The Difference Between the Spirit of Anti-Christ and the False Prophet

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texian

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A Facebook Friend said yesterday "Stay away from human interpretation (websites) and let Scripture interpret Scripture; then, let history confirm it."

I briefly read a few posts on this "End Times Prophecy Christian Forum," and on one thread someone said of the second beast of Revelation 13: 11-18 that "That is the Antichrist trying to deceive with appearing like a lamb. He will appear on earth "like a lamb", but he speaks "as a dragon"."

Its important to define the difference between those following the
spirit of anti-Christ and those following the False Prophet. John in
I John 2: 18-19 says even in his time many anti-Christs were running
around. In I John 4: 2-3 he tells us that every spirit that teaches
that Christ is not come in the flesh is of the spirit of anti-Christ.
We can add that everyone who denies that Christ is not fully God and
did not appear on earth in the form of a man is of the spirit of
anti-Christ.

There is no one man Anti-Christ in scripture. There can be some who have
more of the spirit of anti-Christ than others.

The majority of those in physical Israel rejected Christ and refused
to believe he is fully God and came in the flesh, and continue to
reject him. They are of the spirit of anti-Christ. The Soviet Union
was of the spirit of anti-Christ because as a government it
specifically rejected Jesus Christ. Marxism as a philosophy and
political ideology is of the spirit of anti-Christ. So is the theory
of evolution and most of psychology, especially psychoanalysis and
behaviorism. Most universities tend to be of the spirit of
anti-Christ.

Islam is of the spirit of anti-Christ, though it accepts Christ as a
prophet, but only as a man.

False Prophet, or pseudoprophetes, appears seven times in the New
Testament before we get to the Book of Revelation, where it appears
in Revelation 16: 3, Revelation 19: 20 and Revelation 20:10. These
texts can be used to identify the second beast of Revelation 13 as
the False Prophet. II Peter 2: 1 says there were many false prophets
and false teachers among you. John in I John 4: 1 notes that many
false prophets are gone out into the world. "Woe unto you, when all
men shall speak well of you. For so did their fathers to the false
prophets." Luke 6: 26. "Beware of false prophets, which come to you
in sheep's clothing..." Matthew 7: 15. "And many false prophets shall
rise, and shall deceive many." Matthew 24: 11. Many false prophets
in the 20th and 21st centuries are Christian celebrities, who present
images of success and attractiveness. And - some of these Christian
celebritries have spread a popularized form of end time prophecy.

What does a false prophet do? He, or sometimes she, interprets
scripture in a way which does not agree
with other scripture, adds something to his interpretation that is not
in the scriptures, and/or his view leaves out important parts of the Gospel.
Often the false prophet goes back to the Old Covenant for his
interpretation of New Testament texts. A false prophet may
be teaching another Gospel and another Jesus.

"For if he that cometh preacheth
another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another
spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have
not accepted, ye might well bear with him." II Corinthians 11: 4
Paul is more explicit in Galatians 1: 6-8 "I marvel that ye are so soon
removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another
gospel: 7. Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and
would pervert the gospel of Christ 8. But though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed."

The False Prophet teaches a Gospel which is like the real one, and a
Jesus which is like the real one, but the Gospel he preachers is
another Gospel and another Jesus. The False Prophet sometimes teaches
a Gospel that is almost the real one and a Christ who is almost the
real Jesus, but it is still a false doctrine. The False Prophet does
not teach that Christ is not God or did not come in the flesh. This
is partly why he is so deceptive and why he so easily deceives many.
"For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall
deceive many." Matthew 24: 5

There are a number of false doctrines around that have been taught to
Christians in the last hundred and fifty years. But it happens that
many of these rely in some way upon a return to the Old Covenant. If
someone teaches that physical Israel which Paul in I Corinthians 10:
18 refers to as "Israel after the flesh," which rejects Jesus Christ
as a group, is now a people of God, implying also that they are still
the chosen people, this is preaching another Gospel. While the
Christians who follow the theology that does this do not themselves
deny that Christ is God who came in the flesh, the people they lift up
and honor so much are of the spirit of anti-Christ. The False
Prophets who teach that physical Israel are now the people of God,
along with the "church," are acting like False Prophets in teaching
something that is not part of the Gospel of Christ as taught by Paul.

But they are also encouraging the spirit of anti-Christ in preaching
that physical Israel is now the people of God. I know they will say
that Romans 11: 25-26 teaches "all Israel shall be saved." And
contrary to Acts 15: 14-17 which says the prophecies in the Old
Testament which talk about a restoration of physical Israel were
fulfilled in God's bringing of Gentiles into the New Covenant, they
will point to these prophecies as proving God will save all Israel in
the future. I know James only quotes Amos 9: 11 in Acts 15: 16, but
why would only one out of several Old Testament prophecies on the
restoration of physical Israel be singled out to be different than all
the other prophecy on the restoration of Israel? The restoration of
physical Israel as the transformation of Israel was foretold in II Kings
21: 13, which is taken up in Isaiah 29: 16 that points to Jeremiah 18: 1-6,
on the parable of the potter, as God, remaking a vessel that was
marred into one that seemed good to the potter. That transformation
of physical Israel began on the Day of Pentecost when a Remnant of
physical Israel accepted Christ, and were born from above by the Holy Spirit.

