The Spirit of Antichrist

The recently released Pew Research survey that shows that 57% of evangelicals in America believe that there are other ways to attain eternal life besides Jesus is an indication of a spirit that is sweeping both the secular and spiritual worlds in popularity and acceptance. I am speaking of the "spirit of antichrist" that the apostle John writes about in 1 John 4:3, "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."

This deceiving spirit that denies the Deity of Christ is subtly becoming a widely accepted belief among both conservatives and liberals. Postmodern thinkers say that claiming to know truth is arrogant or unloving. For decades now, America's public educational systems have taught that all truth is relative and there are no absolutes. If there are no absolutes, i.e. if all truth is relative, then my position on issues is just as valid as your position due to the fact that each “truth” may be based on a different foundation. We have seen this philosophy expressed in contemporary times as “I’m okay, you’re okay” or in the immortal words of Rodney King, “Can’t we all just get along?”

This concept known as universalism embodies the idea that we all are trying to get to the same place (heaven, eternal consciousness, a higher plane) but we are just using different methods. It really does not matter what you believe just as long as your belief is sincere. It also implies that we all worship the same God, its just that we use a different name for Him. Allah is the same as Jehovah who is the same as God who is the same as (fill in the blank at this point). Therefore, the teaching of the Bible must be taken symbolically rather than literally and the various personal accounts in the Bible are nothing more than fictional stories used to illustrate the given writer’s point of view.

I recently came across this idea presented in the national media to millions of people when I was listening to Bill O'Reilly’s radio program and he was talking about sin and condemnation to hell. A caller who was evidently a born-again Christian tried to tell him that Jesus was the only way to heaven; Bill politely ridiculed the caller. He said that if that was what he professed, then the caller was going to not be taken seriously. The verse in question was "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me." O'Reilly's interpretation was that Jesus was not talking about belief in Him as the Son of God but rather, coming to God was accomplished by living like Jesus, i.e. loving your neighbor, being a good person, etc. In other words, you can work your way into heaven. There was also the implication that there is no ultimate truth in this regard. He actually said that there were many ways to get to heaven; it was up to the individual. This thinking is very prevalent in our society and around the world.

The spirit of antichrist is paving the way for the antichrist himself to some day come on the world scene and announce that he is the real Christ. The Bible tells us that many people around the world will believe and worship him. Even now as we see various religious groups including cults and even many so-called Christians denying that Jesus is the way to salvation is only setting the stage for the greatest false Christ of them all. I encourage you to pray and fast, study your Bible, submit to those over you in spiritual authority, and discern good from evil in these last days. Jesus in Matthew 25 speaks of many being deceived in the end times. I encourage you..."watch and pray."