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"THE ANTI-CHRIST SPIRIT AS A SIGN OF THE LAST DAYS PART
6 A, B, C
May we begin by reemphasizing the fact that "END OF 77ME" or
"End time" though you may find these expressions in certain
translations of the Bible do not mean that time as a unit of measurement is
coming to an end, rather the period (time) given to man to rule himself, outside
of the Spirit of God is coming to an end. The truth is time ends for man when he
ceases to function in relation to that which is the concept of man. Let us
understand that ETERNITY begins with the new birth in Christ, for what we have
received is ETERNAL LIFE, as we come to the Lord. The word says '`And this is
LIFE ETERNAL, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom
thou has sent "Jn 17:3 (see vs 21, 25). Therefore in relation to what we
are discussing "Last time," "Last days" etc which is
actually speaking of the same thing, The Living Bible in lJn.2:18 which in the
King James reads "Last time" says "Dear Children, this World's
last hour has come". Now the last time or hour of Man's religious and human
Orientation came to an end because of the new order introduced by the
incarnation of the Son of God and the Sacrificed that followed. Talking about
the Sacrifice and the priesthood ministry of Jesus the word says, "And He
does not have to offer Himself again and again, like the high priest going into
the Sanctuary year after year with the blood that is not His own; or else He
would have had to suffer over and over again since the world began. Instead of
that He has made His appearance once and for all: now at the end of the last
age, to do away with sin by the sacrificing of Himself. "Heb.9:25-26 JB.
See Heb.7:27. This "end of the last age" or "end of the
world" is talking of the end of human history, that is man's effort to save
himself from the realm of death in Adam through animal sacrifices and other
religious concepts. Paul, writing on this work through the abundance of the
revelations given to him, said "How we praise God, the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ... who long age, ever before He made the world, God choose us to be
His very own, through what Christ would do for us...." Eph.1:3-4 TLB And
".... I (Paul) have been sent to bring faith to those God has chosen and to
teach them to know God's truth - the kind of truth that changes lives - so that
they can have eternal life which God promised them before the world began Tit.
1:2 TLB. See also 2Tim 1:9. This talks of the grace given to us before the world
began. But in the Jerusalem Bible it said "...before the beginning of
time". Firstly, notice from the above readings that the world has a
beginning, and that beginning is also the very beginning of time. Now what is
ending, is that same world or time that began somewhere along the line in God's
creative process, which is actually man's concept independent of God. This
resulted from the fall (Gen.2: 7; 39 1-19, Mn.2:15-17). This is man living in
and through the soul realm instead of the Spirit ruling. So what is the basis of
the Christian moral life today? "You see, God's grace has been revealed and
it has made salvation possible for the whole human race. And taught us that what
we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our
worldly ambitions. We must be self restrained and live good and religious lives
here in this present world" Tit.2:11-12 JB. WHAT
ARE THE EVIDENCES OF THE SIGNS FROM THE SCRIPTURES?
We will be more on course with the mind of God if we discover the signs
of the last days from the scriptures instead of considering what man is
projecting as the last day's signs. In Jq.2:18 we read "Dear children, this
world's last hour has come. You have heard about the Antichrist who is coming -
the one who is against Christ - and already many such persons have appeared.
THIS MAKES US ALL THE MORE CERTAIN THAT THE END OF THE WORLD IS NEAR" TLB.
Looking at the above scripture, we can see that one of the major signs of the
last time is the antichrist spirit. Please observe that this antichrist spirit
is not a single individual but a corporate body of rebels. (Request for our
outline on "who is the Antichrist'). Now this antichrist spirit is the
spirit of rebellion and in the days of the apostles, when John wrote this letter
in API 95-96 we nrp told that the spirit was already at work in the church Again
let us note it that this Antichrist is not to be found in the world out there
but within the community of believers, the Church. When Paul was warning the
Thessalonians Church about those who were saying that the day of the Lord has
begun and yet it has not; he also spoke on this rebellion in his words
"Please don't be upset and excited dear, dear brothers, by the rumor that
this day of the Lord has already begun (meaning that it will cover a period of
time). If you hear of people having visions and special messages from God about
this, or letters that are supposed to have come from me, don't believe them.
