Are You an Antichrist?
When we hear the word antichrist, our minds often turn to the prophetic events of the last days. Yet the apostle John warns that many antichrists were already present in his own day.
“Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists” (1 John 2:18).
If antichrists were already active during the apostolic age, how should we recognize them today? Is it possible for someone who professes Christianity to participate in the deception associated with the spirit of antichrist?
What Is an Antichrist?
John identifies the defining characteristic of an antichrist in 1 John 2:22: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”
This denial may involve an outright rejection of Jesus Christ.
Or it may be religious teachings that present a fundamentally different Christ.
In 1 John 4:2–3, John identifies the confession that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh as a test of whether a spirit is of God. He further warns that those who deny this truth possess the spirit of antichrist.
The issue concerns the identity of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, His incarnation, and His relationship with the Father. Religious sincerity, biblical knowledge, and outward professions of Christianity cannot compensate for denying these essential truths.
“Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father” (1 John 2:23).
The Subtlety of Satanic Deception
Satan’s deception of Eve began by questioning God’s Word: “Yea, hath God said…?” (Genesis 3:1). He subsequently contradicted God’s warning and presented disobedience as something desirable. Eve accepted his deception, demonstrating the destructive consequences of departing from God’s revealed truth.
Paul invokes this account in 2 Corinthians 11:3, warning believers against being corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
He identifies false apostles as deceitful workers and explains that Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. His ministers can likewise present themselves as ministers of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:13–15).
Consequently, appearing religious, being sincere, and proclaiming whatever personal experiences a person may have had cannot establish the truthfulness of a teaching.
A teacher who professes Christianity may nevertheless promote teachings that contradict the biblical revelation of Christ.
Paul warns Timothy that some will depart from the faith, “giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1). Such deception can infiltrate churches through individuals whose religious knowledge and outward devotion conceal serious doctrinal error.
Testing the Spirits
John commands believers to exercise discernment: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
The standard for examining religious teaching is Scripture. John specifically identifies those who refuse to confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh as deceivers and antichrists (2 John 7).
Every theological disagreement does not constitute evidence that someone is an antichrist. John’s warning concerns the denial of Christ Himself. Nevertheless, teachings that misrepresent His identity threaten the foundation of the Christian faith and must be examined accordingly.
The Bereans provide an appropriate example. They received the Word with readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily to determine whether the things they heard were true (Acts 17:11).
Believers must likewise examine their doctrines, recognizing that confidence in a particular teacher, religious tradition, or theological system cannot replace the authority of God’s Word.
Paul further instructs believers to take up the whole armour of God, identifying faith as the shield against the fiery darts of the wicked and the Word of God as the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:16–17). Spiritual discernment requires confidence in God’s revealed truth and a commitment to understanding and obeying it.
Are You an Antichrist?
John identifies antichrists by their denial of Jesus as the Christ, their denial of the Father and the Son, and their rejection of the truth that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.
These specific doctrinal characteristics should govern our understanding of his warning. Every time we promote false doctrine, we are contradicting true doctrine.
This contradiction means that we are working against Christ, and this we are in that moment, an Antichrist. Of course, this does not mean that everyone who professes false doctrine loses their salvation or is not born again. What it does mean is that we are to take heed and hold fast to sound doctrine.
Everyone who professes Christianity bears responsibility for examining what he believes, teaches, and communicates to others.
Do you confess the the God of the Bible?
Do you confess the Lord Jesus Christ revealed as revealed in Scripture? Have you examined your beliefs concerning His person and work? Are you directing others toward the biblical Christ or encouraging them to accept a counterfeit?
John establishes the ultimate significance of these questions in 1 John 5:11–12:
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
Our assurance rests in the Son of God as revealed in God’s Word. Our responsibility is to remain faithful to that revelation, carefully examine what we receive, and reject teachings that draw others away from the true Christ.
