping of their sacraments, and so, so many more pagan practices and beliefs.... if you stop and read all of these markers God has provided then there is ONLY ONE that can meet each and all of them.

You do not have to believe what I believe... but you should study the scriptures themselves. The above elements have been given to you to research on your own, good luck.

CTK · May 25, 2026

MatthewG said:
I would have an answer because it use to be claimed Nero, but I think information coming out that perhaps it was a person who lived in Israel whom claimed to be above every God.

I get Nero did the same thing but that would not matter as much as it would coming from the people whom God had chosen which became known as spiritual Egypt and Egypt was filled with sin.

Those are just some thoughts on my end they don’t mean much as I have no documentation to really back me up, unless there is something from Josephus time we can find in his writings or something I don’t know and can’t remember as I did not get into those studies very often though I heard some.

Not debates but just studies.

Thank you for your honest comments! First, let me say in sincerity just how difficult and complicated the Book of Daniel truly is. Most have no idea how it is constructed, the approach that is needed to unpack it, and that the focus cannot simply be on the 4 kingdoms, their kings, and their conflicts. Daniel has been, for the most part, interpreted by attempting to identify those actors and events that are found within our history books and then match them to the verses in Daniel. But when our historical records do not offer a good match they make the claim that those verses must to take place in the future. That is why so much of Daniel is "still yet to come" including some mythical anti-christ figure, a 7 year tribulation, and so much more. God is not writing or predicting events in our history books... this would be a total waste of HIS PROPHETIC ABILITIES. He is prophesying the complete restoration of His people and His city and, most importantly, the coming of His Messiah at the end of the 70 weeks of years prophecy. That is what the Book of Daniel is all about. Almost 90% of Daniel discusses the period from 606 BC to the cross - 3.5 years before the end of the last week (last 7 years).

The remaining 10% is found in chapter 11 and 12 (mostly 11), and this covers the period from the cross to the coming of the little horn and the corruption of His church that He started at the cross. That is it... no Nero, no EU, no USA, no Islam, no mythical AC. God is revealing His plan of restoration and salvation - first TO the Jews as they return from their exile, and then to ALL mankind when they reject Him and He commissions those Jews that would accept Him as their Messiah and have them preach the Good News to the pagan world (time of the Gentiles). Thus, the only issue that is important to God after the cross is His church and the salvation of ALL who would believe in HIm. And it that is so, then the second important issue is for Him to identify, discuss and warn all that there will come one who will go against His church, His people and His gospel. Nothing else is important. He has gone to great lenghts to identify His plan and the one who will come to go against His plan of salvation and deceive hundreds of millions, maybe even billions of Christians over the past 1500 years to believe THEIR GOSPEL.

There is only one war God is interested in - not all the thousands of secular battles and wars found among the nations. He is concerned about how each and every one of us can find Him as their Lord and Savior and recognize the most important elements / persons / institutions, etc., that will prevent them from seeing salvation with Him. That is what this little horn has been doing for 1500 years.

God is precise, He is accurate, He has no problem revealing what has and will take place. He is not deliberately hiding these things that must take place... but we must try and interpret His prophecies through His lens - through His eyes that are focused on His church and those things that go against His church. He is not interested in revealing secular history. And now, we have over 1500 years of actual history to match against His prophecies in Daniel, Paul's writings and in Revelation.

I don't know if you enjoy reading or not but if you would have any intersest in receiving a free copy of my commentary on Daniel (March 10 on Amazon), please send me a private message with your mailing information. You do not have to accept all or any of the interpretations found in this commentary but you definitely will find this an easy reas with truly sound and meaningful new interpretations (this is available to all in this forum as long as possible). If not, no problem at all. Best wishes.

CTK · May 25, 2026

MatthewG said:
I would have an answer because it use to be claimed Nero, but I think information coming out that perhaps it was a person who lived in Israel whom claimed to be above every God.

I get Nero did the same thing but that would not matter as much as it would coming from the people whom God had chosen which became known as spiritual Egypt and Egypt was filled with sin.