In Romans 11: 26 Paul was not being merely rhetorical in saying All
Israel would be saved. He meant that all who are of Israel will be
saved. This is because all who are of the Israel he defines in Romans
9: 8 and Galatians 4: 26 as the children of the spiritual promise and
who belong to the Jerusalem which is above, is free, and is the mother
of us all, are saved. Paul defined Israel as being two different
Israels.

The second beast who has two horns like a lamb, and speaks like a dragon is said
in Revelation 13: 12 to cause people to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was
healed. Revelation 13: 2 says this first beast is like a leopard, a bear and a lion, three
of the four beast kingdoms of Daniel 7. So the first beast is government. And Revelation 13:
3 tells us about one of the heads of this government beast, as a nation, was wounded to
death, but its deadly wound was healed.

Satan's kingdom in scripture is often divided into two parts. The second beast sounds more
like the False Prophet, as a collective of many false prophets, while the first beast whose
deadly wound was healed sounds more like it has the spirit of anti-Christ. The beast who deadly wound was healed
is a nation somehow part of or allied with the government beast that is like the leopard, the
bear and the lion, and this one head of the beast sounds like the nation of Israel. Remember the
spirit of anti-Christ rejects Christ totally as God who came in the flesh, and the false prophet
accepts another Christ and another Gospel almost like the real Gospel and the real Christ, but
does not totally reject the doctrine of Christ as God coming in man's flesh. The beast with
the spirit of anti-Christ and the collective False Prophet are both inspired and empowered
by the dragon.
 

tomwebster

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...
False Prophet, or pseudoprophetes, appears seven times in the New
Testament before we get to the Book of Revelation, where it appears
in Revelation 16: 3, Revelation 19: 20 and Revelation 20:10. These
texts can be used to identify the second beast of Revelation 13 as
the False Prophet. II Peter 2: 1 says there were many false prophets
and false teachers among you. John in I John 4: 1 notes that many
false prophets are gone out into the world. "Woe unto you, when all
men shall speak well of you. For so did their fathers to the false
prophets." Luke 6: 26. "Beware of false prophets, which come to you
in sheep's clothing..." Matthew 7: 15. "And many false prophets shall
rise, and shall deceive many." Matthew 24: 11. Many false prophets
in the 20th and 21st centuries are Christian celebrities, who present
images of success and attractiveness. And - some of these Christian
celebritries have spread a popularized form of end time prophecy.

What does a false prophet do? ....

Some of them are teaching right here on CB, tex!
 

rockytopva

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Guys... You will never find two scholars of Revelation that will agree on every point. I have done Isaac Newtons prophecy along with Daniel and Revelation. You cannot tie the label "False Profit' on someone just because they disagree with your outlook on Revelation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7rTb4BJQsg
 

texian

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Aug 23, 2011
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"You cannot tie the label "False Profit' on someone just because they disagree with your outlook on Revelation."

I was trying to make clear what the spirit of anti-Christ is and how it differs from the False Prophet, and then to show that the second beast of Revelation 13 is the
False Prophet. Nowhere did I apply the definition of a False Prophet to saying that the first beast is the one man super anti-Christ. That is, I do not remember saying
that a False Prophet is one who says the second beast is not the False Prophet, but something else. What system or theology of Bible interpretation promotes the
one man super anti-Christ? If this theology is from John Darby, C.I Scofield, Lewis S. Chafer, Hal Lindsey, et al it does not agree with the New Testament and is another Gospel. Some don't
know what the word dispensationalism means. You can call this system postphonement theology, separation theology, rapture theology, etc. But not knowing where a particular person who brings up the one man anti-Christ is coming from, I would not say he is a False Prophet for saying the second beast is the Anti-Christ..

The dialectic sidesteps the main points made by someone, that is, the thesis. It then tries to compromise the thesis by coming against the thesis from the side, sometimes somewhat misrepresenting the thesis.

In Luke 11: 14-27 the Pharisees did not like Christ to cast out demons or perform other miracles. So they accused
Jesus of casting out demons through the power of Satan, to discredit him and his spiritual power.

The absolute truth of the word of God, present as Jesus Christ, who
has the power to cast out demons, and more, is the thesis in this
Scripture. In Luke 11: 4 Jesus "...was casting out a devil, and it
was dumb. And it came to pass, when the
devil was gone out, the dumb spake: and the people wondered."

Then comes the antithesis, the opposition to the thesis that Jesus
Christ present in the form of human flesh, is God with all of God's
power. In Luke 11: 17-19
Jesus knew the thoughts of the Pharisees who accused him of casting
out devils through
the power of Beelzebub. In Matthew 12: 22-24 when Christ had cast
out a devil
that caused the victim to be blind and dumb, the Pharisees said "This
fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the
devils." And in Mark 3: 11-22 when Christ had driven devils out of
people the scribes said in verse 22 "He hath Beelzebub, and by the
prince of the devils casteth he out devils."

Now there is a battle started between the thesis and the antithesis,
between
Jesus Christ as God having the power to cast out demons and restore
the man's speech, and the claim of the Scribes and Pharisees that
Jesus
was casting out demons through the power of Satan.

