“And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.” – 1 John 4:3
Many Christians are interested in teachings and speculations about “the” Antichrist (singular, with a capital “A”). Certainly, that is good to understand. But don’t lose sight of an important truth that John emphasizes repeatedly throughout this letter… The spirit of antichrist has already been at work in our world for twenty centuries! The spirit of the antichrist is at work right now, so pay attention to protect yourself from being deceived!
The spirit of antichrist is the spirit that teaches falsely about Jesus Christ while claiming to be spiritual. This spirit denies essential truths about Jesus (His divinity, His humanity, His Sonship, His sacrificial death, His resurrection, etc.) The spirit of antichrist distracts and deceives those who would follow Jesus, getting them focused on worldly things like political power, financial gain, social status, comfort, and entertainment rather than the hard work of taking up their cross every day to follow Jesus.
The spirit of antichrist is at work in churches that point believers away from gritty, Spirit-filled, disciple-making obedience to Jesus. It’s at work in influencers, evangelists, “prophets”, “apostles”, and preachers who promote false gospels of health and wealth. The spirit of antichrist is at work in theologians, pastors, and scholars who teach falsely about Jesus while making excuses to indulge your flesh in sin forbidden by God’s Word. Don’t be so concerned about “The Antichrist” that you fall under the growing influence of the spirit of antichrist that’s powerfully at work in our culture today! #FollowJesus