Are you an antichrist?

[luigi]

As John in 1 John 2:18, describes how in his day there were already many antichrists; how then do we know today who is an antichrist? While scripture tells us that an antichrist is one who denies the Father and the Son (1 John 2:21);-- many individuals presume this to mean atheists being antichrists. In a basic superficial form, however, this interpretation is not what denying the Father and Son means.

As God is Love (1 John 4:8 & 16); and those who love others as they do themselves are known by God (1 John 4:7); individuals who therefore believe in loving others, are acknowledging God and are not denying Him. Individuals on the other hand who do not believe in loving others as they do themselves, but instead hate their neighbor, are anti-believers in love, and therefore are deniers of God and His Son Jesus. and are antichrists. The more fully accurate term for an antichrist is therefore a hate monger of other people/s.

 1 John 2:18 Little 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.

1 John 2:21 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

1 John 4:8  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

Edited Tuesday at 03:30 PM by luigi

[TheBlade]

 "anyone who denies or opposes Jesus Christ, often interpreted as a false messiah or a power working against Christ". 

As He said to me once when I asked about this man yelling at all the people going into this movie "Lord is he of you?" He came right back said "if he is not against me he is for me". Its not something the lord would do but the fact he was not against Christ. Point is not a good example haha.. there is no middle ground. Now He did say if you were blind you would have no sin you say you see your sin remains. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. They cannot plead ignorance

Psa The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork

[luigi]

18 hours ago, TheBlade said:

 "anyone who denies or opposes Jesus Christ, often interpreted as a false messiah or a power working against Christ". 

As He said to me once when I asked about this man yelling at all the people going into this movie "Lord is he of you?" He came right back said "if he is not against me he is for me". Its not something the lord would do but the fact he was not against Christ. Point is not a good example haha.. there is no middle ground. Now He did say if you were blind you would have no sin you say you see your sin remains. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. They cannot plead ignorance

Psa The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork

Good day TheBlade,

Jesus also said you will know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:16 & 20). If some individual loves their neighbor, the fruit of that individual is of God and His Christ. On the other hand, if some individual hates their neighbor, the fruit of that individual is not of God and His Christ; and is anti love/God, which is anti Christ.

In my opening post, I pointed out 1 John 2 through 4, which identify those who are of Christ, and those who are not of Christ.

Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

[Orion]

Good afternoon.

I agree that the children of God will love.  But It's good to keep in mind who the children of God are, and to whom it is that John is writing: those that are born again in Christ. 

Now, antichrists can be atheists, but antichrists can also be religious zealots, and atheists and religious zealots can have, and can show that they have, tremendous love for others. 

Furthermore, antichrists can be anyone that says they know God, but they themselves are not known by God because they are not children of God; they reject the only begotten Son of God Messiah Yeshua. These can be zealously religious Muslims, and Jews, and Hindus, et al.  And even though the religiously zealous love others with tremendous love, that love alone does not qualify them as children of God.  They must be born again. And if they are not born again children of God, they are condemned.  They must be born again in Christ. 

It is a fundamental truth that only those that are born again of the Spirit are in Christ and children of God. (Romans 8:11, 14).  And the standard by which God see us as His children is not just in loving our neighbor as ourselves; it is in loving God, and loving others, and loving even our enemies, blessing them that curse us, doing good to them that hate us, and praying for them that despitefully use and persecute us. (Matthew 5:44).  This sort of love (agapé) is God's perfect standard. (Matthew 5:48).  I ask rhetorically: can any of us claim that we always live and love with agapé, and that God's perfect standard of love is always reflected in us? 

However, because we are born again in Christ, we thank God for His sacrifice on our behalf, for His atonement, for Him reconciling me to Himself and for imputing my imperfections and  sins to Himself, and imputing His perfect righteousness to me.

No doubt, even though we are born again in Christ,  we will fall short of His perfect standard of agapé, but because we have received Him and been born again from Above, we have been received by the Father as a son to the Him. (Romans 8:14;. 2 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 4:5; Hebrews 12:6,7; 1 John 3:1, 2).