Those are just some thoughts on my end they don’t mean much as I have no documentation to really back me up, unless there is something from Josephus time we can find in his writings or something I don’t know and can’t remember as I did not get into those studies very often though I heard some.

Not debates but just studies.hIn 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul carefully distinguishes between the mystery of lawlessness, the man of lawlessness, and the satanic manner in which this lawless power operates.

Here is a cut / paste section of the narrative found within the commentary on Daniel that speaks to the chapter 7 identity of the little horn.
For what it is worth.....

First, Paul says, “the mystery of lawlessness is already at work” (2 Thessalonians 2:7). This means lawlessness was already active in Paul’s day, but not yet fully revealed. It was present in seed form — hidden, developing, and restrained. This lawlessness was not merely ordinary sin in the world. It was a religious rebellion against God’s truth, already moving within the professed sphere of faith, but not yet matured into its final visible form.

The term “lawlessness” itself requires something to be violated. There can be no lawlessness unless there is a law, command, truth, or divine order being rejected. In Paul’s context, this lawlessness is not simply rebellion against civil law, but rebellion against the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the truth delivered through the apostles. This means that even in Paul’s day, there were already people teaching, receiving, or following a distorted form of the Gospel. They may have appeared to belong within the growing Christian movement, but their teaching and spirit were not in harmony with the true Gospel of Jesus.

As the Christian church grew over the next few centuries, this mystery of lawlessness would also grow within it. What began in seed form during the apostolic age would slowly develop through compromise, false teaching, and the increasing adoption of Roman and pagan patterns. By the time of Constantine, the church had moved from persecution to imperial acceptance, but with that acceptance came serious danger. Pagan practices, images, altered worship patterns, and Roman structures of hierarchy began to find a place within the visible church. The lawlessness that Paul said was already working did not disappear; it matured.

Second, Paul speaks of the man of lawlessness who would later be revealed. This shows that the hidden mystery would eventually take shape in an identifiable power. The man of lawlessness is the visible embodiment of the mystery that had already begun. He exalts himself, sits in the temple of God, and claims authority that belongs only to God. In this sense, the man of lawlessness corresponds closely with Daniel’s little horn — a religious-political power arising from the Roman world, corrupting truth, opposing God’s authority, and placing itself within the visible church.

This is why the papacy fits Paul’s description so strongly. After the demise of pagan Rome in 476 AD, the strongest bishop within the Christian church — the bishop of Rome — would rise into the vacuum left by the fallen Western Empire. In Daniel’s language, the little horn rises from within the fourth beast kingdom. In Paul’s language, the man of lawlessness takes his seat in the temple of God. These are not two unrelated ideas. They describe the same kind of power: a religious authority arising from within the Roman world, claiming a place within God’s church, and assuming authority that belongs only to Christ. The hidden lawlessness had now become exceedingly great in visible form.

Finally, Paul says the coming of this lawless one is “according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception” (2 Thessalonians 2:9–10). This does not mean Satan himself is the man of lawlessness. Satan is the power behind the deception, but he is not the visible earthly office or system Paul is identifying. The lawless one follows Satan’s pattern by using counterfeit spiritual authority, religious deception, false signs, and a rejection of the love of the truth.

So the sequence is important: the mystery of lawlessness is the hidden principle already working; the man of lawlessness is the later revealed system; and the working of Satan describes the deceptive power behind that system. Satan is the source and energizing force, but the lawless one revealed in history is the papal system that rose within the church, claimed divine authority, and cast truth to the ground.

David in NJ · May 25, 2026

Behold said:
Reader, if you are interested in learning about WHEN the "man of sin" is going to be revealed, then just Look at Israel.
We have now witnessed the main end time "sign" that has marked the time that the Trib is about to begin.
There was only one other major sign and that was.......that"Homosexuality" was going to become a world wide phenomenon, obsession, saturation.
And we have seen it for 30 yrs become "Gay Rights" "Gay Marriage" "Gay Priests" "Gay Adoption" "Gay Chrisitan Forums" "Gay Churches"... ect, ect, and on and on.
All the SIGNS are IN........they are already HERE... there is no more waiting for "signs".

