God As One Person?

A third, and somewhat related, doctrine of antichrist is the idea that God is just one Person. This derives from a misunderstanding, in fact, mistranslation, of the Old Testament passage, “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD” (Deut. 6:4). Referred to by Jews as the “Shema,” the proper rendering of the Hebrew into English yields a completely different meaning. It is “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, and Him only.” Merely recognizing that Israel had a long history of turning to other gods makes God’s intent even plainer. He wanted Israel worshipping and listening to Him only. Of course, she never did.

Here is the problem. The false view of this verse forces the belief that Jesus is not God, but merely His Son, meaning He holds a lesser status than actual God.

This ignores Jesus’ own plain words: “I and My Father are ONE” (John 10:30)—two beings in one Godhead. When confronted on another occasion by the Jews, Jesus also stated this: “Many good works have I shown you from My Father; for which of those works do you stone Me? The Jews answered Him, saying, For a good work we stone You not; but for blasphemy; and because that You, being a man, make Yourself God” (John 10:32-33).

Read the entire chapter. Jesus did not say, “You misunderstood Me” or “You did not listen carefully.” This is because He knew that He is God, just like the Father IS God.

Recall that John recorded how Christ was God from the very beginning. All contrary teaching then is ANTICHRIST!

“Against Christ”

Now for the fourth way of being antichrist. Remember, the word means “an adversary or opponent of Christ,” or against Christ. Interestingly, Jesus Himself adds more than anyone else in Scripture to comprehending who and what is antichrist. Let’s read what He said to the accusative Pharisees near the end of an important exchange with them. It was regarding the difference between Satan’s spirit (and his kingdom) and the Spirit of God—and the danger of the unpardonable sin: “He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathers not with Me scatters abroad” (Matt. 12:30).

This next statement is absolutely crucial to grasp, and it explains why John and Paul warned of many antichrists in the first century who infiltrated and harassed the true Church. Get this.

Jesus Christ built a Church—His Church—the TRUE Church. His people are part of that one, undivided Church—and none other. Anyone working AGAINST that Church—who is not with it, and therefore not “with” Christ—or is in any way attempting to “scatter” Christ’s flock, rather than “gather” it to where He is leading—is obviously AGAINST Christ.

All such then would be ANTIchrist! Is that clear?

“The Spirit of Antichrist”

The fourth and final passage containing “antichrist” warns, “Believe not every spirit, but TRY the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know you the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that SPIRIT of antichrist, whereof you have heard IT should come; and even now already is IT in the world” (I John 4:1-3).

This passage is of colossal importance. False prophets—and these are all throughout the world today—are tied in this passage to the spirit of antichrist. This would certainly include those who teach falsely regarding the very truth about antichrists. It also includes those who teach falsely about all other aspects of prophecy—as well as the many additional plain truths of God’s Word.

This passage makes these modern thought-to-be prophecy experts antichrists themselves!

Believe God on this. Stop listening to preachers who are not teaching you to obey God’s Law—including the Fourth Commandment—and to overcome sin, but who do talk a lot about prophecy—even though they have no idea what they are talking about. You must disregard who they are—how well-known they are—how popular they are—how charismatic they are—how many people read their books—or watch their programs. Stop listening to them! They may be sincere, but they are sincerely WRONG. They will only confuse you.

They are AGAINST CHRIST!

Also notice that I John 4:3 uses the word “IT”—not he—“should come,” and that “IT”—not he—“is already in the world.” An antichrist is more than just a person or group of people. It is an attitude, an idea, a teaching—a SPIRIT!—and these all flow from a spirit that is alien to God.

The next three verses in the context of John’s warning (Jn 4: 4-6) are absolutely crucial to understand. They become vital instruction for you. “You are of God, little children [true Christians], and have overcome them [all false prophets and false ministers]: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. They [the antichrists] are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world hears them [yes, but not true Christians]. We are of God: he that knows God hears us [God’s faithful ministers]; he that is not of God hears not us. Hereby know we the Spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”

Let’s continue being plain: God’s people overcome the spirit of antichrist. They listen only to God’s ministers. This spirit applies to people, authorities, attitudes and actions. And it permeates all cultures of the world—because this world is led and deceived by the devil (II Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; Rev. 12:9).

Can you now see how the mixed-up “Jesus” of the trinity is truly another Jesus, brought by another spirit (II Cor. 11:4)—that of antichrist?