Yeshua said, "he that receiveth me receiveth Him that sent me." (Matthew 10:40; Luke 9:48).  This is an exclusive statement of the Lord.  And speaking to the Pharisees that rejected Him, after stating that those that walk in darkness do not follow Him, Yeshua said "Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have know my Father also." (John 8:19; see, also, John 14:7, and 14:9 "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father").

So, John is echoing the teachings of Jesus as it relates to loving others, but he is writing to believers born again in Christ.  Anyone who is not born again, is an antichrist because they have not received the Lord. 

1 John 2:

22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denieth the Father and the Son.

23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father; he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

24 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.

[luigi]

4 hours ago, Orion said:

Good afternoon.

I agree that the children of God will love.  But It's good to keep in mind who the children of God are, and to whom it is that John is writing: those that are born again in Christ. 

Now, antichrists can be atheists, but antichrists can also be religious zealots, and atheists and religious zealots can have, and can show that they have, tremendous love for others. 

 

 

Good afternoon Orion,

I agree that antichrists can feign faith as being religious zealots, as scriptures testifies to this in Matthew 7:22-23, where when the Lord returns and separates the sheep from the goats, will tell the goats who have performed many supposedly good zealous religious acts, and confessed His name; to depart from Him, where He (love), never knew them. This is the same as saying that they never knew love for others. As such, if antichrists had tremendous love for others;--then they would know God (who is love), and God (who is love) would know them. Antichrists are by definition anti love (God) for others, and are hate mongers of their neighbor.

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? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

[Orion]

17 hours ago, luigi said:

Good afternoon Orion,

I agree that antichrists can feign faith as being religious zealots, as scriptures testifies to this in Matthew 7:22-23, where when the Lord returns and separates the sheep from the goats, will tell the goats who have performed many supposedly good zealous religious acts, and confessed His name; to depart from Him, where He (love), never knew them. This is the same as saying that they never knew love for others. As such, if antichrists had tremendous love for others;--then they would know God (who is love), and God (who is love) would know them. Antichrists are by definition anti love (God) for others, and are hate mongers of their neighbor.

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? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

I agree that there are many that feign faith in God, but not all who reject God (atheists) feign love for others. Steve Jobs was an atheist, but I believe Steve Jobs truly loved his wife and others.  Are you suggesting that atheists who truly love others, but reject God, are saved?  Or are you suggesting that atheists, i.e., those who outright reject God, cannot truly love others? 

Edited Thursday at 04:38 PM by Orion

[luigi]

19 hours ago, Orion said:

I agree that there are many that feign faith in God, but not all who reject God (atheists) feign love for others. Steve Jobs was an atheist, but I believe Steve Jobs truly loved his wife and others.  Are you suggesting that atheists who truly love others, but reject God, are saved?  Or are you suggesting that atheists, i.e., those who outright reject God, cannot truly love others? 

Again, I agree with you, as does scriptures. When the Lord returns in His Glory with all the holy angels (Matthew 25:31), and He  separates the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:32-33); there will then be many among the sheep who will have thought themselves to having been atheists, but who through their acts of love for their neighbor (Matthew 25:35-40), the Lord will say to them "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:". These individuals who thought they did not know God and His Christ, in fact believed in God and His Christ through their faith in loving their neighbor.

On the other hand (the Lords left hand in Matthew 25:33), among the goats whose acts will not have believed in loving their neighbor (Matthew 25:42-45), the Lord will say: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (Matthew 25:41), who shall then go away into everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46). Among these goats on the Lords left hand, shall be those in Matthew 7:22-23, who will have thought themselves having professed the Lords name, and done numerous acts of God/love for others;--but to whom the Lords response to never having known them, indicates their never having loved their neighbor.

Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Matthew 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

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? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

[Orion]

4 hours ago, luigi said:

Again, I agree with you, as does scriptures. When the Lord returns in His Glory with all the holy angels (Matthew 25:31), and He  separates the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:32-33); there will then be many among the sheep who will have thought themselves to having been atheists, but who through their acts of love for their neighbor (Matthew 25:35-40), the Lord will say to them "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:". These individuals who thought they did not know God and His Christ, in fact believed in God and His Christ through their faith in loving their neighbor.