So, as the Trib begins, so does the "man of sin" appear, as they are ONE Situation.

CORRECT

The Holy Spirit is still here, and that is the BLOCK............the main one, and when the Church is Raptured, so goes the Holy Spirit and that will be the end of the "restraint".

FALSE

2 Thessalonians chapter 2 rebukes your error

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come. Let no one deceive you in any way, for it(2nd Coming) will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—
the son of destruction—is revealed.

All christians, including the pre-fibbers will be here when the man of sin/destruction is REVEALED

ewq1938 · May 25, 2026

CTK said:
I would not focus one second on the term AC or anti-Christ figure. Because there is NO anti-christ literal figure.

Of course there is. satan wants people to not focus on him in fact all false end times doctrines make sure people don't.

CTK said:
The 4 times this term is used is only found in the NT and they ALL speak to a "spirit of the anti-christ."

One speaks of the singular and future antichrist which matches many passages that speak of a singular individual of the end times known by multiple names/descriptions.

CTK · May 25, 2026

ewq1938 said:
Of course there is. satan wants people to not focus on him in fact all false end times doctrines make sure people don't.

One speaks of the singular and future antichrist which matches many passages that speak of a singular individual of the end times known by multiple names/descriptions.

Perhaps you might decide to focus on the markers found in Daniel 7,8, and 11 and tie them to the verses in the NT. It was the papacy itself who came up with the "anti-christ" figure that would come to the earth at the end of time. It was the Jesuit priest Ribera at the time of the Reformation who developed this interpretation as a direct response to the papacy's identity of being the little horn of Daniel. It was their counter-reformation measure to not only remove the discussion of the little horn but to have everyone focus on the term "anti-christ" and associate this mythical evil figure to the last few verses in chapter 9 - false 7 year tribulation, he (anti-christ) would enter into a 7 year agreement but "in the midst of this term," he would renege on it and go against Israel... this was their doing. All to remove the label of the little horn from the papacy.

So no one, including yourself, focuses on all the language in Daniel that identifies who this little horn is, when he arrives, how he came to power, and that he would continue until the return of the Messiah. You have locked on to the mention of the "spirit of the anti-christ" found in the NT (only 4 times) and accepted their false interpretation. I would sincerely hope you might put some effort in unpacking Daniel 7,8, and 11 - there is so much that God has placed in those chapters that speak to the one who goes against His church, His people, His gospel, and certainly God Himself.

Your first comment above is actually backwards - it is the little horn that wants everyone to look some 1500 years into the future for a mythical anti-christ figure that will never come - thus, removing any possibility that the papacy is the little horn - how can they be the little horn if everyone is anticipating an anti-christ figure some 2000 years after the cross?

Your second comment is false - all 4 speak to the "spirit of the anti-christ" and it does not make sense to use that one line against all of the specific prophecies that God has given us in Daniel.

ewq1938 · May 26, 2026

CTK said:
Perhaps you might decide to focus on the markers found in Daniel 7,8, and 11 and tie them to the verses in the NT. It was the papacy itself who came up with the "anti-christ" figure that would come to the earth at the end of time.

No, it was John via the HS.

1 John 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.

John clearly teaches that there is a singular and future antichrist. This compliments the fact that scripture also speaks of a future singular man by other names and titles such as the man of sin, the false prophet, the beast, that Wicked, little horn etc.

CTK · May 26, 2026

ewq1938 said:
No, it was John via the HS.

1 John 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.

John clearly teaches that there is a singular and future antichrist. This compliments the fact that scripture also speaks of a future singular man by other names and titles such as the man of sin, the false prophet, the beast, that Wicked, little horn etc.

