Food for Friday
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. 1 John 2:18
Most if not all Christians are aware of the antichrist, that Satan-controlled man of sin, the ultimate in evil, the great ruler who will rise as the world’s leader during the days leading up to and during the Great Tribulation. Identified by his number 666, the number of a man (Revelation 13:18), the antichrist will be the greatest deceiver this world has ever seen. In our text, John is reminding his readers (including us) about the antichrist that they were taught would come. But then, he points out that even before that great antichrist would come, there would be many antichrists. And that they are already among us. Who are they?
The term antichrist simply means opposed to Christ. Of the New Testament writers, only John uses this specific term, although others, including Paul spoke of the same using slightly different terms. We know that the ultimate antichrist will be the pinnacle of opposition to Christ in his attacks on Christians, on the Word of God, and on Christ Himself. Are the antichrists who are among us today as bad as that. No, they will not have the great power of Mr. 666, but they will be of the same spirit. They will deny the Scriptures, oppose the Christians and all that they stand for, and some will even claim to be some form of messiah.They will have the same primary intent of the antichrist, that God would be robbed of the glory that is His due. We have no problem identifying the antichrists around us today.
One of the biggest antichrists today actually calls himself the vicar of Christ. Many Bible students will tell us that the great antichrist will be the pope, if not the current Leo XIV, then surely one of his successors. I doubt that, but I can understand their argument. Surely few in history have deceived so many with their lies or shed the blood of so many Christians as the popes of Rome. And Leo is just as evil and as dangerous as those who came before him. So are most of the leaders of the world’s religions today, men who use their positions to deceive, defraud, and destroy. On the opposite side are the outright opponents of God, those who deny His existence and power, those who reject the Scriptures and seek to destroy them. These liars have convinced most of the world of the fallacy of evolution, which is a curse to the souls of billions and a threat to the faith of the Christians. Our world is awash in the spirit of antichrist. If you doubt it, listen to the conversation of the people around you and you will soon hear blasphemy from the lips of those who use the Name of Christ as a swear word. And if all of these are antichrist, they are also opposed to those who take the Name of Christ, the Christians. That great enemy of our souls is telling the world today that the Christians are the enemy.
We are in the last days, the last time, as our text puts it. Do not be surprised if we encounter hatred from the world. The spirit of antichrist wants to destroy us. Don’t give it an opportunity. – Jim MacIntosh