On the other hand (the Lords left hand in Matthew 25:33), among the goats whose acts will not have believed in loving their neighbor (Matthew 25:42-45), the Lord will say: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (Matthew 25:41), who shall then go away into everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46). Among these goats on the Lords left hand, shall be those in Matthew 7:22-23, who will have thought themselves having professed the Lords name, and done numerous acts of God/love for others;--but to whom the Lords response to never having known them, indicates their never having loved their neighbor.

Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Matthew 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

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? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

I understand what you are arguing, but your argument does not line up with scripture.

If a person does not confess that Yeshua Messiah has come in the flesh, that person has the spirit of antichrist. (1 John 4:2).  Nowhere does the scripture say or intimate that all a person has to do to be saved is to love others. A person must be born again and receive Yeshua as Savior. "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (1 John 5:12).

As I've argued previously, many people love others but reject Yeshua. In fact, many people that love others, only truly love others of the same belief system.  You must be born again, otherwise you are antichrist. (1 John 5:12).

[luigi]

4 hours ago, Orion said:

I understand what you are arguing, but your argument does not line up with scripture.

If a person does not confess that Yeshua Messiah has come in the flesh, that person has the spirit of antichrist. (1 John 4:2).  Nowhere does the scripture say or intimate that all a person has to do to be saved is to love others. A person must be born again and receive Yeshua as Savior. "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (1 John 5:12).

As I've argued previously, many people love others but reject Yeshua. In fact, many people that love others, only truly love others of the same belief system.  You must be born again, otherwise you are antichrist. (1 John 5:12).

Actually, the scripture I was referencing in Matthew 7:21, clearly states that those who do the will of God/love are they who will inherit the kingdom of heaven, while the two following scriptures in Matthew 7:22-23 clearly points out that many who will have confessed the name of the Lord, but did not believe in loving their neighbor, Christ will say to them that He never knew them. This latter group are they with the spirit of the Antichrist.

They in 1 John 4:2 who confess the Lord Jesus having come in the flesh are Spirits from God, while they who confess not the Lord having come in the flesh, are Spirits from devils. This has nothing to do whether someone merely states Christ having come in the flesh; --as we can see in Matthew 7:22, many who will have stated this, will not inherit the kingdom of heaven according to Matthew 7:23.

 Matthew 7:21 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. 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? 23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And 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.

[Orion]

1 hour ago, luigi said:

Actually, the scripture I was referencing in Matthew 7:21, clearly states that those who do the will of God/love are they who will inherit the kingdom of heaven, while the two following scriptures in Matthew 7:22-23 clearly points out that many who will have confessed the name of the Lord, but did not believe in loving their neighbor, Christ will say to them that He never knew them. This latter group are they with the spirit of the Antichrist.

The will of God is much more than loving others.

The will of God is to believe in the Lord Yeshua (John 6:40); the will of God is to be sanctified, abstaining from sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3); the will of God is to give thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18); the will of God is to not be conformed to the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2); the will of God is that we be wise and redeem the time (Ephesians 5:15-17); the will of God is to serve others from the heart, with pure motives, as though we are serving Yeshua (Ephesians 6:5-8); and, the will of God is to submit to doing right by the governing authorities (1 Peter 2:13-16).

Now, if someone does not believe in the Lord Yeshua, is living a sexually immoral life, is not giving thanks in all things, is conformed to the ways of the world, is not being transformed by the renewing of his mind, is being unwise, and not redeeming the time, is not submitting to authorities, and is not serving others from the heart with pure motives as if serving Yeshua, he is not doing the will of God.  Accordingly, he will thus will be told by Yeshua to depart, and be cast into outer darkness. 

To be clear, if there is no belief in Yeshua, no matter how moral and thankful and obedient to authorities, and no matter how much service is done for others, and no matter how much love a person displays towards others, without belief in Yeshua they are not in the will of God. (See, John 6:40).

2 hours ago, luigi said:

They in 1 John 4:2 who confess the Lord Jesus having come in the flesh are Spirits from God, while they who confess not the Lord having come in the flesh, are Spirits from devils.

The "spirits" in John 4:2-3 refers to people that are either born again or not born again. 

The "spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh" are people of God because they are born again. (v.2).  Those that are not born again in Christ, are those who do not confess that Christ has come in the flesh, because have they the spirit of antichrist. (v.3).