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CHRISTIANS AND ANTI-CHRISTS |
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I. THE SPIRIT OF THE ANTI-CHRIST.
A. This is the first time the word "Antichrist" used in Scripture. It is used only by John four times. The word is used to describe someone who is against Christ or who is a substitute for Him. It is also the name given to the ruler in Revelation 13 described the beast who will come to power in the Tribulation. Certainly this is the person of "the" Antichrist who will be controlled by Satan. Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, refers to him as the "man of sin" in verse 3 and "that Wicked" in verse 8. Anyone who opposes Christ Jesus or who presents a substitute for Him is an Antichrist. V18 - The Antichrist will come and there are many Antichrists now in John day. V22 - The person denies that the Father and Son One are Antichrists. V4:3 John says we are to try every spirit and the one that does not confess Jesus is come in the flesh is of the spirit of the Antichrist. This is a clear statement of the deity of Jesus Christ. All men are born in the flesh and the statement that Jesus has come in the flesh emphasizes Christ being unique in that He, God has come in the flesh. 2 John 7 Those that deny the deity of Jesus is a deceiver is an Antichrist.
B. The History of the Anti-Christ.
1. He is the false prophet and evil being who sets himself up in the place of Christ during the Tribulation period.
2. Behind the Antichrist is Satan. His deceitful work can be traced from the Garden of Eden when he enticed Eve by telling her she could be a God. It runs throughout all the Bible and will end when the person of the Antichrist will be revealed at the end of the Great Tribulation.
3. Daniel 7 refers to the Antichrist as the "beast." Paul calls him the "man of sin, the son of perdition." 2 Thess. 2:3-4
About 50 different titles have be applied in Bible the Bible to the Antichrist. All refer in various ways to Satan, or to his to his earthly instruments on earth. Example: King of Babylon, even Gong and Magog (Russia), etc.
4. In the Tribulation Satan is one of the unholy trinity of the beast, Antichrist and false prophet.
5. From ancient Babylon legend that the earth was created by the pagan god Marduk. In the legend the Babylonians believed a final battle would take place between evil and good. This is what the Scripture tells us will happen and that God with no effort at all will subdue Satan forever.
C. THE SPIRIT OF THE Antichrist.
1. He is called the deceiver. He represents himself as being God. He presents himself as a substitutes for God.
2. John says he denies that "Jesus is come in the flesh" and he denies the Father and Son. He is a liar and what he teaches is not truth. Satan has no power that God does not allow him to have. He is not God and creates nothing.
3. He denies the Father and Son. Note that the verse is saying that a person can not deny the Lord Jesus Christ and have the Father, or know in truth the Father.
a. John. 5:39 says, "Search the Scripture; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they that testify of me."
"I and my Father are one" (John 10:22).
"All things are delivered unto me of my Father, and not man kneweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.. Come to me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest...My yoke is easy my burden is light." Matt. 11:27,28,30
b. John 15:23 "If you hate me you hate the Father also.
c. Many folks will say "I believe in God!" yet they will not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. Folks they do not know God. You cannot refuse to accept Jesus Christ and accept God. They are one and the same.
d. Jesus said he did the will of His Father. Thus, if Jesus did what God said and wanted done, if He said what God wanted said, then if will are to please God we must follow what Jesus said because it came from God. God revealed Himself through Jesus Christ.
e. People who deny Jesus Christ are not saved! They do not please God.
4. What if one used the name of Jesus or believes he was a good man, a great teacher, had the spirit of God come upon Him...yet denies that Jesus Christ is God Himself. Many say they believe in Jesus yet deny that he is God.
a. First, Jesus said he was God! To deny that Jesus is God is to deny what Jesus said.
"I and my Father are one" (John 10:22). Literally it says, "I and the Father, one are we" In verse 27 Jesus said his sheep hear his voice and they will not follow another.
V28. Jesus gives eternal life! No one else can.
V29. My Father gave them to me. In other words it was the Father who gave them eternal life through Jesus Christ No one can take them from me, WHY? Because I AM THE FATHER!
V30. The Jews then outraged at him saying he was God took up stone to kill him.
V33 states they did so because "...thou being a man makest thyself, GOD!"
b. The cults teach that Jesus was the "Son of God" not God Himself.
The says that in John 10:30 Jesus was only saying He and the Father agree one with the other. That explanation doesn't hold water in light of V33, because when the Jews who heard him say it, understood He was saying he was God himself.
c. How can Jesus be God and also the Son of God.
TRINITY: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Can anyone here explain to me what a spirit is?
Have you ever seen one? Answer is no! A spirit is an invisible being. It cannot be seen by man, who is a physical being. The Bible says that "No man hath seen God at anytime. The reason is because He exists as spirit. ( see John 1:18)
The Bible says God has alway been, He had no beginning. Clearly everything in our physical universe has a beginning and an end. God being whose essence is described as being a spirit exists outside of time, space and our material world.
- In the Beginning was God. Gen 1:1
- In the Beginning was the Word, John 1:1
- "I AM THAT I AM" Ex. 3:14.
- Jesus said in REV. 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end.
5. The Conclusion of the matter is this: The spirit of the Antichrist is one that denies that Jesus and God are one.
II. THE TRUE CHRISTIAN CAN DISCERN BETWEEN TRUTH AND ERROR. 2:20
A. You have an "unction" from God. The word means "anointed, or have been appointed, or given."
1. Christ is gives us the Holy Spirit when saved. Therefore: A Christian will recognized the truth when they hear it.
John. 10:27..My sheep hear my voice they will not follow another.
1 Cor. 2:11-15. A man receives the Spirit of God at Salvation which gives him the ability to understand the Scriptures. Lost man does not have it and the Scriptures are foolishness to him.
2. 1 John. 2:26: The reason for writing was to address the matter of false teachers who would try to "seduce" them.
a. Verse 27 says but you who are saved will not be deceived because the Holy Spirit guides a person to the truth.
b. YOU ABIDE IN CHRIST. The anointing is in the "present tense" it is a fact now...if one is saved.
"The initiation you received from God when you were saved stays with you" Or "the Word you received is constantly with you."
B. The Bottom Line:
1. A True Christian may believe a false teaching, BUT when he hears the truth he will accept it.
2. A Christian who studies the Word of God will reject false teachers and teachings, period!
3. A Christian will continue in following the Lord and will not depart...if one leaves...that is proof he never was saved or had the Holy Spirit...
4. A Christian will live a righteous and Holy Life....and that is proof further that one is a true child of God. V29
Conclusion:
1. Why are so many caught up in the Cults. Why do so many believe the lies of false prophets and teachers?
Why do people still follow false teachers such as Benny Hinn, Jimmy Swaggart, the Catholic and Protestant churches and the many other false teachers of this world?
They are deceived because they are not children of God. It does not matter if they say all the right words, or claim the name of Jesus Christ. It is the word of God that shows them to be what they are and their false teaching opposes God's truth and opposes Jesus Christ whom they say they are following.
2. Saved people follow the Lord, the unsaved do not.
Saved people are not deceived, the unsaved are.
It is not a part of the nature of the born again believer in Christ to accept the Antichrists of this world.
Conclusion:
The spirit of the Antichrist is seen in all who oppose Jesus Christ by false doctrine. Jesus is the Word as John 1:1, 14 states. Therefore to deny the word of God is to deny Christ and become a Antichrist.
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