The clash of opposites between the thesis - Jesus Christ
as God having power to cast out demons - creates
pressure to begin a dialogue between the parties
supporting the thesis and the parties supporting the antithesis. The
antithesis, that Jesus Christ is empowered by Satan, is blasphemy of
the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12: 31-32, Mark 3: 29, Luke 12: 10)..
Someone in the group
tries to start the dialogue to reconcile these two opposing positions,
to arrive at a synthesis.

The synthesis comes in Luke 11: 27, when a woman in the group said
"Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast
sucked."
The Pharisees and the followers of Jesus could have agreed with this
synthesis which diverts attention away from Jesus Christ as God who
is able to
cast out demon spirits, to Mary, the mother of Jesus after the flesh.

One dictionary definition of the dialectic is from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialectic

"In classical philosophy, dialectic (Greek: äéáë.êôéêÞ) is an
exchange of propositions (theses) and counter-propositions
(antitheses) resulting in a synthesis of the opposing assertions, or
at least a qualitative transformation in the direction of the
dialogue."

Another definition of the dialectic is from:
http://m-w.com/dictionary/dialectic

"from Greek dialektike, from feminine of dialektikos of conversation,
from dialektos...
discussion and reasoning by dialogue as a method of intellectual
investigation..."

On the other hand, the didactic method of teaching is defined as: :
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Didactic

Didactic: "from Greek didaktikos, skillful in teaching, from
didaktos, taught, from didaskein, didak-, to teach, educate"

The didactic method of teaching is generally a monologue in writing or
in speech presenting
statements as being true. Its the traditional method of
classroom and textbook teaching. In teaching the Bible,
the didactic is a way of presenting "it is written," rather
that "lets talk about it and arrive at a consensus."

The dialectic came into the universities and into Western culture
through Hegel, Marx and Freud. In itself its a procedure, an attitude
or belief change procedure. But this procedure, which is deceptive,
came out of the position that since there is no God, everything is
permitted. Then, in the late forties and fifties the Group Dynamics
movement began to use the dialectic. Soon it was used by clinical
psychologists and others in encounter groups. After that it spread to
almost all areas of society, including to Christian verbal
interaction. Rick Warren in his apostate churches, has used the
dialectic in small groups to brainwash Christians. They say its used
in Christian seminaries, though I have never been inside of one. To
study the dialectic you need an almost verbatim record of what is said
in conversations, and Luke 11: 14-27 is close to a verbatim record.

If anyone is interested in learning more about the dialectic as a method
of attitude or belief change, Dean Gotcher is the expert on this topic. He is an interesting
combination of scholar, intellectual and Christian Remnant evangelist. See:

authorityresearch
authorityresearch.com/ - CachedSimilar
You +1'd this publicly. Undo
The Institution for Authority Research. DIAPRAX EXPOSED. This website
is not for those who are content in the way things are, it is for
those who have ...

http://www.authorityresearch.com/File%20Index%20page%20Speakers/IAR%20Articles%20on%20Diaprax.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CauWkSrRFQ

http://www.authorityresearch.com/2008-07%20dopamine.htm
 

veteran

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A Facebook Friend said yesterday "Stay away from human interpretation (websites) and let Scripture interpret Scripture; then, let history confirm it."

I briefly read a few posts on this "End Times Prophecy Christian Forum," and on one thread someone said of the second beast of Revelation 13: 11-18 that "That is the Antichrist trying to deceive with appearing like a lamb. He will appear on earth "like a lamb", but he speaks "as a dragon"."

Its important to define the difference between those following the
spirit of anti-Christ and those following the False Prophet. John in
I John 2: 18-19 says even in his time many anti-Christs were running
around. In I John 4: 2-3 he tells us that every spirit that teaches
that Christ is not come in the flesh is of the spirit of anti-Christ.
We can add that everyone who denies that Christ is not fully God and
did not appear on earth in the form of a man is of the spirit of
anti-Christ.

There is no one man Anti-Christ in scripture. There can be some who have
more of the spirit of anti-Christ than others.


Your first mistake:

I Jn 2:18
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.
(KJV)

The Scripture context is of both a singualr "antichrist", AND "many" (polus) "antichrists". Simple grammar 101, two obejcts, not just one.

The word "antichrist" in the Greek is 'anti' (473) and 'Christos' (5547). Greek anti can mean 'in place of' or 'instead of'. Greek Christos is singular tense and means Christ.

The word "antichrist" is the same contextual meaning of Greek 'pseudochristos' rendered as "false Christs" in Matt.24:24.


Matt 24:21-26
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs (pseudochristos), and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
(KJV)

Now the 2nd beast of Rev.13 who appears like a lamb with two horns, but speaks as a dragon...

Rev 13:11-14
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
(KJV)

Same working as that 'pseudochristos' in Matt.24:24 which literally translated means 'a pseudo Christ'.

Likewise in 2 Thess.2, Apostle Paul revealed a certain man that is to come doing those signs and wonders...

