Who and What Is the Antichrist?

[Music] let's turn to matthew 24 to begin the sermon matthew 24. we're going to talk about a topic today that is opposite of what we teach oh not exactly we're going to talk about the antichrist today and what we teach as a church what we understand as a church about the antichrist let's turn to matthew 24 and verse 23 to begin this is jesus christ olivet prophecy just talking about the things that were going to happen in the years before his return and right after talking about the tribulation and so forth in that same general time period he's talking about that time period matthew 24 verse 23 then if anyone says to you look here's the christ or there i do not believe it listen for false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect so how much does this relate to us very much so because there are coming deceptions that we had better be aware of better be able to identify and turn from and understand the truth some have thought that the antichrist would be a g would be of jewish descent and specifically of the tribe of dan now if we understand that that makes no sense right because jude is one tribe and dan is another tribe many think the antichrist is the beast power and that they're separately a false prophet and some don't understand what the doctrine of the antichrist is in fact mainstream christianity often misses the point altogether so in this sermon we'll review who the antichrist is and what the doctrine of the antichrist is the sermon will be broken into two main parts the first part will focus on who the antichrist is and there'll be two subpoints with that and then the second part will focus on the doctrine of the antichrist and we'll actually break that into three smaller sub points and then we'll talk about what it means for us the title of the sermon is who and what is the antichrist similar to the booklet that we have so first let's look at some definitions anti means against or opposed to that's simple that's very uh you know it's a way we would talk today the way we would say that today unger's bible dictionary and other bible dictionaries indicate that it doesn't just necessarily mean against or opposed to but also or can mean in place of or instead of christ in place of or instead of christ or a false christ so let's look at part number one to begin with and that is who is the antichrist so point number one under who is the antichrist is there will be a powerful future false prophet called the antichrist and many times when we say the antichrist that's who we think of that's that's who comes to mind when the world thinks of the antichrist that's often who comes to mind how many of us think of when we just generally say the antichrist is how many of us think of the the one man yeah that's what we often think of and that's appropriate that's fine but there's more than that and we'll see that in just a bit so let's turn to first john 2 and verse 18. first john 2 and verse 18. john writing is the only one that uses the word antichrist he uses it four times john 2 verse 18 is the first place that he uses it we'll see first john 2 verse 18 little children it is the last hour and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming speaking of a single man an end-time antichrist chapter 4 verse 3 and every spirit that does not confess that jesus has come in the flesh is not of god and this is the spirit of the antichrist which you have heard was coming so there is an end time future false prophet who will deceive many he will be we're not going to turn there but daniel 7 verse 25 you can write that down for your notes he will be the final personification of that little horn in daniel 7 who speaks pompous words and persecutes the saints during the tribulation the three and a half years so paul wrote about this final antichrist in ii thessalonians we'll turn there in just a bit in fact we can turn there now paul ii thessalonians chapter 2 paul was speaking to the thessalonians who he was fighting this idea in second thessalonians specifically that some were saying jesus had already returned and interestingly enough on youtube we get these comments oh jesus has already returned jesus has already returned i've seen it a decent amount i don't know whether they're fooling around or whether they think that's serious look at the world second thessalonians 2 and we'll start in verse 1. now brethren concerning the coming of our lord jesus christ and gathering together to him we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or trouble either by spirit or by word or by letter as if from us so somewhere falsely claiming in the name of paul even that christ had already turned but listen he says as though the day of christ had already come but he's telling no these things have to happen before jesus returns and he gets into this verse 3 let no one deceive you by any means for that day will not come unless the following way comes first and the man of sin is revealed the son of perdition who opposes listen to this who opposes what does antichrist mean oppose of course also a false christ as we'll see opposes and exalts himself above all that is called god or that is worshipped and he sits as god in the temple of god showing himself that he is god instead of christ in place of christ opposed to christ let's go to verse 8 then the lawless one will be revealed whom the lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness is coming this man will be around at the return of jesus christ verse 9 the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of satan with all power signs and lying wonders and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish we see he poses himself against god he shows that he he he professes to even be god sits as god in the temple of god he's called the lawless one and he performs lying signs and wonders to deceive now let's go to revelation 13. revelation 13 and verse 11. i'm going to drink the water on the right here some of you may be wondering why i always say that it's because it's fun to say that revelation 13 verse 11 this is the apostle john having a vision then i saw