The word “antichrist” or “antichrists” appears 4 times in the KJV, as with most other translations, however as the KJV seems the most accurate, I have chosen to quote from it.
The first 2 references appear in 1 John 2:18, however as these verses alone prove many supposed Churches and individuals to be deceived by the spirit of the "antichrist" into believing they are “born again”, I have included the surrounding verses that I cannot be accused of taking them out of context.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 18Little 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. 19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” 1 John 2:15-19
If we now consider these words were written to true members of the true Church, we know this is both instruction and warning of how not to be deceived by an “antichrist”, how not to become an “antichrist” and a way of how to identify an “antichrist”.
Verses 15-17 tells us not to love the things of the world and to do the will of God, yet how many prefer the carnal ways over what the Lord has ordained.
As an example, the Word of God clearly prohibits women pastors, yet how many claiming to be Christian reject this as being truth and how many support the women that usurp this authority?
Are these people then inspired by the same Holy Spirit as inspired the Word of God or are they inspired by an “anti-Word of God” spirit?
Let us extend this a little further, of those that do acknowledge this commandment, how many still claim that those that do not, are still “born again” of the Holy Spirit, although by their own testimony and actions, we see the fruits not of the Spirit of God, but of the spirit of “antichrist”.
Would then the Holy Spirit call the spirit of “antichrist” Himself, is then the Holy Spirit actually the spirit of “antichrist”?
Obviously such a conclusion is not of God, so to claim those of the “antichrist” are “born again” is in itself also “antichrist”, because only the “antichrist” would want to keep them trapped in such a delusion.
Verse 18-19 then show us another important factor in identifying the “antichrists’ that are amongst us. Verse 19 clearly states that “antichrists” have gone out from amongst the believers, but had they been genuine then they would have remained with the Church and by this action they are made manifest for what they really are.
Of cause, some may have also gone out to spread the Gospel and start new Churches, so let us continue to examine the verses that follow,
“But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.” 1 John 2:20-23
From these verses we know that through the “unction’ of God, the believers “know all things”, however this is referring to those truly “born again” in the Holy Spirit. It then tells us that anyone that denies “Jesus is the Christ” is “antichrist”.
Some examples we all know of that deny “Jesus is the Christ” are those of the Jewish faith, the Muslims, pagans, atheists, etc. all of which are “antichrists” according to the Word of God.
Let us now move on to the next verses that all can be examined in full context.
“Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 26These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” 1 John 2:24
Notice in verse 24 and 25 that the believers were told to “abide” in what they had “heard from the beginning” and if they do, then they shall “continue in the Son, and in the Father”
This then identifies those that have gone out to spread the Truth by the "unction" of the Holy Spirit as these will preach what was "heard from the beginning", not some deviation or new doctrine.
Yet how many today do not “abide” in what was “heard from the beginning”, in fact most disregard much of what was “heard in the beginning” and follow countless different forms of what they call the “Christian faith”.
Verse 26 then states that these verses were “written unto you concerning them that seduce you", so those that teach these new versions of the Christian faith are also of whom the Holy Spirit is referring when He speaks of “antichrists”. It is these that do not preach the same as what was “heard in the beginning” that are seducing people from the original faith and who would do that, but someone who is “anti” the True Faith, in other words “antichrist”.
Verse 27 then states that through the “anointing” that these first Christians received they had no need of any “man” to teach them, however it also says, “even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him”.
This tells us two very important things, that the “antichrist” spirit tries to keep hidden, the first is that through this same “anointing”, we have no need of a “man” to teach us.
However, for those without this “anointing”, the Lord sends out His servants to teach, all of which have this ‘anointing” and will preach the same as what was “heard in the beginning”. If they preach differently, then they are opponents against God’s “anointing”, or “anti-anointing”, thus “antichrist”
The next verse where the word “antichrist" appears is 1 John 4:3, however let us also look at the surrounding verses because no doubt any deceived by the spirit of “antichrist” will now try anything to stop his victims from seeing the truth.
Beginning with verse 1, we read,
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3And 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.” 1 John 4:1-3
In these verses, we read that we are to test every spirit because many a false prophet is in the world and that we can identify the spirit of “antichrist” by the fact that it will deny that Christ came into the world.
This appears to conflict with the earlier verses because even many who teach differently to what was “heard in the beginning” will confess this fact.
What further complicates this is that there are verses where even demons acknowledged Jesus while in the flesh as Lord, and we can safely assume that demons are “anti” Jesus Christ.