II Th 2:8-9
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
(KJV)

Job 31:3
3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
(KJV)

The "antichrist" is the devil himself. The "many antichrists" are his servants that work iniquity; they are the "workers of iniquity" of OT times and the "mystery of iniquity" Paul mentioned in 2 Thess.2:7 that has already been at work, even from OT times.

No need to give rebuttal to the rest of that post, since it's an obvious denial of recognizing the coming 'false messiah' in our near future that will deceive many by those great signs and wonders; it will make many become apostate to our Lord Christ Jesus during the coming tribulation.
 

texian

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Veteran says:
"I Jn 2:18
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.
(KJV)

The Scripture context is of both a singualr "antichrist", AND "many" (polus) "antichrists". Simple grammar 101, two obejcts, not just one.

The word "antichrist" in the Greek is 'anti' (473) and 'Christos' (5547). Greek anti can mean 'in place of' or 'instead of'. Greek Christos is singular tense and means Christ.

The word "antichrist" is the same contextual meaning of Greek 'pseudochristos' rendered as "false Christs" in Matt.24:24."

We are at least debating scripture here. But veteran does not say where he is coming from. If he is coming from dispensationalism, and has a personal relationship with that theology, then he may be likely to take a construct like
antichristos, or anti-Christ, in I John 2: 18 and assume it refers to one man, because dispensationalism postulates that the Bible should be interpreted literally (unless that interpretation is completely absurd). But in scripture a label like "another beast" who has "two horns like a lamb and speaks like a dragon" (Revelation 13: 11), "that man of sin," (II Thessalonians 2: 3) "anti-Christ," (I John 2: 18), and "False Prophet" (Revelation 19: 20, 20: 10) is used. It sounds like scripture is talking about one individual beast, one man of sin, one anti-Christ and one false prophet - but the label is used to identify a collective type of person. Scripture other than Revelation 19: 20 and 20:10 talk about "pseudoprophetes," or False Prophets, in the plural. These texts include Luke 6: 26, II Peter 2: 1, and I John 4: 1. Matthew 24: 11 says "many false prophets shall rise."

For dispensationalism the "man of sin" of II Thessalonians 2: 3-4 who sits in the temple of God has to be their one man super anti-Christ. He cannot be a number of false prophets because dispensationalists want to emphasize their one man anti-Christ figure who peforms their abomination of desolation by desecrating the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem.
Therefore, for dispensationalists, the temple of God in II Thessalonians 2: 4 has to be a literal temple in Jerusalem and not the temple of the New Testament, which is the body, or minds and hearts of those who are born again from above by the Holy Spirit.

Dispensationalists cannot hear Paul when he teaches - in a didactic way - that Christians are the temple of God (I Corinthians 3: 16-17) and that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6: 19). Because all scripture is given by the inspiration of God (II Timothy 3: 16) and the writers of scripture spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (II Peter 1: 21), scripture cannot say one thing in one place and contradict itself in another place. Man's traditions (Matthew 15: 2-6), and dispensationalism has, since the late 19th century, become a tradition, cannot be allowed to say scripture says one thing in one text and something different in another. In other words, I Corinthians 3: 16-17 and 6: 19 cannot say Christians are the temple of God and II Thessalonians 2: 4 say the temple if a literal building in Jerusalem, especially when Paul uses the same Greek word, naos rather than hieron, in all three texts.

In view of what II Timothy 3: 16 and II Peter 1: 21 say about scripture being inspired by God the Holy Spirit, to try to say that the meaning of scripture is different in different contexts is slight of hand. The Holy Spirit means the same thing in different contexts, not something different.

Veteran says "The word "antichrist" in the Greek is 'anti' (473) and 'Christos' (5547). Greek anti can mean 'in place of' or 'instead of'. Greek Christos is singular tense and means Christ.

The word "antichrist" is the same contextual meaning of Greek 'pseudochristos' rendered as "false Christs" in Matt.24:24."

This tends to confuse the difference between the spirit of anti-Christ and the False Prophets. What Christ means by False Prophets has to be looked also by what he says in Matthew 24: 5, "For many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ; and shall deceive many." Because he does not include the term "False Prophets" here does not mean he is not talking about them. We have to interpret scripture by scriptuere, not by tradition of men. The False Christs of Matthew 24: 24 has to be considered by Christ saying that many will come in his name, in other words, not denying that Christ is God and came in man's flesh, and preaching some of his Gospel, but not all of it, and contradicting parts of it, and in this sense are "False Christs." Christ in Matthew 24; 24 is not saying that False Christs are the same as the followers of the spirit of anti-Christ, or "another Christ." Dispensationalists would like for him to have said anti-Christ and Pseudo-Christ are one and the same, but this confuses what the Holy Spirit has taught. The False Prophet who appears to come in the name of the real Jesus is, for Christians, much more deceptive, than, for example, the guy who honestly identifies himself as a Jew, Marxist, evolutionist, etc and says Jesus Christ is not the Messiah, and/or is not God and did not appear in human flesh. To confuse the anti-Christ and the False Prophet, and make them sort of into one is to deny, in part, the power of deception, in our present age of deception.

The Holy Spirit has warned us over and over about being deceived in this the end times. If we do not have him in our minds and hearts, we should seek the Lord to give him to us so that we will not be deceived but will have a love relationship with the truth of scripture (II Thessalonians 2: 10-12), rather than with man-made tradition.