another beast coming up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon that is he looked like what in the bible represents christ this lamb but he spoke like the devil his message did not reflect the message of jesus christ verse 13 he performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the on the earth in the sight of men this is the same man that john was talking about the same man that paul was talking about and he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast the same man performs lying signs and wonders calls down fire from heaven and deceives terribly read from the booklet if you have never read it i would encourage you reading it it is who or what is the antichrist by dr meredith i want to read one part he says roman catholics call the pope most holy father and the vicar of christ that is in place of christ the booklet then quotes pope nicholas the first and says it is evident that the popes can neither be bound nor unbound by any earthly power since constantine the great has recognized that the pontiffs held the place of god on earth the divinity is not able to be judged by any living man whoa we are then infallible and whatever may be our acts we are not accountable to them but to ourselves we think who can ever think those thoughts yet the bible clearly states that there would be a man in the end that would say and do these things very specifically very powerful unique individual so point number one there will be a powerful future false prophet called the antichrist point number two about who the antichrist is point number two under part of the sermon number one there are many antichrists there are many antichrists when john wrote in first through you know first john through third john he was addressing many major problems or a couple major problems i should say in the church and of false teachings and false teachers that had crept into the church this idea that we didn't need to keep the commandments this idea that there that jesus christ didn't really come in the flesh and we'll look at some of this later but let's go to first john 2 and verse 18 2 and verse 18 again here's my first john 2 and verse 18 came out of my bible and you get it fixed he says little children it is the last hour and as you have heard the antichrist is coming even now many antichrists have come by which we know that it is the last hour many antichrists have come let's look at verse 19. they went out from us but they were not of us they came out away from the church of god for if they had been of us and they would have continued with us but they went out and that they might be made manifest that none of them were of us these men came out of what was originally the original church of god in in the first century began teaching these false doctrines and john said there are many antichrists let's go to matthew 24 and verse four many antichrists yeah we have the the one at the end of the the one at the end of the age and we have many antichrists matthew 24 verse 4. we have jesus own words here and these are false teachers false prophets matthew 24 and verse 4 jesus answered and said to them take heed that no one deceives you he's warning toward the end of the age especially that no one deceives you for many will come in my name saying that i am the christ and will deceive many and as we understand the the quotes around i am the christ uh generally we would remove those quotes these men these false prophets these false teachers are claiming to point to jesus christ claiming to be ministers of jesus christ but they are false ministers and false teachers many antichrists let's turn to second corinthians paul speaks of the same issue second corinthians 11. and verse 13. verse 13. how about this let's go to verse four first second corinthians 11 verse four and he who if for for if he who comes preaches another jesus whom we have not preached which was happening which does happen now which is happening in this world today or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received or a different gospel which you have not accepted you may well put up with it paul was warning the brethren be careful watch out don't be deceived by this mess verse 13 for such are false apostles deceptive workers transforming themselves into apostles of christ they look good they look righteous they sound good they may be eloquent they look holy but boy they're deceptive and no wonder verse 14 for satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness whose end will be according to their works so there are many let's turn back to first john again quickly first john 4 and verse 1. so speaking of again the the the topic the idea of the antichrist first john 4 verse 1. beloved do not believe every spirit just connecting the idea that the antichrists these many antichrists are false prophets false teachers beloved do not believe every spirit but test the spirits whether they are of god because many false prophets have gone out into the world and he goes on to talk about some more about the antichrist and we'll we'll look at a couple of those scriptures in just a bit the point is these many antichrists have been around since the first century and will continue to be around they are around right now and right now it's kind of easy to not be deceived by them but at the at that end time if it's possible they'll even deceive the elect this is about knowing and understanding the reality of the antichrist and the doctrines of the antichrist so the first part of the sermon about who is the antichrist that there will be an end time antichrist and there are many antichrists okay part number two we're going to look at the doctrine of the antichrist and again we're going to look at it in three different points so the first point is that a common aspect of the antichrist doctrine is the idea that we don't need to keep the commandments of god we don't need to keep the commandments this is a part of the same issue john was addressing in his letter this is a fundamental aspect of the doctrine of antichrist the idea that we don't need to keep the commandments we're not going to go through all