L073
WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
PASADENA CALIFORNIA 91123

JOSEPH W. TKACH
PASTOR GENERAL

June 1988

Dear Friend:

Thank you for your recent inquiry in which you asked about the ANTICHRIST.

The term "antichrist" is found only in I and II John. Notice I John 2:18: "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there MANY ANTICHRISTS; whereby we know that it is the last time."

There were MANY antichrists in the days of the apostle John. They pretended to be part of God's true Church. John wrote, "They went out from us, but they were not of us" (verse 19).

What is an antichrist? The key is found in II John 7: "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." An antichrist IS a deceiver. But how does an antichrist deceive us, and what does it mean, "who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh"?

The phrase "is come" in the King James Version is somewhat obscure. The Williams translation renders it more clearly as "continues to come." Christ not only came once in the flesh, but by the Spirit of God dwelling in us, which is also in Him, He CONTINUES TO COME INTO US EVEN AT THE PRESENT. In other words, Jesus Christ is coming in the flesh RIGHT NOW by living His life in His people. In I John 3:24 we read, "And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him [Christ], and he [dwells] in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Christ abides or lives in us THROUGH HIS SPIRIT. That is exactly what the apostle Paul said in Galatians 2:20: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." It is Christ in us, "the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). God actually works IN US "both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).

On the night before His crucifixion Jesus said, "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and WE WILL COME UNTO HIM, AND MAKE OUR ABODE WITH HIM" (John 14:23). This would be impossible without God's Spirit working within us. God's Holy Spirit sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts (Rom. 5:5). And just what is the love of God? "For this is the love of God, that we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: and his commandments are not grievous" (I John 5:3).

The spirit of antichrist is lawlessness. An antichrist is one who denies that Jesus Christ actually comes into our flesh through His Spirit, and lives the very same life He did when He was on earth -- a life of obedience to the law of God. Therefore, an antichrist is one who is against Christ -- against His law and way of life. Such a spirit of antichrist (lawlessness) was widespread in Paul's day: "For the mystery of iniquity [the original Greek means LAWLESSNESS] cloth already work ..." (II Thess. 2:7).

Thank you for your interest. If you have further questions, please let us know.

PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE DEPARTMENT

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