I agree that 1 John 2:18 mentions “antichrist” in the singular, but I do not think John is clearly teaching one future literal individual in the way many assume. John’s own explanation moves immediately from the singular to the plural: “you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.” His point is that the spirit and work of antichrist were already active in his own day.

That becomes even clearer in the other passages. In 1 John 2:22, John says the antichrist is the one who denies the Father and the Son. In 1 John 4:3, he specifically calls it “the spirit of the Antichrist” and says it is “now already in the world.” In 2 John 7, he says many deceivers have gone out into the world, and such a person is “a deceiver and an antichrist.”

So John does not define antichrist primarily as a single end-time dictator. He defines antichrist as a spirit of deception and false teaching that denies the true identity of Christ.

That does not mean this antichrist spirit cannot later become organized or embodied in a larger religious system. But John’s four uses of the term do not require a single literal future man. They point first to a present, continuing spirit of deception working through many false teachers. That is why I would be careful about automatically equating John’s antichrist with every other title, such as the man of sin, beast, false prophet, and little horn.

John does not say, “Look for one future man.” He says the antichrist spirit was already in the world, and many antichrists had already come.
John gives the spirit; Paul gives the revealed lawless system; Daniel gives the prophetic little horn pattern.

David in NJ · May 26, 2026

CTK said:
I agree that 1 John 2:18 mentions “antichrist” in the singular, but I do not think John is clearly teaching one future literal individual in the way many assume. John’s own explanation moves immediately from the singular to the plural: “you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.” His point is that the spirit and work of antichrist were already active in his own day.

That becomes even clearer in the other passages. In 1 John 2:22, John says the antichrist is the one who denies the Father and the Son. In 1 John 4:3, he specifically calls it “the spirit of the Antichrist” and says it is “now already in the world.” In 2 John 7, he says many deceivers have gone out into the world, and such a person is “a deceiver and an antichrist.”

So John does not define antichrist primarily as a single end-time dictator. He defines antichrist as a spirit of deception and false teaching that denies the true identity of Christ.

That does not mean this antichrist spirit cannot later become organized or embodied in a larger religious system. But John’s four uses of the term do not require a single literal future man. They point first to a present, continuing spirit of deception working through many false teachers. That is why I would be careful about automatically equating John’s antichrist with every other title, such as the man of sin, beast, false prophet, and little horn.

John does not say, “Look for one future man.” He says the antichrist spirit was already in the world, and many antichrists had already come.
John gives the spirit; Paul gives the revealed lawless system; Daniel gives the prophetic little horn pattern.

The OT , JESUS , John all point to many anti-christs that are led by The Anti-christ.

The very first picture of many anti-christs occurred in Noah's Day when the fallen angels came to earth and interbred with female humans that created a bastardized offspring that GOD had to purge the earth from = only 8 souls were saved = Noah and his family

The next mass invasion of anti-christs were those, who with one voice, were building the Tower of Babel.
These many anti-christs had a Leader over them - Nimrod.
Nimrod is a forerunner of The Ant-Christ who will soon be revealed, leading the world in the rebellion they now/today are already in.

The many anti-christs will enact the Mark of the Beast under the leadership of The Anti-Christ = Daniel, 1 John 2:18 and Revelation

The Anti-christ is mimicking the LORD Jesus Christ

The LORD Jesus Christ has many members of His Body but HE alone is the Head.

CTK · May 26, 2026

David in NJ said:
The OT , JESUS , John all point to many anti-christs that are led by The Anti-christ.

The very first picture of many anti-christs occurred in Noah's Day when the fallen angels came to earth and interbred with female humans that created a bastardized offspring that GOD had to purge the earth from = only 8 souls were saved = Noah and his family

The next mass invasion of anti-christs were those, who with one voice, were building the Tower of Babel.
These many anti-christs had a Leader over them - Nimrod.
Nimrod is a forerunner of The Ant-Christ who will soon be revealed, leading the world in the rebellion they now/today are already in.