the scriptures but to point out that what john was writing about again he was writing about this idea fighting the idea this false idea that was out there that we don't need to keep the commandments what did he say in first john 1 uh first john 1 he talks about verse 7 or verse 6 practicing the truth chapter 2 and verse 3 by this we know that we know him if we keep his commandments he who says i know him and does not keep his commandments as a liar and the truth is not in him chapter five he talks about what the love of god for this is the love of god verse three that we keep his commandments and the commandments are not burdensome keeping the commandments is one of the core doctrines that he was holding fast to that he was fighting for against false teachers who were teaching that it did not that those things did not need to be done false teachers and there are several other passages in first john ii john third john around this idea first john 3 talks about what is sin he defines sin talks about practicing righteousness so this is what john was talking about when he's talking about the antichrist the context when he's talking about the antichrist so someone of course we know can talk about christ point to christ false minister false teacher but teach that we don't need to keep his law we understand that let's go to matthew and verse 21 matthew 7 verse 21. here we have christ's own words christ's own words matthew 7 verse 21 not everyone who says to me lord lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of my father in heaven many will say to me in that day lord lord have we not prophesied in your name men out there preaching in the name of jesus christ prophesying in the name of jesus christ have we not cast out demons in your name and done many wonders in your name he says and then i will declare to them i never knew you depart from me you who practice lawlessness lawlessness without law and what is a primary doctrine that we see lawlessness that we don't need to keep the commandments that commandments were done away with one of the primary descriptors paul uses regarding the antichrist is lawlessness let's go to second thessalonians where paul is speaking about the antichrist 2 thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 7. speaking again about specifically he's talking about the end time antichrist but what is the doctrine what is the teaching for the mystery second thessalonians verse seven for the mystery of lawlessness is already at work he's saying it's already happening there in the first century it's continued and it is right now this idea of lawlessness not needing to keep the laws of god is already at work for he who now restrains will do so until he is taken away and verse 8 and then the lawless one will be revealed this is a primary doctrine let's turn to jude four jude chapter three just kidding there's only one chapter in jude i should have got more quick laughs than that jude verse 4. listen same issue same problem that john was dealing same problem that paul was dealing with same problem that that we have today in this world for certain men have crept in unnoticed who long ago were marked out for this condemnation ungodly men who turned the grace of our god into lewdness or a license to disobey the grace of god turned into a license to disobey and deny the only god and our lord jesus christ false teachers teaching that the commandments are done away that the commandments don't need to be kept that we can't keep the commandments as we'll see read from i'll read from again from the booklet who or what is the antichrist dr meredith writes when men cleverly misuse grace teaching cheap grace without real repentance from sin it is the very essence of the doctrine of the antichrist this false concept will has allowed millions of professing christians to go through life regularly and habitually disobeying the ten commandments this false doctrine that began here in the first century that's so prevalent today has allowed millions to go through life regularly and habitually disobeying the ten commandments yet still assuming they are good christians the idea that the commandments were done away with he writes is the very heart of the doctrine of the antichrist so point number one of the doctrine of the antichrist is that we don't need to keep the commandments point number two is that christ did not come in the flesh christ did not truly come in the flesh let's go to first john 4 again first john 4. and we'll start in verse 1 again first john 4 and verse 1. do not believe every spirit but test the spirits whether they are of god because many false prophets have gone out into the world but this you know this by this you know the spirit of god every spirit that confesses that jesus christ has come in the flesh is of god and every spirit that does not confess that jesus christ has come in the flesh is not of god and this is the spirit of the antichrist which you have heard was coming and is now already in the world john was dealing with what we now might label in in the first century here john again the the told we've already talked about some of the problems he was working with these false teachers these false doctrines about the about not needing to keep the commandments about this idea that jesus christ did not really come in the flesh and one of the ideas that he was dealing with or the the groups was what we might call uh proto-nostal protognostics basically the the it was a little before gnosticism this idea that christ and docetism is another you know group basically and this idea that that jesus really wasn't human he looked human he looked like he was human but that he really wasn't that he was really spirit because everything flesh and and physical was evil and so forth now we don't see that idea so much as a problem in the churches today but we do see a false teaching in the church today first i want to go to first john this idea that jesus christ did not really come in the flesh first john 1 that's what he's fighting here this idea that christ didn't really come in the flesh first john 1 verse 1 that which