Hi there,
So in respect of the anti-christ, what believers typically do is locate some verse in the Bible that says "this is who he is" as if knowing who he is is a defence against him encroaching on the world. The problem comes when we try to inhabit the same world as the anti-christ. If we share the world with someone, to some extent we are tempted to say "we know what they know". Knowing someone better than they know themselves can be received as provocation, if they have nowhere to go! So it is with the anti-christ, simply telling him that he is not welcome, does not provide justification to treat him any differently than anyone else. If we say we are in the world and we know the anti-christ, how we know him is crucial.
And this is the point, doing good deeds serves the king, no matter who the king is. If the way we know the anti-christ is by comparison with other kings, then that which all kings justify, justify the anti-christ also. We have to let go of the idea that the anti-christ is going to get in the way of good works. The struggle is to defend the nations of the world, on the basis of good deeds, from rule that ignores the prior standing of the spirit behind those good deeds. In other words, we are not hindered when we do good works, but we may be confused as to what those good works are. This is the beginning of God's sheep fold, as Jesus promised would all be as one. The anti-christ may resist God's work for a time, but ultimately he will be gone.
And you say "wait! Didn't you just say that the anti-christ would be as other kings are? Why then will he be gone?" This is down to the verse where the Bible promises that Jesus will swallow the anti-christ up in glory (from memory, letters). In other words, we will no longer think of the anti-christ, because the anti-christ will not be there. We will still remember him, and it will still be important to obey God with respect to what we know is rule in our hearts. But there will be no tower, from which all our actions are surveilled. This is important, because it shows that our attitude in the Lord, which we serve from day to day, is not redirected by things on this Earth - it (our attitude) remains steadfast in the will of God, whether something appears to be in our way or not. We do not need to deviate from our path to good deeds, for even a moment.
In a sense this means that the anti-christ will never be important; we are not to get angry yes, but we are not to fear him. I hope this has been of some encouragement.
God bless.
So in respect of the anti-christ, what believers typically do is locate some verse in the Bible that says "this is who he is" as if knowing who he is is a defence against him encroaching on the world. The problem comes when we try to inhabit the same world as the anti-christ. If we share the world with someone, to some extent we are tempted to say "we know what they know". Knowing someone better than they know themselves can be received as provocation, if they have nowhere to go! So it is with the anti-christ, simply telling him that he is not welcome, does not provide justification to treat him any differently than anyone else. If we say we are in the world and we know the anti-christ, how we know him is crucial.
And this is the point, doing good deeds serves the king, no matter who the king is. If the way we know the anti-christ is by comparison with other kings, then that which all kings justify, justify the anti-christ also. We have to let go of the idea that the anti-christ is going to get in the way of good works. The struggle is to defend the nations of the world, on the basis of good deeds, from rule that ignores the prior standing of the spirit behind those good deeds. In other words, we are not hindered when we do good works, but we may be confused as to what those good works are. This is the beginning of God's sheep fold, as Jesus promised would all be as one. The anti-christ may resist God's work for a time, but ultimately he will be gone.
And you say "wait! Didn't you just say that the anti-christ would be as other kings are? Why then will he be gone?" This is down to the verse where the Bible promises that Jesus will swallow the anti-christ up in glory (from memory, letters). In other words, we will no longer think of the anti-christ, because the anti-christ will not be there. We will still remember him, and it will still be important to obey God with respect to what we know is rule in our hearts. But there will be no tower, from which all our actions are surveilled. This is important, because it shows that our attitude in the Lord, which we serve from day to day, is not redirected by things on this Earth - it (our attitude) remains steadfast in the will of God, whether something appears to be in our way or not. We do not need to deviate from our path to good deeds, for even a moment.
In a sense this means that the anti-christ will never be important; we are not to get angry yes, but we are not to fear him. I hope this has been of some encouragement.
God bless.