Don't be carried away and deceived regardless of what they say. For that day
will not come until two things happen. First there will be a time of great
rebellion against God, (the antichrist spirit) and then the man of rebellion
will come - the son of hell" 2Thes.2:2-3 TLB. Now understand that Paul
wrote this letter in AD50-51 some twenty years before the fall of
Now, talking of "the sons of perdition" it is nothing to be
afraid of. Why? The word is clear that they are those destined for destruction,
for that is what perdition means. Why should Christians, born of the spirit of
God be afraid of a man that has been doomed to hell? It is like Jesus being
afraid of Judas. For the Scripture says he was the son of perdition. Hear Jesus
in His prayer to the Father "while 1 was with them in the world, I kept
them in thy name: those that thou givest me I have kept them and none of them is
lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled"
Jn.17:12 (see Ps.41:9). Again He said, "...Did I not choose you the twelve?
And (even) of you one is a devil - of the devil one and a false accuser. He was
speaking of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for, he was about to betray Him,
(although) one of the twelve." Jn.6:70-71 AMP. By implication Judas left
the faith and stood against it - Anti - Christ. So all those who forsake the
truth and work against the body of Christ are simply the body and manifestation
of the `dreaded' antichrist. And since they still carry on with the name of
Christ for haven stayed with Him, they are therefore the false Christ and false
prophets (Math.24:5) that manifested in the days of the apostles. (Please see
our study on the signs of Christ coming). In
verse 19 of IJn.2, we read "These `against Christ' people (showing they are
marry) used to be members of our Churches, but they never really belonged with
us or else they would have stayed. When they left us it proved that they were
not of us at all" Meaning that these people are deserters. Therefore
deserting the people of Christ is one of the major signs of the Last days.
Evidently then, these deserters, sons of perdition were never truly born again
by the spirit of the Father. Why? Because in the words of Jesus "all that
the Father gives to me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast
out ... and I will give them eternal life, and they shall never perish
(perdition), and no one shall snatch them out of my hand" Jn.6:37, 10:28.
RSV. Therefore the word of God says "God's solid foundation (truth) still
stands, however, with this double inscription. "The Lord knows those who
belong to Him, and let every true Christian have no dealings with evil..."
2Tim.2:19-20 Philips. WHAT
ARE SOME OF THE CAUSES OF THIS ANTI-CHRIST DESERTER-SPIRIT Lack of complete washing by the word. In Jn.13, we are told Jesus washed the disciples' feet except that of Judas who already had the devil in his heart (v.2). In Vs.6-9, when Peter was refusing Jesus to wash his feet, Jesus said "...unless I wash you, you have no part with (in) me - no share in companionship with me.." AMP. Peter then demanded all of him from head to toe be washed (v.9). Again Jesus said "one who has bathed allover needs only to have his feet washed to be entirely clean. Now you are clean - but that isn't true of everyone here for Jesus knew who will betray Him. That is what He meant, when He said, "Not all of you are clean" Vs. 10-11 TLB. So here we found that Judas was not washed and so he had no part in the fellowship of Christ and ultimately he was the son of perdition. Even so the spirit declares today that we should be washed with the word of God. "Sanctify them - purify, consecrate, separate them for yourself, make them holy - by the Truth. YOUR WORD IS TRUTH" Jn.17:17 AMP. "Make them pure and holy through teaching them your words of truth" TLB. Again we read "...Christ so loved the Church and gave Himself up for her. So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word" Eph.5:25-26 AMP. So here is the point, men will continue to go into perdition, manifesting the Antichrist spirit, separating themselves as long as the word of God is not richly dwelling and rooted in them in all wisdom. Col.3:16. SOME
FEATURES OF THE ANTICHRIST SPIRIT AS SIGNS OF THE LAST TIME
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come"
2Tim.3:1 KJV. "Little children, it is the last time..." 1Jn.2:18 KJV.
I am sure that we are still conscious of the fact that when we are
talking of `latter days' or `latter times' we are speaking in relation to
specific prophecies as it relates to the events so prophesied that must have a
fulfillment. We can clearly see this in the words of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzer
when he interpreted the dreams of the King about a great image. In verse 28 of
Daniel Chapter 2, we read "...But there is a God in heaven that revealeth
secrets, and maketh known to the king... what shall be IN THE LATTER DAYS".