The spirit of anti-Christ leads people to deny that Jesus Christ is God who came in human flesh. The False Prophets teach that Jesus is God and came in human flesh, but they teach another Goepel, and another Jesus (II Corinthins 11: 4, Galatians 1: 6). The dispensationalists want to emphasize the anti-Christ because of their emphasis upon physical Israel. They fulfill Revelation 13: 12, which says the second beast, who is the many false prophets, cause their followers to worship "...the first beast whose deadly wound was healed." The first beast is government, but its a composite beast, since verse 3 says another head received a deadly wound and it was healed later. This head of the beast of verse 3 is the nation, people, or theology which the False Prophet as dispensationalists teach their followers to honor. It has consistently rejected Jesus Christ and is of the spirit of anti-Christ.
 

Prentis

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The Spirit of the anti-Christ mimics what Christ has done in the past, but now by the powers of this world.

The anti-Christ is deceptive, and his most effective means of deception is big buildings with the word 'church' stapled on them and a bunch of people doing things in the name of Christ that are not according to his nature and will.
 

veteran

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What's DECEPTIVE are those who keep claiming there's not TWO occurances of the word 'antichristos' in that 1 John 2:18 Scripture!!


I Jn 2:18
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.
(KJV)

The first one is given in the singular, and the second occurrence in the plural.

So ultimately, those who deny BOTH those occurrences of that word CANNOT EVEN COUNT TO TWO!!!

The Spirit of the anti-Christ mimics what Christ has done in the past, but now by the powers of this world.

The anti-Christ is deceptive, and his most effective means of deception is big buildings with the word 'church' stapled on them and a bunch of people doing things in the name of Christ that are not according to his nature and will.


Since there is a "spirit of antichrist" per Scripture in 1 John 4:3, does that spirit of antichrist mean it comes from the earth, like rocks, trees, sky, etc., or does it originate from a certain entity?
 

Prentis

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A spirit does not originate from inanimate objects. It is part of the powers and principalities of this world. I think the antiChrist is ultimately a form or expression of these principalities.

I do not claim to know exactly what it entails. But I would say it is a spirit that first entered the world, and then infiltrated the mainstream churches. Where do I see that? Many of Christ's teachings have been replaced for teachings that came from kingdoms of this world. They deny his message.
 

texian

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The theology called dispensationalism insists that scripture be interpreted literally. This is what is causing part of the problem in understanding what John is saying in I John 2: 18. When John says "antichrist shall come" he is referring to a kind of person who manifests the spirit of anti-Christ, just as the term "False Prophet" refers to a type of person, and the "man of sin" is also a type of person. John is not talking about two different manifestations of anti-Christ. In going on to say "even now there are many anti-Christs" he is just spelling out what he said before that "antichrist shall come."

Look at what Bible commentaries said about I John 2: 18 at a time before dispensationalism came on the Christian scene: John Gill says: "And as ye have heard that antichrist shall come;
or "is coming"; and begins to show himself in the false teachers and deceivers, who were his forerunners;
"

Gill understood that antichrist refers to a type, not one man who is to come during the tribulation.

Then Gill goes on to say this: "...as the Arabic version renders it, are meant, who set themselves against Christ, and were opposers of his person, incarnation, and office; who either denied that he was the Christ, or that he was come in the flesh, the truth of his incarnation, or his proper deity, or real humanity, such as Ebion, Cerinthus, and others. The apostle might well say there were many, since in his time were the followers of Simon Magus, the Menandrians, Saturnilians, Basilidians, Nicolaites, Gnostics, Carpocratians, Cerinthians, Ebionites, and Nazarenes, as reckoned up by Epiphanius. And hence we learn, that antichrist is not one single individual, but many; "

"Antichrist is not one single individual, but many." After dispensationalism popularized its end time scenario, antichrist became one super individual who is to appear in the tribulation.

Adam Clarke, who also lived before dispensationalism arrived says of i John 2: 18: "The heresies which sprang up in the days of St. John were the antichrist of that time. As there has been a succession of oppositions to Christianity in its spirit and spread through every age since its promulgation in the world, so there has been a succession of antichrists. We may bring this matter much lower; every enemy of Christ, every one who opposes his reign in the world, in others, or in himself, is an antichrist; and consequently every wicked man is an antichrist. But the name has been generally applied to whatever person or thing systematically opposes Christ and his religion.
Many antichrists
Many false prophets, false Messiahs, heretics, and corrupters of the truth.

Whereby we know that it is the last time.
That time which our Lord has predicted, and of which he has warned us.

Verse 19. They went out from us
These heretics had belonged to our Christian assemblies, they professed Christianity, and do so still; but we apostles did not commission them to preach to you, for they have disgraced the Divine doctrine with the most pernicious opinions; they have given up or explained away its most essential principles; they have mingled the rest with heathenish rites and Jewish glosses. While, therefore, we acknowledge that they once belonged to us, we assert that they are not of us. They are not Christians; we abhor their conduct and their creed. We never sent them to teach."


