Doctrine of Anti-Christ

1. The term "anti-Christ” refers to any false prophet and evil being who sets himself up against
Christ and the people of God or who places himself up in the place of Christ.

2. The term “anti-Christ” is exclusively by John in his writings in the New Testament. It refers
to one who stands in opposition to all that Jesus Christ is and represents.

 1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall
come, now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

 1 John 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist,
that denieth the Father and the Son.

 1 John 4:3 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.

 2 John 1:7 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 anti-christ.

3. John wrote that several antichrists existed already in his day in the form of false teachers.
These individuals were against Christ because they denied the deity and the incarnation of
Christ.

4. While many Christians today look outward to a political leader to be the anti-Christ, more
care should be taken to look within the professing Church for teachers who deny Christ or set
themselves up in His place.

 2 Thes 2:3-12 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [of the Second Coming
of Christ] shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be
revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is
called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing
himself that he is God.

5. The Antichrist's primary work is deception, which also characterizes Satan in his attempts to
undermine the work of God in the world.

6. Satan's deception began in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) and will continue until the end of
time. Therefore, there will be many anti-Christs until the end of time.
7. Those who worshipped the antichrist of the Revelation were to experience certain doom
through the wrath of God.

 Revelation 14:9-11 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any
man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his
hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out
without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and
brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the
smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor
night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his
name.

8. The anti-Christ of the Revelation made persist war against Christ and His army, but he was to
be captured and is "cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone" (Rev. 19:20).

9. Although the apostle Paul does not use the term anti-Christ, he surely had an Antichrist in
mind when he wrote of the great apostasy, or falling away, that would occur before the return
of Christ:

 2 Thes 2:3-5 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [of the Second Coming
of Christ] shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be
revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is
called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing
himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these
things?

The appearance of the Man of Sin could not take place apart from God’s permission. So
far the timing had not been right for the ultimate anti-Christ when Paul wrote his epistle
and thus the Holy Spirit was restraining his appearance. Once restrains are removed from
any life Satan will come to energize the heart, any heart.

 2 Thess 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he
be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked [one] 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, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that
perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And
for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That
they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.

10. The anti-Christ is also called the Lawless One who, empowered and inspired by Satan, will
lead a rebellion against God, but will be destroyed at the coming of the Lord. If this coming
of the Lord refers to the judgment upon Jerusalem in AD 70 then the church can look to a
historical fulfillment of the Doctrine of Anti-Christ or the Doctrine of the Man of Sin.
11. As Paul urged the Church to stand firm in the faith and not be deceived by the anti-Christ
who will display "all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders" (2 Thes. 2:9) so every
believer is warned not to be misled by the deceit of any anti-Christ at any time.
 Matt 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

 Matt 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and
wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

 Matt 24:26 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.

 Mark 13:6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive
many.

 Mark 13:21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there;
believe him not: 22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs
and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

 Luke 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my
name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

 2 Thes 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except
there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so
that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Remember
ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what
withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth
already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 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, 10 And with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love
of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong
delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed
not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
 The Early Church

1. In the second century there was a work written known as the Didache. In the Didache there is a
section entitled "The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles" which is often quoted to support the idea
that the early church believed in an imminent return of Christ. The Didache (II, 16) reads: Watch
for your life’s sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your lions unloosed; but be ye ready, for
ye know not the hour in which our Lord cometh."

2. What is not quoted from the Didache is the rest of chapter 16 which teaches a post tribulation view
and not imminence: "...for the whole of your faith will not profit you, if ye be not made perfect in
the last time.... Then shall appear the world-deceiver as the Son of God, and shall do signs and
wonders. ...Then shall the creation of men come into the fire of trial, and many shall be made to
stumble and perish; but they that endure in their faith shall be saved from under the curse itself."

3. There is not one person that can be cited between the first century and 1830 who ever held to a pre-
tribulational rapture view. Those who did hold to an imminent return of Christ always embraced a
post-tribulational coming. They were convinced during periods of pressure that they were probably
in the tribulation and that Christ must return soon.
 Is Rome the Anti-Christ?

Richard Bennett

~*~
1. On October 8th, 2000, Pope John Paul II, under the assumed title of Vicar of Christ,
consecrated the world and the new millennium to "Mary Most Holy."

2. This blasphemous "Act of Entrustment to Mary Most Holy" of that which belongs to God
alone is a mockery of the First Commandment.

3. The Pope's official and offensive act ought to warn Christians that while the Pope formally
claims to be "the true vicar of Christ," [2] he in fact opposes Christ by false worship. What is
equally serious is the title under which he performs. The True Vicar of Christ is the Holy
Spirit.

4. Remember that the anti-Christ is not only opposed to Christ but stands in place of Christ. He
believes that he has been sent to take the Lord's place, testifying not to Himself but to Christ.
(John 15:26).

5. The gravity of teaching and purporting to act in this divine role is that it denigrates the divine
Person of the Holy Spirit.

6. The Antichrist is also anti Holy Spirit.

7. With self-assurance, on September 5th 2000, the Church of Rome claimed, "the very fullness
of grace and truth [of the Lord Jesus Christ is alone] entrusted to the Catholic Church."

8. We believe that Christ alone is the only One who is full of grace and truth. However, if the
pope believes that he is here in the place of Christ then it is understandable how such
statements can be made.

9. The Scripture declares it necessary to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ alone, from Whom
one receives "abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness."

10. Over and against Christ is the present day decree of Rome, "The Church affirms that for
believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. 'Sacramental
grace' is the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by Christ and proper to each sacrament."

11. What is not said is that Rome's physical sacraments, tightly gripped in the Pontiff's hand and
declared indispensable, are thereby substituted for the Lord of Glory and His Gospel.

12. Unwaveringly, in the present day, too, Church of Rome has upheld Unum Sanctum, "We
declare, say, define, and proclaim to every human creature that they by necessity for
salvation are entirely subject to the Roman Pontiff."
13. Depending on the physical signs of grace instead of direct faith on the Lord Christ Jesus is
the deception of the papacy, which subtly deflects faith from the person of Christ to signs
that are claimed to be powers.

14. There are so many statements the Pope has made which officially contradicted the Gospel
(see his thoughts on May 13 th of the "Jubilee Year 2000."

15. There are also historical events wherein is revealed horrendous sin, as the now documented
involvement of Pope Pius XII in Hitler's reign of death.

16. These things ought to make Christians consider carefully if their eyes have seen in the Office
of the Papacy the line of men that the Scripture calls the Man of Sin for the Papacy gives the
title of Vicar of Christ to its Pope.

17. The Church of Rome authoritatively teaches that her Sovereign Pontiff is rightly called
"Most Holy," and "the most holy Roman Pontiff."

18. This, together with usual titles of "Holy Father" and "Vicar of Christ" is the full sense of the
definition of the Antichrist given by the Apostle John. "Who is a liar but he that denieth that
Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son."

19. The Pope, in assuming these titles to himself, is against the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy
Father in heaven by purporting to possess these very offices.

20. Such haughtiness also blatantly breaks the New Covenant Law of the Christ, "call no man
your father upon the earth: for One is your Father, which is in heaven." Christ Jesus
declared, "One is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren"

21. The Pope declares himself "Most Holy," "Holy Father," and "the true vicar of Christ."

22. The Pope's claim is similar to that recorded in Isaiah 14: 14, "I will be like the Host High."

23. The Scripture speaks of such a one denying the Father and the Son by assuming the titles of
both. In the words of Scripture we proclaim, "Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify
Thy name? For Thou only art Holy: for all nations shall come and worship before Thee..."