The many anti-christs will enact the Mark of the Beast under the leadership of The Anti-Christ = Daniel, 1 John 2:18 and Revelation

The Anti-christ is mimicking the LORD Jesus Christ

The LORD Jesus Christ has many members of His Body but HE alone is the Head.

I don’t believe you answered any of the questions I asked you. They are your opinions but where is the support / verses you are relying on ?

Now, let me ask you one question… can you have an “anti-Christ” before you have a Christ?

I don’t see an anti-Christ in Daniel. I do see a little horn. Who is he and when does he come? Where does he come from ? Why dies he come after the 10 horns?

Would you return to the last post I sent you asking you answer the specific questions please? Thanks

CTK · May 26, 2026

David in NJ said:
The OT , JESUS , John all point to many anti-christs that are led by The Anti-christ.

The very first picture of many anti-christs occurred in Noah's Day when the fallen angels came to earth and interbred with female humans that created a bastardized offspring that GOD had to purge the earth from = only 8 souls were saved = Noah and his family

The next mass invasion of anti-christs were those, who with one voice, were building the Tower of Babel.
These many anti-christs had a Leader over them - Nimrod.
Nimrod is a forerunner of The Ant-Christ who will soon be revealed, leading the world in the rebellion they now/today are already in.

The many anti-christs will enact the Mark of the Beast under the leadership of The Anti-Christ = Daniel, 1 John 2:18 and Revelation

The Anti-christ is mimicking the LORD Jesus Christ

The LORD Jesus Christ has many members of His Body but HE alone is the Head.

Oh, the questions I asked were in post # 206, but perhaps you might find the answers in my post # 224.

David in NJ · May 26, 2026

CTK said:
I don’t believe you answered any of the questions I asked you. They are your opinions but where is the support / verses you are relying on ?

Now, let me ask you one question… can you have an “anti-Christ” before you have a Christ?

I don’t see an anti-Christ in Daniel. I do see a little horn. Who is he and when does he come? Where does he come from ? Why dies he come after the 10 horns?

Would you return to the last post I sent you asking you answer the specific questions please? Thanks

The anti-christ in Daniel is in 7:8

I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.

Davy · May 26, 2026

covenantee said:
All Jesuits, including the Communist ones, believe Francisco Ribera.

You believe Francisco Ribera, thus sharing that belief with all Jesuits, including the Communist ones.

I don't believe nor follow Ribera's doctrines. You are making a false accusation.

I am not a Futurist, nor a Pre-tribulationalist, nor a Dispensationalist.

What those YOU follow have failed to reveal to you is that The Bible doesn't do seminary categories; that's men's doctrines that do that.

Davy · May 26, 2026

claninja said:
all is forgiven.

Jesus said this generation will not pass away until ALL THESE THINGS occur. “All these things” appear to include the son of man coming on the clouds and the gathering of the elect.

If Jesus said it, then I believe it.

And Jesus did indeed include the events of His future coming and gathering of His faithful Church as one of the SIGNS of the end leading up to His return. There's actually 7 SIGNS there in Matthew 24 and Mark 13 that He was giving us, and they are the SEALS of Rev.6.

Davy · May 26, 2026

CTK said:
Perhaps you might decide to focus on the markers found in Daniel 7,8, and 11 and tie them to the verses in the NT. It was the papacy itself who came up with the "anti-christ" figure that would come to the earth at the end of time. It was the Jesuit priest Ribera at the time of the Reformation who developed this interpretation as a direct response to the papacy's identity of being the little horn of Daniel. It was their counter-reformation measure to not only remove the discussion of the little horn but to have everyone focus on the term "anti-christ" and associate this mythical evil figure to the last few verses in chapter 9 - false 7 year tribulation, he (anti-christ) would enter into a 7 year agreement but "in the midst of this term," he would renege on it and go against Israel... this was their doing. All to remove the label of the little horn from the papacy.