from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes he's saying i know i was there i was there when he walked the earth which we have looked upon and our hands have handled concerning the word of life jesus christ was in the flesh the word became flesh and dwelt among us yet it is not what the churches teach today exactly that they do teach that he was fully human and fully god very very common idea among catholics and protestants he was fully human and fully god or god man they teach it was not possible for him to sin that is a false doctrine that it was not possible for him to sin the booklet dr meredith writes a vital key to understand the teaching of the antichrist is to recognize that this false prophet or this false doctrine does not admit the full humanity of jesus christ it does not admit that christ truly has come in the flesh so that people will not even try to keep the commandments satan uses the doctrine of the antichrist to promote the idea that mankind is unable to keep them it's a lie and it's false and it's deceptive he continues the teachings of the roman catholic church and most protestant churches in effect minimize christ's humanity implying in various ways that he was not fully in the flesh their theology leads to the conclusion that he was not really subject to the polls of the flesh in the same way we are and was thus not really tempted as we are now they try to reason around that but it's still a reality indeed even that he was not capable of sin the article or the booklet continues in their understanding christ was not really setting us an example while fully in the human flesh an example of overcoming and obeying the commandments of god he writes satan wants us to believe that we cannot keep the commandments of god and that jesus christ could not have sinned and broken them let's go to hebrews 5 and verse 7. hebrews 5 and verse 7 we know that he was tempted in all points like as we are hebrews 5 and verse 7. who in the days of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death he knew he had to overcome he had to fight against his human nature he was fully human he overcame which shows that we can overcome and keep the laws of god of course with god's spirit with god's help of course we will fall but the idea of the doctrine of the antichrist that he did not really come in the flesh didn't really overcome because he couldn't have sinned is a lie of the antichrist doctrine point three christ is not coming in the flesh or christ not coming present tense in the flesh let's go to second john 1. ii john chapter 5 verse no i'm just kidding again there's only one chapter ii john verse 7 he writes for many deceivers have gone into the world who do not confess jesus christ listen who do not confess jesus christ as coming in the flesh this is a deceiver and an antichrist expositors bible dictionary says curiously the tense is changed from past tense that is has come in the flesh to present tense the present participle as coming in the flesh as highly greek uh trained greek scholars acknowledge john is saying something beyond his statement in first john 4 saying something beyond that john not only says that christ has come fully in the human flesh but god inspired john in this later passage to reveal that christ is now coming in the flesh how how is that the case he lives his life in us you can write down john 14 verse 23 that jesus christ and god the father through the holy spirit come and live their life in us let's go to galatians 2. galatians 2. we all know this scripture jesus christ living the same obedient overcoming life in us galatians 2 and verse 20. for i have been crucified with christ it's no longer i who live but christ lives in me and the life i now live in the flesh i live by the faith of the son of god that is christ living in us who loved me and gave himself for me so the third point of the false doctrine of the antichrist is christ not coming in the flesh now that is living in us now so that we can live a life of obedience so that we can live a life of overcoming and obeying god's law so we've seen there will be a powerful religious figure at the end of the age before the return of christ who is called the antichrist we've also seen that even during john's time and now there are many antichrists that is many false teachers many false prophets claiming to be of jesus christ but false and liars and they don't teach what jesus christ and the apostles taught we've reviewed three aspects of the doctrine of the antichrist the teaching that god's law is done away or that we don't need to keep god's law the idea that jesus christ was not fully human and the idea that jesus christ does not or cannot live in us that same obedient life now and overcome that we can overcome through him living in us so what does it mean for us let's go to second thessalonians what does it mean for us how can we avoid deception first we have to know the truth and understand the truth and believe the truth and second thessalonians 2 verse 10 it says in with all unrighteous deception talking about the antichrist at the end of the age that if possible even the elect will be deceived that is us with all unrighteous deception among those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth loving and obeying the truth understanding how to identify false lying teachers and the understanding the general doctrines and the teachings these false teachings the reality is that jesus christ fully emptied himself emptied himself and became fully human and did overcome and did not sin and that he can live and needs to live that same life in us now it is by god's spirit in us that we can repent and grow and overcome while we're not perfect in this life we can ask for forgiveness and claim the sacrifice of jesus christ and be made clean by his blood and that by surrendering to god in his and his spirit and obeying his commandments and loving the truth we can avoid deception and be in god's kingdom [Music] you

Channel: Living Church of God

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Length: 37min 59sec (2279 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 04 2020