However, when we read on we start to see the answer to this,
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 5They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 6We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4:4
In verse 4, we read of those that were of God at that time that John said, “…and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” Now bear in mind that this was written in a time of great persecution and these Christians had stood firm in their faith that Jesus was the Christ in the Flesh.
This is where we can see the difference between a person who truly has the Holy Spirit and who is deceived. If the Spirit is the Holy Spirit, then the person in whom the Spirit of God is in will “overcome” when put to the test. Whereas someone who is deceived may deny Christ to save themselves.
Another possibility is that they may turn from Christ when offered something of the world or they may speak of the things of the world to others who are also of the world as it says in verse 5.
Verse 6 then states that those of the world do not hear those of God, rather they hear those of the world, and through this we can identify an “antichrist”.
If we then read all of chapter 4, we read of loving others but let us move onto the final verses,
“Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19We love him, because he first loved us. 20If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” 1 John 4:17-21
In verse 17 we read of how through the things mentioned in the previous scriptures our love is made “perfect” that we may have “boldness in the day of judgment” and in the next we read that through perfected love all fear is cast out.
The overall context is then for our love to be perfected so that we can stand firm in our faith and never deny Jesus, that we may be “bold in the day of judgment”. The previous verse does not suggest that just because someone acknowledges Jesus came in the flesh on one day that they are truly “born again” of the Holy Spirit because they may turn from Him tomorrow.
One argument that the “antichrists” may put forward to maintain the deception they are of the Holy Spirit is the question of all those who have died in the name of Jesus Christ that qualify in what has already been shown to identify them as “antichrists”.
However, to such a defense I would say to consider how many have surrendered their lives for other false faiths simply because of their zealousness for their beliefs, do not the Muslims die in the name of Allah, yet they deny Jesus is the Christ. Consider the Japanese Kamikazes who died in the name of honor and their Zen Buddhist beliefs.
These are simply victims of Satan’s wiles, deceived into losing their lives in vain to support the many falsehoods of the spirit of “antichrist”. which deceived them.
The final place where we find the term “antichrist” used is in 2 John. As this epistle is quite short, I have posted the entire writing so all of it can be examined in full context.
“The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; 2For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. 3Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.” 2 John 1-4
The first 4 verses addresses to whom this epistle is written with edification and love.
“And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.” 2 John 5-6
In verses 5 and 6 we read the instruction to love one another and that true love is to follow what was “heard from the beginning”.
Now that the context is set, we read,
“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. 8Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 7-9
In verse 7 we again read that any who deny Christ has come in the flesh is a “deceiver” and an “antichrist” then in verse 8, the addressee of this epistle is told to “look to yourselves” rather than follow an “antichrist” and in so doing rely upon the Holy Spirit.
Then in verse 9 we see a slight change in the context. This verse then says “Whosoever”, therefore this is not limited just to “deceivers” and “antichrist” but all who “transgresseth” and who do not abide in the “doctrine of Christ” do not have God.
Then in this context being “whosoever”, we read the following,
“If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” 2 John 10-11
Verse 10 instructs to reject “whosoever” that does not bring the “doctrine of Christ” which is what was “heard from the beginning” and even not to bid them “God speed”.
Verse 11 then says that any that do “biddeth him God speed” is a part of his evil, clearly because we would be blessing, condoning and supporting his “anti” Christian activities and false ministry.
The final verse then closes the epistle,
“Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.” 2 John 12
To summarize some of how to identify an “antichrist” or someone deceived into being in league with one, the following apply.
They will not be part of the original Apostolic Church.
They will claim they have no need of a man to teach them and rely on a spirit for guidance, justifying this by words directed to those of the original Church that have the unction of the Holy Spirit.
They do not abide in the original faith, preferring newer versions.
They will allow the carnal ways of the world to influence them into rejecting the original doctrines of Christ.
They will deny an “antichrist” is an “antichrist”, and acknowledge these false ministries that are not part of the original Church and that preach different versions of the Christian faith, rejecting the original doctrines of Christ.
They will bless or support these false ministries and in some cases be a part of them.
They may or may not confess Jesus came in the flesh, but they will lack “boldness” on the day of Judgment. However, we must wait for that day before we will witness this.
As a final comment, those that are “antichrist” will undoubtedly reject this and some may even attempt to discredit it, as will those who support these “antichrists” and their false ministries.
However, to any that may elect to side with the falsehoods of those that are against the original faith and the true doctrines of Christ, that gather to themselves counterfeit gatherings in the name of Jesus Christ. To these that follow the spirit of the “antichrist”, I put to you to consider the following words of the apostle Paul as he was inspired by the true Holy Spirit,
“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. 9As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8
