Everyone is asking the same question and debating the answer. Who will be the next President of the United States? Will it be the Democratic Senator from Illinois, Barak Obama, or will it be the Republican Senator from Arizona, John McCain? At this point, your guess is as good as mine. One thing is for sure…it won’t be very long and we will know the answer. But here is a far more intriguing question. Who will be the one commonly referred to as the Antichrist, that coming one world ruler of the tribulation period as taught in the Bible? I think the same two things can be said about this question as was said about the first question. At this point, your guess is as good as mine but one thing I think is pretty certain…it won’t be much longer and we will know the answer.
This Sunday we are starting a new message series here at Grace Church on the topic of the Antichrist. We are calling this series, “The Man of the Hour.” The Bible gives this coming world ruler many names such as “The Man of Sin” and “The Son of Perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3); “The Lawless One” (2 Corinthians 2:8); “The Beast” (Revelation 13:1); and a host of others throughout both the Old and the New Testaments. But the Apostle John, in 1 John 2:18-23, is the only New Testament writer to use the title of “Antichrist” which is most certainly the most common title used for this coming world leader in our culture today. In verse 18 John writes, “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.”
Keep in mind that in Scripture there are really three different usages that include the title, “Antichrist.” First, there is the “spirit of Anti-Christ” which describes the demonic forces behind false teaching and sin in our world today. Second, there is “the Anti-Christ” which speaks of the coming one world ruler of the tribulation period. Finally, there are “many Antichrists” which speaks of the false teachers during the church age. In John’s writing above, the first usage of the title speaks of a future one world ruler while his second usage speaks of present false teachers.
It is important to note the timing that John is speaking of when he says that it is the “last hour.” The last hour is a reference to the time-period between Christ’s first and second coming. John is teaching us that there will be a growing presence of false teachers as we near Christ’s second coming (2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:5; 2 Peter 2:1; and 1 John 4:1 all speak to this as well). In verse 19 we learn that the tactic of these false teachers in the last hour is that they appear to be part of the church when they really are not. The fact they did not persevere in the faith shows they were never true believers.
It is the teaching of these false teachers in verse 22 that contains their danger. They teach heresy regarding the person of Christ by denying the incarnation and deity of Jesus. By denying the Son they also deny the Father. It is these denials which prove them to be liars. These false teachers are not true believers of God. Folks, listen, it is impossible to deny the deity of Christ and be a true believer! It is simply impossible.
This Sunday we are starting a new message series here at Grace Church on the topic of the Antichrist. We are calling this series, “The Man of the Hour.” The Bible gives this coming world ruler many names such as “The Man of Sin” and “The Son of Perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3); “The Lawless One” (2 Corinthians 2:8); “The Beast” (Revelation 13:1); and a host of others throughout both the Old and the New Testaments. But the Apostle John, in 1 John 2:18-23, is the only New Testament writer to use the title of “Antichrist” which is most certainly the most common title used for this coming world leader in our culture today. In verse 18 John writes, “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.”
Keep in mind that in Scripture there are really three different usages that include the title, “Antichrist.” First, there is the “spirit of Anti-Christ” which describes the demonic forces behind false teaching and sin in our world today. Second, there is “the Anti-Christ” which speaks of the coming one world ruler of the tribulation period. Finally, there are “many Antichrists” which speaks of the false teachers during the church age. In John’s writing above, the first usage of the title speaks of a future one world ruler while his second usage speaks of present false teachers.
It is important to note the timing that John is speaking of when he says that it is the “last hour.” The last hour is a reference to the time-period between Christ’s first and second coming. John is teaching us that there will be a growing presence of false teachers as we near Christ’s second coming (2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:5; 2 Peter 2:1; and 1 John 4:1 all speak to this as well). In verse 19 we learn that the tactic of these false teachers in the last hour is that they appear to be part of the church when they really are not. The fact they did not persevere in the faith shows they were never true believers.
It is the teaching of these false teachers in verse 22 that contains their danger. They teach heresy regarding the person of Christ by denying the incarnation and deity of Jesus. By denying the Son they also deny the Father. It is these denials which prove them to be liars. These false teachers are not true believers of God. Folks, listen, it is impossible to deny the deity of Christ and be a true believer! It is simply impossible.
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