Again, in saying "The heresies which sprang up in the days of St. John were the antichrist of that time. " Clarke is understanding that "antichrist" is a type of person, not one single person.
 

veteran

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A spirit does not originate from inanimate objects. It is part of the powers and principalities of this world. I think the antiChrist is ultimately a form or expression of these principalities.

I do not claim to know exactly what it entails. But I would say it is a spirit that first entered the world, and then infiltrated the mainstream churches. Where do I see that? Many of Christ's teachings have been replaced for teachings that came from kingdoms of this world. They deny his message.

The idea of AN antichrist entity is one thing, the 'spirit of antichrist' is another, and that's per Scripture by Apostle John. Keep trying.

The theology called dispensationalism insists that scripture be interpreted literally. This is what is causing part of the problem in understanding what John is saying in I John 2: 18. When John says "antichrist shall come" he is referring to a kind of person who manifests the spirit of anti-Christ, just as the term "False Prophet" refers to a type of person, and the "man of sin" is also a type of person. John is not talking about two different manifestations of anti-Christ. In going on to say "even now there are many anti-Christs" he is just spelling out what he said before that "antichrist shall come."

Look at what Bible commentaries said about I John 2: 18 at a time before dispensationalism came on the Christian scene: John Gill says: "And as ye have heard that antichrist shall come;
or "is coming"; and begins to show himself in the false teachers and deceivers, who were his forerunners;"

Gill understood that antichrist refers to a type, not one man who is to come during the tribulation.

Then Gill goes on to say this: "...as the Arabic version renders it, are meant, who set themselves against Christ, and were opposers of his person, incarnation, and office; who either denied that he was the Christ, or that he was come in the flesh, the truth of his incarnation, or his proper deity, or real humanity, such as Ebion, Cerinthus, and others. The apostle might well say there were many, since in his time were the followers of Simon Magus, the Menandrians, Saturnilians, Basilidians, Nicolaites, Gnostics, Carpocratians, Cerinthians, Ebionites, and Nazarenes, as reckoned up by Epiphanius. And hence we learn, that antichrist is not one single individual, but many; "

"Antichrist is not one single individual, but many." After dispensationalism popularized its end time scenario, antichrist became one super individual who is to appear in the tribulation.

Adam Clarke, who also lived before dispensationalism arrived says of i John 2: 18: "The heresies which sprang up in the days of St. John were the antichrist of that time. As there has been a succession of oppositions to Christianity in its spirit and spread through every age since its promulgation in the world, so there has been a succession of antichrists. We may bring this matter much lower; every enemy of Christ, every one who opposes his reign in the world, in others, or in himself, is an antichrist; and consequently every wicked man is an antichrist. But the name has been generally applied to whatever person or thing systematically opposes Christ and his religion.
Many antichrists
Many false prophets, false Messiahs, heretics, and corrupters of the truth.
Whereby we know that it is the last time.
That time which our Lord has predicted, and of which he has warned us.
Verse 19. They went out from us
These heretics had belonged to our Christian assemblies, they professed Christianity, and do so still; but we apostles did not commission them to preach to you, for they have disgraced the Divine doctrine with the most pernicious opinions; they have given up or explained away its most essential principles; they have mingled the rest with heathenish rites and Jewish glosses. While, therefore, we acknowledge that they once belonged to us, we assert that they are not of us. They are not Christians; we abhor their conduct and their creed. We never sent them to teach."

Again, in saying "The heresies which sprang up in the days of St. John were the antichrist of that time. " Clarke is understanding that "antichrist" is a type of person, not one single person.


The Scripture is plain enough. We don't need Adam Clarke's commentary, nor that of any other than Apostle John speaking by The Holy Spirit with his definitions for the word 'antichrist'...

II Jn 1:7
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
(KJV)

An entity that denies that Christ was born in the flesh is "an antichrist". That's the word antichrist applied to an entity, a specific individual.


I Jn 4:3
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
(KJV)

John defines the cause of an individual denying that Christ came in the flesh as coming from the "spirit of antichrist". Doesn't take much common sense to understand that 'spirit of antichrist' is a separate thing from those it causes to become "an antichrist".

So, who would be the ULTIMATE antichrist per that? It is Satan of course, because he himself wants to be God, and Satan has not been born in the flesh, and operates as a spirit entity. The origin of the "spirit of antichrist" is from him, and he is the entity that it began with, it originates from him and not any other.
 

Prentis

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Personally, I would not claim to know who the antichrist will be, as the Lord has not revealed such a thing to me, and I do not know in what form he will come.

I like what Jake said on another thread though. The spirit of the antiChrist is vehemently opposed to the Spirit of Christ. So true. :)
 

veteran

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Personally, I would not claim to know who the antichrist will be, as the Lord has not revealed such a thing to me, and I do not know in what form he will come.

I like what Jake said on another thread though. The spirit of the antiChrist is vehemently opposed to the Spirit of Christ. So true. :)


How does the Greek define the word 'anti'?

Who was it that first sinned against God in wanting to be God?

Who is it that God calls 'morning star' in the Isaiah 14:12 Scripture? and what relation does that title have to our Lord Jesus Christ?

Who is it that said he will sit in the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north? how does that relate to the one Paul spoke of in 2 Thess.2:3-4 that will sit in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God?