So no one, including yourself, focuses on all the language in Daniel that identifies who this little horn is, when he arrives, how he came to power, and that he would continue until the return of the Messiah. You have locked on to the mention of the "spirit of the anti-christ" found in the NT (only 4 times) and accepted their false interpretation. I would sincerely hope you might put some effort in unpacking Daniel 7,8, and 11 - there is so much that God has placed in those chapters that speak to the one who goes against His church, His people, His gospel, and certainly God Himself.

Your first comment above is actually backwards - it is the little horn that wants everyone to look some 1500 years into the future for a mythical anti-christ figure that will never come - thus, removing any possibility that the papacy is the little horn - how can they be the little horn if everyone is anticipating an anti-christ figure some 2000 years after the cross?

Your second comment is false - all 4 speak to the "spirit of the anti-christ" and it does not make sense to use that one line against all of the specific prophecies that God has given us in Daniel.

Ah... PRETERISTS... what a shock they are going to experience when they see the false-Messiah... ANTICHRIST... in a new stone temple in Jerusalem proclaiming himself as God!

The word "antichrist" ORIGINATES from 1 John 2:18 in the KJV. It is a word in the Greek made up from 2 others words, 'anti' which in the Greek can mean 'instead of', or 'in place of', and then Greek christos which is singular for Christ.

So the actual meaning is 'the instead of, or in place of Christ'.

Jesus in Matthew 24:23-26 referred to that false one as a pseudo-Christ, meaning a false-Christ. Dr. James Strong in his Strong's Exhaustive Concordance defined Greek pseudochristos as 'a spurious Messiah'.

covenantee · May 26, 2026

Davy said:
I don't believe nor follow Ribera's doctrines. You are making a false accusation.

I am not a Futurist, nor a Pre-tribulationalist, nor a Dispensationalist.

What those YOU follow have failed to reveal to you is that The Bible doesn't do seminary categories; that's men's doctrines that do that.

Why do you do the futurist seminary category?

Ribera was a futurist. He fabricated a futurized antichrist in an attempt to deflect the Reformation declaration of the apostate papacy as the prevailing antichrist of that era.

You subscribe to Ribera's futurized antichrist.

You're a futurist.

CTK · May 26, 2026

David in NJ said:
The anti-christ in Daniel is in 7:8

I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.

He is not identified as an “anti-Christ” but as a little horn. And would you like to answer the five questions? Thanks.

ewq1938 · May 26, 2026

CTK said:
I agree that 1 John 2:18 mentions “antichrist” in the singular, but I do not think John is clearly teaching one future literal individual in the way many assume. John’s own explanation moves immediately from the singular to the plural: “you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.”

We cannot erase the singular AC he taught about. There have been many AC's plural, but there is coming a singular one and many passages speak of him by various names.

CTK said:
That becomes even clearer in the other passages. In 1 John 2:22, John says the antichrist is the one who denies the Father and the Son. In 1 John 4:3, he specifically calls it “the spirit of the Antichrist” and says it is “now already in the world.” In 2 John 7, he says many deceivers have gone out into the world, and such a person is “a deceiver and an antichrist.”

So John does not define antichrist primarily as a single end-time dictator. He defines antichrist as a spirit of deception and false teaching that denies the true identity of Christ.

Not primarily about that either. Both are true and neither cancels the other out. It remains a FACT that a singular AC is prophesied.

CTK said:
That does not mean this antichrist spirit cannot later become organized or embodied in a larger religious system. But John’s four uses of the term do not require a single literal future man. T

False. You are still denying what John taught in the one passage and that is a major issue. AC denial is very common in end times doctrines and it is deception.

CTK · May 26, 2026

ewq1938 said:
We cannot erase the singular AC he taught about. There have been many AC's plural, but there is coming a singular one and many passages speak of him by various names.

Not primarily about that either. Both are true and neither cancels the other out. It remains a FACT that a singular AC is prophesied.

False. You are still denying what John taught in the one passage and that is a major issue. AC denial is very common in end times doctrines and it is deception.

Have a blessed day.

Who is Paul discussing in 2 Thessalonians 2?

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