In consideration of the interpretation from verses 31-45, we are told that in
the days of these kings (kingdoms of
When we come to the `latter days' which the apostles spoke about,
(2Tim.3:1, AD 65-68, I Jn.2:18 AD
95-•>6), we are no longer dealing with what Daniel said to the king, rather
the spirit of apostasy that will be operational within that New Kingdom order
which became very pronounced after the death of the apostles. Paul himself
warned about this when he said, "...For I know this, that after my
departure, shall grievous wolves enter (into the Ephesian Church) in among you,
not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking
perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and
remember that by the space of three years, I ceased not to warn everyone night
and day with tears" Acts .20:29-31 KJV. So characteristically, these are
the signs of the last days of the vibrant early Church as they abide in the
Doctrines of Christ. THE
ANTICHRIST SPIRIT, A PROPHECY FULFILLED?
While Jesus was still with the apostles, he told them of the antichrist -
false prophets - spirit which was recorded by Mathew in AD 61, some 30 years
after His ascension in His words "...Take heed that no man deceive you, For
many shall come in my name, (in the latter days of the Church) saying, I am
Christ; and shall deceive many... And many false prophets shall rise, and shall
deceive many... for there shall arise false Christ, and false prophets, and
shall show great signs and wonders; in so much that, if it were possible, they
shall deceive the very elect" Math.24:5, 11, 24. Typical example of these
false prophets in the days of even Paul were Hymenaus, Alexander and Philetus
who did not only make shipwreck of their faith but also overthrew the faith of
many, for teaching about resurrection which they do not have enough insight
about, supposing that perhaps the Church Ceremony of water Baptism by immersion
(Rom.6:4-5) is the end of resurrection. 1Tim.1:19-20, 2Tim.2:16-18. Yet Paul
with all the revelation given to him desired to know the Lord and the power of
His resurrection, in order that he might attain unto the resurrection of the
dead (out from among the dead) Phil.3:10-11. It is therefore progressive. Many
of such teachers abounded in the days of the apostles (2Pet.2:1). Therefore in
the words of the last of the twelve apostles of Jesus in His earthly ministry,
John the beloved said "little children, it is the last time, and as ye have
heard (a reminder of what has been predicted) that the antichrist shall come
even now are there many antichrists WHEREBY WE KNOW THAT IT IS THE LAST
TIME" 1Jn.2:18. So here we can see that, the manifestation of the
antichrist spirit was and is a sign of the last days. LACK
OF LOVE, A MAJOR FEATURE OF THE ANTICHRIST SPIRIT
The verse 19 of 1Jn.2 says "Those rivals of Christ came out of our
own number, but they had never really belonged, if they had belonged, they would
have stayed with us: but they left us to prove that not one of them ever
belonged to us." JB. One of the major features of the true body of Christ,
the Church, is the spirit of oneness (Jn.17:21) as expressed in true fellowship
of love Hn.1:3. Where this is lacking, the antichrist spirit will be at work.
Those who left the Church as indicated above are those who seemed
(pretentiously, if I may use that word) to belong to the community, but they
lacked the spirit of Christ. And the spirit says "...But if any one does
not possess the (Holy) Spirit of Christ, he is none of His - he does not belong
to Christ (is not truly a Child of God) ...For all who are led by the spirit of
God are sons of God" Rom.8:9, 14 AMP. Now this spirit of Christ does not
recognise division and breaking away. It is the spirit that seeks for unity and
the edification of the body of Christ. So when the scriptures say "be ye
not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with
darkness..." 2Cor.6:14-18 KJV. Primarily, it is not talking of those
outside the Church, but those who are receiving the grace of God in vain and
defiled by the root of bitterness. 2Cor.6:1. See Heb.12:15. Do not forget that
these are the signs that will be manifested in the Church, and not outside, at
the last days. So I will reverently draw your attention to the Church more in
seeking for the signs of the last days if you will. WHAT
LEADS TO THE ANTICHRIST SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH? 1.
As earlier stated in part 6A of this study, the first cause of the
Antichrist spirit is lack of complete washing by the word. When the word of God
is not dwelling richly in men, they will continue to manifest the Antichrist
spirit. 2.
Lust: Which is the craze to be rich - is another major factor that leads
to a falling away from faith. "...We should- 6e well satisfied without
money if we have enough food and clothing. But people; who long to be rich soon
begin to do all kinds of wrong things to get money, things that hurt them and
make them evil-minded and finally send them to hell itself. For the love of
money is the first step toward all kinds of sins. Some people have even turned
away from God because of their love for it and as a result have pierced
themselves with many sorrows" ITim.6:8-10 TLB. Again we found that Judas
Iscariot manifested this spirit of lust, when Mary anointed Jesus with a very
costly ointment. Judas said "Why was not this ointment sold for three
hundred pence and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the
poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag and bare what was put
therein". Jn.12:3-6. It was this same love of money that drove him to sell
Jesus for thirty pieces of Silver (att.26:14-15) thinking that perhaps Jesus
will vanish from their sight before he would be arrested and so he will make his
money quietly, but he was disappointed. All this, he did to fulfill the ministry
of "the Son of perdition" for he was not washed. Therefore he had no
part, no communion with the body of Christ then. 3.
