Who is the antichrist?"

[blessed07]

2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 (NIV)
3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself ...


ray:ray:

 

[Davy]

Many have tried to identify the Antichrist as a specific individual that would rise up in the time of the end. However, a careful look at what the bible says, can reveal 'what' and 'who' is the Antichrist.

The Greek word for Antichrist means, "against Christ." It occurs a total of five times, all of them in two of John's letters. Interestingly, according to 1 John 2:18, the subject of the Antichrist was not new among the Christians in the 1st century, stating: (NIV) "You have heard that the Antichrist is coming!" Then John goes on to also write in 1 John 2:18, (NIV): "Even now many Antichrists have come." So this phrase 'antichrist' does not just refer to the time of the end. They existed during the 1st Centry.

Then John shows where these antichrists have come from in the next verse, 1 John 2:19, (NIV) says: "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us." These antichrists came from within the spirit anointed Christian congregation. Also, notice John did not restrict the appearance, existence, and activity of such antichrists to some future time only! but showed that the Antichrist was then present and would 'continue' on to the last days, (1 John 4:3) the Antichrist has always been here.

Then, in his second letter he clearly states what they do, 2 John 1:7, (NIV) says: "Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the Antichrist." It is not "the Antichrist" as in a individual, but a class of people who deni Jesus as the Christ and as the Son of God.

So, do you know anyone who deni's Jesus is the Christ? Then they are part of the class of people who are called the "antichrist." Remember, John said they had come out from the midst of the 1st Century congregation. Antichrists were once fellow believers who have turned their back on Christ and deni him as being their King.

 

[AudreyNicole]

I think it is the papacy.... or religion in general. As the verse says "He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God" Many religions are becoming so "works" oriented and are beginning to completely abandon Christ. They are exalting themselves over Christ who is the only way to the Lord. Christianity wasn't meant to be a religion, but a lifestyle.

 

[David777]

Revelations.

What or who is the antichrist.

I have always thought the antichrist was a man.

Check out this reference in Revelation.

"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." Rev. 13:16-18

 

[Eagle_Eyes]

The antichrist is the head of the Roman Catholic Church. One of the titles of the Pope is 'Vicarivs Filii Dei' which means 'Vicar or Representative of the Son of God'. If you count the roman numerals in this title it adds up to 666: Vicarivs (112); Filii (53) and Dei (501). Also Jesus expressly states to call no man father on earth yet millions call the Pope, "Holy Father".

 

[Hekuran]

It aint the pope

Davy's post is correct. I would add to his observations that John provides a test. 1 John 4. 1-3

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
​

The antichrist is a spirit which denies that Jesus came from God. Simple as that. The Roman Catholic Church and the Pope, for all its failings, acknowledges that Jesus is from God and so there is no biblical ground for believing that the antichrist is the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

There are other biblical references to the "man of lawlessness" and to the "beast", which may be worth discussion, but this thread is about the antichrist.

 

[Eagle_Eyes]

I am afraid I can only reiterate that the antichrist is the head of the Roman Catholic Church. It can be none other.

What do believers live by? They live by God's Word! This means that we either believe all of it or nothing. There is no compromise. Compromise brings spiritual death.

In the beginning, God gave Adam and Eve His Word to live by. You know what happened when Eve disbelieved just one Word. It brought death to the human race! When Jesus came 2000 years ago he specifically said that man should not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God! At the end of the book of Revelation, it unequivocally states that those that add to His Word will have the plagues of the Bible added to them, and those that take away from the Word will have their names taken out of the Book.

With all due respect, it is irrelevant if the Roman Catholic Church, or indeed anyone, says they believe Jesus came from God or anything else of that sort. If they do not live by the Word then they will die by it!

The Roman Catholic Church have done just about everything except believe the Bible. They have interjected their dogma and creed and are well and truly living up to their billing as the Mother of harlots! They started the ball rolling way back in 325AD when they spiritually died by joining with the State. How else could the Roman Catholic Church have slaughtered millions of innocent believers? God was not in it!

 

[Hekuran]

With all due respect, it is irrelevant if the Roman Catholic Church, or indeed anyone, says they believe Jesus came from God or anything else of that sort.

With all due respect, what the Bible says on any particular issue is rarely irrelevant.

 

[Eagle_Eyes]

I am not quite sure what you are driving at, but, it does appear that you taking what I am saying way out of context! I am not saying or implying, and I have never said or implied, and never will say or imply, that what the Bible says is irrelevant. I think it is plain to see that what I said, relates specifically to what the Roman Catholic Church, or anyone, might say; not the Bible. I believe the whole Bible to be infallible, absolutely true and inspired!

It is not enough for one to say that one believes that Jesus came from God, or that Jesus is Lord. Anyone on this earth can make that statement yet still end up in hell. I will back this up with scripture. Jesus said in Matthew 7:22, 'Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?' Who today, exactly, prophesies in His name and casts out devils in His name? Not politicians, that's for sure! What did Jesus say further to these people? He said, 'I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.' Where did they go? Into the lake of fire. Judas Iscariot went round healing the sick and casting out devils and where did he end up? And he was one of the twelve disciples!

Jesus said earlier in verse 21, 'Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.' You can see here plainly that it is not enough to profess that he is Lord. Many so-called christians today profess He is Lord and say they are saved but then, like a dog to its own vomit, they carry on doing what they think is right in their own eyes, dressing like the world and acting like the world etc. Christians are not to only profess that He is Lord, but they want to be like Him. And that means they want to believe the whole Word of God, live it daily and not compromise in any way or fashion.

 

[Hekuran]

Then you will agree that according to the principle that John lays down ...

Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world​

... neither the Roman Catholic Church nor the Pope fits the description antichrist.

 

[Eagle_Eyes]

Yes, I totally agree with what John laid down but I'm afraid we'll have to agree to differ in relation to the Roman Catholic Church.

Even earlier on in Matthew 7, it talks about false prophets in sheep's clothing, and knowing these wolves by their fruits. The Roman Catholic Church aren't going to say they don't believe that Jesus came from God, are they? They are liars. Jesus is the Word and this church has been against the Word since they joined with the State in 325AD. They are spiritually dead and are vehemently against God's Word having injected their own poisonous creeds and dogmas, and they are deceiving millions by their lies, as a consequence.

 

[Eagle_Eyes]

Furthermore, to be against the Word, you would have to be against Jesus. If one is anti-Word then one is anti-Jesus, or anti-christ, if you will.