Who is it that God said He will bring a fire in the midst of him, turning him to ashes upon the earth in sight of all those who behold him?

Who is the beast king of Rev.17:8 that ascends out of the bottomless pit?
 

Prentis

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What point are you trying to make? :huh:

If you mean that the devil is the antiChrist, I agree. :)

Only I would say the devil is the most sly of enemies. The light (literally!) under which he shows himself is deceitful and I'm just not going to opiniate about something I don't know.

The best place from which the devil can deceive us is in Christianity, because there he can rob it of its power and subvert it, therefore destroying the only weapon set against him. And taking us down with him.

The sons of the devil are not among the unbelieving. Among them are some simple and wicked people. But those most like the devil are in the mist of 'Christianity'. It is there that one can receive from God, and then take it for his own glory as the devil did.

Becoming a Christian simply puts the bar higher. As Paul states, 'woe is me if I do not preach the gospel'. The same is not true of the unbeliever, because he has no revelation of Christ. To whom much is given, much is expected. The christian can rise greatly and fall greatly.
 

Prentis

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The work of the devil is to destroy the work of God... What else would he do? When I say he is antiChrist, that's what I mean. He follows after Christ to destroy whatever Christ does.
 

n2thelight

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The Devil IS NOT AntiChrist...

Oh but he is.......

Do you understandstand how many names satan goes by?


Name
Reference
Definition
Abaddon
Revelation 9:11
Abaddon is the Greek form and Apollyon is the Hebrew equivalent. These words mean 'destroyer,' 'destruction.' This title stresses his work of destruction; he works to destroy the glory of God and God's purpose with man. He further works to destroy societies and mankind.
The Accuser of the Brethren
Revelation 12:10
The Greek word for "accuser" is kathgor, which refers to one who brings condemning accusations against others. In view of Job 1 and 2, this is also an attempt to malign the character of God and His plan.
The Adversary
I Peter 5:8
An opponent (in a lawsuit); specially, Satan (as the arch-enemy) Angel of Light 2 Corinthians 11:14 One of his purposes is to make men as much like God as he can, but always without God. So, he will copy as much of God and His plan as he can, but he will always either distort, pervert, substitute or leave out those key ingredients of truth that are vital to the plan of salvation and sanctification through Christ
Apollyon
Revelation 9:11
A destroyer (i.e. Satan)
Beelzebub
Matthew 12:24 Mark 3:22 Luke 11:15
Three possible spellings of this word each have a different meaning: (1)Beelzebul means "lord of the dung," a name of reproach. (2) Beelzebub means "lord of the flies." Either one of these are names of reproach and are names of uncleanness applied to Satan, the prince of the demons and uncleanness. (3) Beelzeboul, means, "the lord of the dwelling." This would identify Satan as the god of demon possession. This spelling has the best manuscript evidence behind it.
Belial
II Corinthians 6:15
This name means "worthless" or "hopeless ruin." The epitome of worthlessness, hopeless ruin and the source of all idolatry and religion which is also hopeless or futile.
the Devil
Matt. 4:1, 5, 9; Eph. 4:27; Rev. 12:9; 20:2 "Devil" is the Greek word diabollos which means "slanderer, defamer." This accentuates his goal and work to impugn the character of God.
Dragon
Revelation 12:9 and 20:2
Probably from an alternate form of derkomai (to look); a fabulous kind of serpent (perhaps as supposed to fascinate) or the Greek word is drakon (as in draconian) and refers to a "hideous monster, a dragon, or large serpent." This word stresses the cruel, vicious, and blood thirsty character and power of Satan.
the Enemy
Matthew 13:39
From a primary echtho (to hate); hateful (passively, odious, or actively, hostile); usually as a noun, an adversary (especially Satan) the Evil One John 17:15; 1 John 5:9 The Greek poneros means "wicked, evil, bad, base, worthless, vicious, degenerate." It points to Satan's character as active and malignant.
Father of All Lies
John 8:44
A falsifier; Using his network of deception through demonic forces and duped people, he promotes false doctrines in the name of God.
god of this world
II Corinthians 4:4
god is used generically and refers to Satan
King of Babylon
Isaiah 14:4
Confusion; Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire
King of Tyrus
Ezekiel 28:12
A rock; Tsor, a place in Palestine. Satan is the false rock. Christ is the true Rock.

And that's not all of them......
 

veteran

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Doctrines of men called PRETERISM, which those like Popeye hold to, does not have room for understanding that Satan will be the coming pseudo Christ/Antichrist entity of Rev.13 & 17.

The doctrine of FULL PRETERISM is allied with those who believe we are ALREADY NOW IN CHRIST'S MILLENNIUM REIGN.

I'm serious about this, this is no joke, nor am I trying to slander brethren on those doctrines of men. So WHERE are those ideas coming from today among some believers on Christ Jesus??


One of the matters Georgetown history professor Carrol Quigely covered in his 1960's work Tragedy And Hope, was how Christian leaders exist today that are very much on the plans for a "one world government" over all nations.

There are Christian Churches that have major alignments with globalist one-world plans today, and the reason mainly is because those Churches actually believe that our Lord Jesus already established His Kingdom in toto upon this earth TODAY!