LIVING ON NATURAL INSTINCTS INSTEAD OF THE SPIRIT Jude
who wrote in AD 66, calling attention to the signs of the last days also said
"But dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ
foretold. They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who
will follow their own ungodly desires. These are the men WHO DIVIDE YOU. Who
follow mere natural instincts and do not have the spirit" Jude] 7-19. NIV.
The CEV translation puts it this way "...They (apostles) told you that near
the end of time, selfish and godless people would start making fun of God. And
now these people are already making you turn against each other, they think only
about this life, and they don't have God's spirit." In other words, they
act irrationally, they can't wait on the Lord to get directives, they act like
animals instead. These division creators actually lack the Spirit of God - this
is a union with God that manifests itself in a person's faith as demonstrated by
His love towards the brethren. People of God, can you see what the spirit is
saying to us here? Are these sayings the same the Church world is projecting?
Can we tee all these apostles talking of signs outside the Church, such as the
fall of the moon and stars? Once again, the signs given to us are mostly in (he
Church. Please study your Bible closely. FALSE
TEACHERS AND TEACHINGS AS SIGNS OF THE LAST DAYS
"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come"
2Tim.3:1 KJV.
"The Spirit has explicitly said that during the last times there
will be some who will desert the faith and choose to listen to deceitful spirits
and doctrines that come from the devils" 1Tim.4:1 JB. As we meditate on our
subject - Last days and the sign thereof, we will like to give consideration to
the testimony of some other apostles of Jesus of the warnings handed down to the
early church and even now as to what the days will look like. We will thereafter
take a closer look at the above two passages as recorded by the apostle Paul
after the resurrection of Christ. FALSE
TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS 2 PET. 3:1+
There used to be false prophets among God's people (i.e. in the Old
Covenant era see D1. 13:2-6, 18:22 for the test of false prophets) just as you
will have some false teachers in your group (Peter wrote this letter in AD
62-64). They_ will secretly teach things that are wrong -teachings that will
cause people to be lost. They will even refuse to accept the Master, Jesus who
bought their freedom. So they will bring quick ruin on themselves. Many will
follow their evil ways and say evil things about the way of truth. Those false
teachers only want your money. So they will use you by teaching you lies. Their
judgement, spoken against them long ago is still coming, and their ruin is
certain. ....These false teachers are bold and do anything they want ..."
2.Pet.3:1-3, 10 NCV. In consideration of the above passage of Scripture, there
is much to be desired. Firstly, let us understand that Peter wrote this when he
was getting ready to depart (2Pet.1:13-14) and so it was a warning to the
Church, he was leaving behind. THE
NATURE OF THE FALSE TEACHERS 1.
Let us be reminded that Christ has earlier on while with the apostles,
warned about these false Christs and prophets. "For there shall arise false
Christs, and false prophets, and shall stew great signs and wonders: insomuch
that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" Matt.24:24
(written in AD 61. See our study on the signs of Christ Coming). So we can see
that Peter was putting the Church in remembrance of those things that the Lord
tad spoken about as touching what the Church will look like later after the
departure of the apostles. Since they were the living truth of the doctrines of
Christ, it was not possible for these false teachers to fully manifest, till
they have all gone. Compare 1Jn.2:18-19. 2.
