II Thessalonians 2:1-4 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto HIM, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
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* In 1800, the Russian people thought the antichrist was Napoleon.
* In 1940, many would have thought Hitler to be the antichrist.
* In 1940, many would have thought Hitler to be the antichrist.
* In the 1960's, some church groups thought John F. Kennedy was the antichrist.
* In 1975, when I was born again, the church I attended thought the antichrist was Henry Kissinger.
It is amazing that men for decades have speculated on "who" is the antichrist, when the Bible tells us the truth.
* In 1975, when I was born again, the church I attended thought the antichrist was Henry Kissinger.
It is amazing that men for decades have speculated on "who" is the antichrist, when the Bible tells us the truth.
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The Bible tells us that this "antichrist" is not one man but antichrist is many men ... and antichrist would come through the churches, and in fact it had already begun in the days of the apostle John, in the early church, and this was considered to be "the last times".
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
Two-thousand years have passed since the apostle John told the church these antichrists were already here and they were in their church groups. By this, they could know it was the last days.
And Paul said it would get much worse and it would continue to grow worse and worse before Jesus returned.
After his lifetime, Paul said these antichrist would come into the church and take over and speak perversions.
Acts 20:29-30 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
II Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
Therefore today we have the Holy Bible … and we have all manner of diverse church groups and many doctrines opposite to Bible in those groups and many things added to the Bible for the church groups and we see many divisions in the church groups: Baptists, Catholics, Church of Christ, Pentecostal, and many varieties of non-denominational churches.
Each group has grown farther away from the Bible as they have modified scripture to approve people and to draw larger numbers of people into their church groups.
This is what Jesus said would happen.
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Jesus told His disciples that in the last days, many would come saying that HE, Jesus, was the Christ, and because they said this, many would be deceived by them.
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in MY name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.
They would come saying "Jesus is Lord" and thereby they would deceive many.
Preachers would come saying, "Jesus is Lord" and preachers saying this would deceive many.
Individuals would come to us saying, "Jesus is Lord." And because they said, "Jesus is Lord", we would accept them among us for a season, and they would deceive us with their "fair" speech.
For
if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the
knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled
therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the
beginning.
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Some of these men (and women) come to us as "ministers" of Jesus Christ, while others come to us as individuals in the churches.
They are all marked by one thing:
When confronted with specific scriptures, they deny the scriptures and go in their own preferences.
Thus "anti-christ", opposite to Christ, The Word.
We speak scripture, they look at us blankly, saying nothing. They are not excited to hear the Word. They are dead to the Word, though often they, themselves, quote the Word, but they will not live the Word when it conflicts with their own desires.
There is always something a little off about them.
They greatly boast and glory in themselves, in their own cleverness. And they are usually very arrogant.
You can recognize them if you have the Holy Spirit and you know the Bible and if you are willing to do so.
The main reason we need to identify antichrist church groups and antichrist individuals is this: We cannot follow God in peace with them. If we try to be with them, we will lose peace and joy and will live in trouble inside the church groups, and in trouble and anguish with the antichrist church individuals!
Paul says this:
II Timothy 3:1;5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come ... Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
7 (They are:) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
A few of them are identified in the next chapters.
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