Characteristics of The Antichrist – Man of Sin
(Series No.1)
Zac Poonen
We are living in the days immediately preceding the
emergence of the Antichrist on the world scene. But before
he becomes manifest as Satan's chief representative on earth,
there will be a gradual build-up of the world situation
to pave the way for him - somewhat like the slope
that leads to the summit of the mountain. The building up of
this slope had commenced even in the first century - as John
tells us in 1 Jn. 2:18 - "It is the last hour; and just as
you have heard that Antichrist is coming, even now many
antichrists have arisen". The Holy Spirit states there that
it was already 11 p.m. at the time when that was written -
around 100 AD. We are in the closing seconds of the age now.
Things have come to the stage where the summit has
almost been reached. We are to live as those who have
understanding of the times in which we live (Matt. 16:3).
The kingdom of the Antichrist will be political, economic
and religious. We want to consider just the religious aspect
of it. The devil has accomplished his purposes far more
through false religions than through atheistic governments;
and also far more through counterfeit Christianity than
through false religions. This is why John speaks about the
antichrists as having sat in the Christian churches of the
first century. They were however driven out through the
strong preaching of the apostles. "They went out from our
midst", he says (1 Jn. 2:19). This spirit of the antichrist
is now found in abundance in Christendom today. We need to
identify it clearly for what it is, for only then can we
drive it out of our own flesh and then out of our churches.
The characteristics of the Antichrist are described briefly
in 2 Thess. 2:3-12: (i) He is called the man of sin
[v.3].
(ii) He is one who exalts himself, wanting to be like God (v. 4)
(iii) He is one who lies and deceives [v.9,10].
These give us an indication as to what we can expect
to find in the antichrists who sit in Christian assemblies
today, as they did in the days of John.
The Antichrist is called the man of sin. His spirit will be
manifested in Christendom by a casual attitude towards sin.
Preaching against sin will become unpopular in this last
generation before Christ returns. There may be plenty of
preaching on social equality, on caring for the poor and the
illiterate, on providing relief for flood victims, etc, -
all of which are good. But there will be hardly any emphasis
on sins such as the love of money and material things,
sexually sinful thoughts, unforgiving attitudes, outbursts
of anger, seeking the honour of men, backbiting, gossiping, etc,
(the things that Jesus mentioned in Matt. 5-7).
'The mystery of iniquity' (2 Thess. 2:7) will be seen as a false
grace that assures people that they are eternally secure
just because they once 'accepted Christ', despite the fact
that they continue to live in sin. Such preaching tickles
the ears and therefore many believers will readily listen to
it (2 Tim. 4:3,4).
In Rev. 13, where the reign of the Antichrist is described,
we are told that he gives his followers the option of
following him either publicly or secretly. They can receive
his mark on their forehead (if they desire to serve him
publicly) or on the palm of their right hand (if they desire
to retain their reputation as believers in a Christian
assembly, and yet want the privileges that can be theirs
through receiving the mark of 'the beast') (Rev. 13:16,17).
The followers of Jesus, who are described in the next verse,
however have no such option. Their mark must be on their
foreheads (Rev. 14:1).
In the reign of the Antichrist, it will not be possible to
buy even essential foodstuffs without 'the mark of the beast'.
We have not reached that summit yet, but we are
fairly close to it. It is difficult to get employment and
admission in many educational institutions today, without
defiling your right hand with a bribe (one mark of the beast).
Factory workers who do not contribute towards the
riligious festivals each year, are punished by being given
difficult tasks in some factories. Many so-called believers
compromise in such situations, and yet come to the meetings
on Sundays to worship the Lord as `spiritual' believers.
How is this possible? Because no one else in the assembly
knows of the unrighteousness and sin that they have
practised during the week.
The mark of the beast is invisible on their right palm.
They may even justify their actions by saying that one
has to give in a little if one wants to survive. These are
the ones who feel that bowing down to Satan is justifiable,
if it is done in secret, in such a way that one does not
lose one's testimony! Today, there are even elders of
New-Testament-pattern assemblies who have received
the mark of the beast on their right hands in secret.
Thus the spirit of the Antichrist rules in such assemblies.Here lies the reason for so much strife
and quarrelling and death in many churches.
Only those who have a radical attitude against sin in every
form, and who seek to hate sin as Jesus hated it (Heb. 1:9),
can have the power to expose and drive out sin from the
assemblies of believers.
To be Contd……..
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