FALSE TEACHINGS: In part 6B of
this study, we did mention cases of these false teachers like Hymenaeus and
Philetus, who Paul warned Timothy against. "...Know what His (God) word
says and means. Steer clear of foolish discussion which lead people into the sin
of anger with each otter. Things will be said that will burn and hurt for a long
time to come. Hymenaeus and Philetus in their love of argument, are men like
that. They have left the path of truth, preaching the lie that the resurrection
of the dead has already occurred (i.e. past) and they have weakened the faith of
some who believed them" 2Tim.2:15-18 TLB. To teach that the resurrection is
past, is false and will turn the faith of many in that men will stagnate. For
resurrection is an onward reawakening of all of man's being - Spirit, Soul and
Body - 1Thes.1:23, that was dead in Adam through Sin (Eph. 2:1-2). The Bible
says "...that which is born of the Spirit (Holy Spirit) is (our)
spirit" Jn.3:6. In otter words, the aspect of us which is given,birth to
firstly by the Holy Spirit is our human spirit, because the spirit of man is the
candle of the Lord..." (Prov.20:27), which was put out as a result of sin
through Adam. Therefore the Holy Ghost has to lighten it again, which .is the
beginning of the New birth in Christ. See 2.Tim.4:22. Then again the word talks
of the "Receiving the end of your faith, even the SALVATION OF YOUR
SOULS,... truth..:" I Pet. 1:8-9,22. Now do not forget that your sold is
made up of your will, emotions, mind and intellect. Yet all these aspect of you
have to be made to function in line with the Spirit. If these areas of your
life"can not be fully redeemed, then you are a carnal for the adoption to
wit the redemption of our body" Rom.8:23. See also verse 11 and Phil.3:21.
So you see, resurrection, which is a recovery of spiritual and moral truth, is a
progressive experience for the total man. (Please request for our study on
"Our resurrection hope is not rapture). Let me also warn that to teach and
preach that the resurrection is a future day experience that mankind will come
out of the cemetery, is also a lie. For in the words of Jesus to the Sadduces
who did not believe in resurrection, who came to tempt Jesus as to whose wife
will a woman who married seven brother be, and they all died at the
resurrection. In His reply Jesus said "...as touching the dead, that they
rise, have ye not read the book of Moses, how in the bush G rod speae unto him,
saying, I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God.of Jacob? He is
not the God of the dead but the God of the living; YE THEREFORE DO GREATLY
ERR" Mk. 12:18-27. In other words, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are alive in
the Spirit, they are not dead. In Math. 17:]+, are we not told Moses and Elijah
appeared and talked with Jesus and were seen by the apostles? Was Lazarus not
taken to the bosom of Abraham immediately after death? Lk.16:19+. There was no
waiting ground brother. As you drop the flesh, you move on, into another realm
of life in the Spirit. So do not turn the faith of people by your teachings, for
false teaching is a sign of the last days. 3.
THEY WILL REFUSE THE MASTER WHO BOUGHT THEIR FREEDOM. The
Bible says we are "Being justified freely by His grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation
through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of
sins that are past, through the forbearance of God" Rom. 3:24-25. In other
words we who believe are justified from our past sins in Adam by the sacrifice
of Christ. So how would these false teachers deny Christ? Again we read
"...I have been forced to write to you now and appeal to you to fight hard
for the faith which has been once and for all entrusted to the saints. Certain
people have infiltrated among you (Jude wrote in AD 66, arid then these false
teachers have already started operating) and they are the ones you had a warning
about, in writing, long ago, when they were condemned for denying all religion,
turning the Grace of God into immorality, and rejecting our only Master and
Lord, Jesus Christ" Jude 3-4 JB. Peter said "My brothers and Sisters,
God called you to be free, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do what
pleases your sinful self..." I Pet.2:16, NCV. Please see Gal.5:13, lJn.4:1,
2Jn.10. So one of the major characteristics of the false teachers is the spirit
of permissiveness, license to do all things and act in all manner in the name of
freedom of the spirit, teaching that God seeth only the heart and not your
outward appearance or even cares about your language, whether vulgar or not. So
expressly speaking, the abuse of the liberty in Christ is denying the Lord. You
deny Him because another spirit is now your Lord, ruling over you. Let us not
forget that what is in the heart is what comes out on the outside. Mk.7:20-23.
Again you deny Him by teaching that Salvation is through the keeping of the
Jewish laws. 4.
THEY ONLY WANT YOUR MONEY These
set of teachers are not bothered about the spiritual welfare of the flock. They
are best described as `hirelings' in the words of Jesus who fleeth when they see
the wolf coming. "The hireling fleeth because he is an hireling and careth
not for the sheep" Jn.10:12-13. Unlike the true Shepherd who is interested
in the well being of the Sheep. The hireling is only interested in what he can
get from the sheep. Paul warning Titus about these sets of people said "For
there are many who refuse to obey; this is especially true among those who say
that all Christians must obey the Jewish laws. But this is foolish talk; it
blinds people to the truth and it must be stopped. Already whole families have
been turned away from the grace of God. Such teachers are only after your money.
One of their own men, a prophet from To
be continued OGAGA O. DAVID |
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