"antichrist" => Anti-Christ
The Greek word "an-tee'-khris-tos", interpreted to the English word "antichrist" is defined by Strong's Concordance as "an opponent of the Messiah". In the Bible, this word was only used 5 times and was only used by the apostle John. Following is the context of each of those 5 verses:
1 John 2:18-19 Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that it is the final hour. 19 These people left us, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.
- Many antichrists had already been seen in John's time. These people were identified as those who left the early Christian believers
1 John 2:21-26 So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. 22 And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ{Messiah, our Savior} and anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. 23 Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. 24 So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. 25 And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us. 26 I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray.
- according to verses 22-23, anyone who denies the Sonship of Jesus, "doesn’t have the Father, either" and "is an antichrist."
1 John 4:1-6 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. 2 This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If they acknowledge that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. 3 But if someone does not acknowledge that Jesus came in the flesh, that person is not of God and therefore is antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. 4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already overcome those people, because He who lives in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. 6 But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of error.
- Those who do NOT believe that Jesus came in the flesh are antichrist. Yes, they did exist in John's time and likely still do. More about this in "Christ is come in the flesh" & "Christ in you" => https://sidnash.org/docs/InTheFlesh.html
- Regarding "the Spirit of truth", remember that, in John 14, Jesus said that He is "truth". He also equated "the Spirit of truth" with the "Holy Spirit".
2 John 1:4-11 How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded. 5 I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. 6 Love means doing what He{Father(vs4)} has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. 7 I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. 9 Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. 11 Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.
- Regarding "the teaching of Christ", Jesus told us that, "in the last day", we will be judged by His "words"(teachings). You can see that in John 12:47-50 .
Summary Conclusion
- "antichrists" were already present during the apostle John's lifetime and are still with us today.
- Anyone who denies the Sonship of Jesus "is an antichrist."
- Anyone who does NOT believe that Jesus came in the flesh is an antichrist.
- Anyone "who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son." In "this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us."
Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah ( Deut8:3; Matt4:4 )
-Sid Nash: 07/19/2025. Latest version: https://sidnash.org/docs/AntiChrist.html