The FULL Preterist doctrine denies Christ's second coming as a bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ sometime in the future. They say Christ's second coming already happened sometime back in His Apostles days, because they only see it as a SPIRITUAL COMING, not a literal Bodily second coming of our Lord Jesus per Scripture. I have debated this very matter before with U.S. Military Chaplains!!! This is what many... of them believe!

It should be VERY obvious those Churches have been deluded into thinking TODAY'S world can somehow be Christ's Kingdom without His Direct Presence here on earth, and without the many Biblical promises of just HOW it is to be established. It's leaders actually believe our Lord Jesus has entrusted to them this PRESENT world as His earthly Kingdom of Scripture!!

This is WHY those same Churches have gone AWOL in recognizing the belief on Christ Jesus as God's Promised Saviour is the ONLY WAY of Salvation, as written in God's Word. They instead are following the 'brotherhood' aims the secret societies have pushed for centuries, that of 'fraternity, equality, liberty, brotherhood', etc., Masonic watchwords of the French Revolution.

In fraternities like Masonry (only one of several initiatic fraternities today), its members contain peoples from just about every nation on earth. They all agree to respect each other's religious beliefs, culture, etc., in becoming a literal brotherhood of mankind. They are a great hidden power working together upon this earth, influencing all nations towards their aims.

We must admit, all peoples respecting each other and learning to love each other is not a bad ideal at all, since we are all... God's children created by Him. But is it a REALISTIC IDEAL when it excludes God's requirement to believe ONLY upon His Son Jesus Christ for Salvation??? Those are the ones behind the doctrines of PRETERISM. Lot of Preterist Churches today no longer require peoples of other religions to turn from their relgious beliefs and accept Christ Jesus only to become a Christian.

It is certain that before they could get a lot of Christians to accept their plan for a "one world government" (final beast kingdom of Revelation), they first had to institute certain doctrines among those Churches to lure those Christians into accepting Christ's second coming as a spiritual coming only, and not as a bodily return with His literal establishing of His Kingdom on earth in our near future as written.

Those Christian groups allied with globalism see themselves as servants of Christ today, working to spread peace and prosperity to all peoples and nations. They may hope... that peoples of other religiions will turn to accept Jesus Christ, but that is not the main working they are doing. Instead, they are putting The Gospel on the back burner, trying to relieve the poor peoples and nations of poverty and war. They think that is possible through the idea of one world globalism, and they believe Christ has entrusted that working specifically in their care. And I'm not talking about Moonies or Baghwan type religious nuts; I'm talking about very high leaders in many nation's governments, including princes of royalty in many nations.

We were warned that the "vile person" of Daniel 8 & 11 would come to power using 'peace', and destroy many by using 'peace', and that is the very movement of the endtimes world beast system of our Lord's Book of Revelation. Their plan includes THE END of all wars, in order to bring their 'world peace' they have strived after for centuries.

See what keeping to God's Word about Christ's future Bodily second coming, and His establishing of His Kingdom on earth when He comes does to those on the Preterist one-world ideals? Staying with what God's Word declares about Christ's future coming creates a DIRECT CONTRAST to what those behind PRETERISM are trying to establish today! They tend to think any Christian who is NOT for their globalist plans for world peace and prosperity are actually... against Christ's Kingdom of the NOW which they 'think' He has entrusted in their care!!

In reality, Christ's Kingdom is what is only SPIRITUAL today, but will ONLY become a literal earthly Kingdom with His future return! That is what's actually written in God's Word. For the days just PRIOR to Christ's second coming, God's Word warns His servants this attempt to establish a COPY of His coming Kingdom would occur first. And we were warned to not put our trust in it.

This is why Apostle Paul gave a warning about a deception of 'peace' for the end prior to Christ's return...

1Thes 5:2-7
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, "Peace and safety"; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

When WHO starts saying, "Peace and safety"? The deceived, even those of today that think our Lord Jesus's Kingdom is already here on earth in their sole care, with a responsibility of them actually creating it over all nations, instead of our Lord Jesus when He returns literally in our near future.

Just what does the deceived saying that, "Peace and safety" reveal for the end? It aligns with the prophecy our Lord Jesus gave in Matt.24 and Mark 13 that as long as we hear of wars and rumours of wars, then the END is NOT YET. The opposite of wars and rumours of wars is a time of PEACE, a time of world peace! So when those deceived begin saying that Peace and Safety has finally come, pronouncing a literal world peace over ALL nations, then WATCH OUT, for that means THE END is very near. It also means our Lord Jesus' second coming is in that very time also!


1 Thess.5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
(KJV)

Those aligned with the world peace doctrines of globalists, which is what the PRETERIST doctrines are mainly about, are those who sleep in the night, and they definitely are spiritually 'drunken' on those world peace and safety plans by a one world government system! But those who stand in Christ Jesus, listening to Him in His Word, are NOT to be deceived as they are. The world peace and one world government events are NOT... to take us by surprise. We who stand in Christ Jesus per His Word well know the closer that world peace working comes, we are that much closer to the "day of The Lord" when our Lord Jesus will literally return to this earth, as written.