NO.5/ ANTICHRIST
“Jesus told us to pray, “THY KINGDOM COME.” This is not a prayer mired in the sweet bye and bye. This is a prayer DEMANDING that the TRUTH OF ALL THAT GOD IS, REIGN NOW!!! ”
If you're not a student of the Bible, your understanding of the word "Antichrist" probably implies something inherently religious. Am I right? It's understandable. For most of us (even well-meaning Christians), anything coming from the Bible seems to come with a religious bent to it.
But here's the truth. The word Antichrist comes from the Greek word antichristos. Although it can mean "against or in opposition to Christ," it actually means "IN PLACE OF CHRIST." Moreover, this designation is not reserved for one person, though the popular belief is to the contrary.
John said, "Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now MANY ANTICHRISTS have come, by which we know that it is the last hour." (1 John 2:18)
The question is, if many "have come," what EXACTLY is an "antichrist?"
Paul defined it in the context of one person, namely, the "son of perdition ... who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." (2 Thes. 2:3-4 NKJV).
Paul was not just talking about one man or one individual, although there could certainly be a culmination of the corporate "man" in the personage of one. God's desire is to live within everyone of us. That's why a Christian is called the "temple of God." WE are the house God chooses to dwell within.
In THAT context, the term "son of perdition" (which means ruin or damnation) is a description of one who is in opposition to God and lives to make the rules as if they were God (Frank Sinatra's "I did it my way" comes to mind).
Does this sound religious to you?
I hope not ... which takes us back to something I proposed in an earlier post. You cannot think of Christ in religious terms alone. Although the term is not purely political, it does represent one who ushers in a KINGDOM and offers a utopian way of life rooted in God's eternal ways.
Now that should sound political!
Also note that Jesus not only came to offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people ({PRIEST), He came preaching "the KINGDOM of GOD is at hand." And here's the rub. You cannot say God's Kingdom is upon us and not have a reigning KING. In this case, Jesus was operating under the authority of ONE Paul called "KING ETERNAL, IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE" ( 1 Tim. 1:17 NKJV). Although Jesus was an acting Priest while on this earth, He preached a KINGLY message.
By the way, this idea of being King AND Priest and operating in both functions is not a new one. Along with Jesus, Melchizedek (the order of Priesthood all Christians are connected to) was called "King of Salem" and God's High Priest and operated in both functions at the same time.
Even Christians are identified as "Kings and Priests to God the Father" (Rev. 1:6). If you think this implies some are Kings and some are Priests, you'd be mistaken. Peter called us a "Royal Priesthood." Or as I like to say, we are all "a KINGLY PRIESTHOOD!"
But of course this is so, right? Jesus told us to pray, "THY KINGDOM COME." This is not a prayer mired in the sweet bye and bye. This is a prayer DEMANDING that the TRUTH OF ALL THAT GOD IS, REIGN NOW!!!
There is, however, a focused resistance to it all. There are those who sit in the "temple" of their inward man and oppose the rule of God. Their wish is to reign by making the rules and dominating how others live.
Sound familiar?
Of course it does. Whether in the religious or political world, there are those who wish to be YOUR God and tell you HOW to live your life. This is an ANTICHRIST expression and it is not limited to one man or one place. It pervades all societies and influences ALL cultures.
What's the solution?
Paul said this "son of perdition" will be consumed with the "breath of HIs mouth and destroyed with the brightness of His coming. (2 Thess. 2:8). The word "coming" is from the Greek word parousia which means "presence."
Translated, ANTICHRIST is destroyed by the WORD of GOD spoken in the brilliant LIGHT of GOD'S PRESENCE.
But if you're a Christian, you already know this, right? When you accepted Jesus as Savior, the "antichrist" in you was destroyed the moment the brilliance of HIS presence came and lit up your life; you saw the darkness and repented.
It will work this same way in OUR world. Through OUR collective prayers of faith, this 'SPIRIT' of resistance, who opposes everything related to God's rule, will be overcome LITERALLY. Don't faint. Don't go backwards. "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to STAND. Stand therefore ... " (Eph. 6:13-14).
I have more to say ...
