The personality of Jesus, Son of Man—and Christ, Son of God, are as different as daylight is to night. Yet the same Jesus is the Christ, the rejection of which, produces antichrists: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6) (ESV).
In His home town, Jesus, as child born by Mary, could not be identified as Christ. Those people could not reconcile that someone—as ordinary as Jesus was considered to be—could be as knowledgeable as Jesus was. They actually took offence at observing such an irregularity (Mark 6:3).
They knew Jesus, as son of Mary and brother of James, Joses and Judas and Simon. Ordinary people also observed Jesus—a child born to us—as John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or any of the prophets. They could not perceive the Christ in Jesus. Peter was commended for correctly identifying Jesus as Christ.
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, who do people say that the Son of Man is?” and they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:13-18) (ESV).
Ordinary people could not comprehend that Jesus was the Christ—being a given Son—according to Isaiah’s prophecy. This is just as Jesus was also rejected by His own relatives (Mark 6:3). However, their rejection of Jesus was not intentional—as the Christ in Jesus had not been revealed to them (Matthew. 16:17).
What those relatives saw in Jesus was the child born—recognizing Jesus as the child of Mary. The given Son, according to Isaiah’s prophecy, was invisible to them. The same Christ is still invisible to most Christians—stuck with the confusion of Trinity, even today. See [The doctrine of Trinity is not revelation].
The apostle John also talked about the antichrists—not different from those identifying Jesus, only as child born to us. Ordinarily, the antichrists are not different from those who rejected Jesus, on reason of Him being ordinary—yet displaying extraordinary knowledge.
“Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life” (1 John 2:18-25) (ESV)
There we have it! Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. (Verse 22). In other words, if unable to identify the ordinary Son of Man, called Jesus, as the Christ—like Peter—one is antichrist.
One may have been familiar with Jesus, as Son of Man. But as long as unable to comprehend the Son given—in Jesus’ humanity—one could be antichrist. What is another revealing sign that one is antichrist?
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us” (Verse 19). Therefore, departure is another sign that reveals a person as being antichrist.
There might be plausible reasons for leaving a Christian organization. But John reveals that departure is what qualifies a person to be antichrist. The process of leaving a fellowship, whether justified or not, qualifies a person to be antichrist. John continues:
“…..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. Little children you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:3-6) (ESV).
What does it mean to confess Jesus? Bear in mind that to Peter, Jesus actually said, flesh and blood had not revealed what only God, had revealed to Peter (Matthew 16:17). Here, John also declares: “…..and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God (Verse 3). Therefore, it has to be God’s Spirit that confesses that Jesus is the Christ—not by mimicry utterances, necessarily.
The spirit that cannot confess Jesus as Christ is antichrist—which, according to John—speaks the language of the world. Such spirit cannot be persecuted, because it is of this world. Those of this world are in total agreement with the antichrists. “We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us” (1 John 4:6).
Where does John get his conviction from? John has the Spirit of truth in Him. He therefore writes with confidence, and conviction that he is from God. Like Jesus, John is the Son of the living God.
In John’s claim—just as in Jesus’ claim that He came from God—Trinity is not in the equation. John uses the plural, showing that God’s Sons are actually not limited to one person. See [How invisible the Church that Jesus founded is].
However, being human, John could still be susceptible to untruthful things, assuming them to be true. But if challenged of whatever would be erroneous, John would be willing to change, as appreciating the truth. Having previously subscribed to what would later be discovered to be erroneous does not make someone like John feel uncomfortable.
The attribute of John—as compared with those departing—is that John is willing to listen and test all things. “….but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22) (ESV).
What causes departure among the antichrists, is unwillingness to test what potentially requires change. The person who departs, desires to maintain that which makes him/her remain comfortable (Self-centredness).
In other words, willingness to test everything is not identified with those associated with departing. Those people are not willing to test what potentially brings them discomfort. Instead of engaging those holding different datum—from their own current position—such people prefer avoiding.
The countenance of truth, like light, cannot be withstood by those in falsehood. Ordinary humans are only willing to engage those they agree with. As soon as they encounter disagreement, they prefer departing.
The best illustration can be that of a rich young man, desiring eternal life. That young man could not continue embracing Jesus, after Jesus revealed what was necessary for him to attain eternal life. Departure was his only option, than succumbing to surrendering his wealth. The young man displayed being antichrist (Matthew 19:16-22).
However, if the young man had good reasons against what Jesus said, He could have confronted Him with those reasons, than departing. By just deciding to go away, the young man, displayed hypocrisy. There is no reason for discomfort when feeling truthful in one’s position, as truth gives freedom.
In my writings on this website, I have often stated that darkness disappears where light is brought into the area, not the other way round. If my pastor teaches unscriptural things, according to my understanding, that cannot be good reason for me to part ways with him. Truth is like light—where falsehood representing darkness—naturally disappears in the presence of light.
A person who departs, while holding truthful data, is antichrist, as departure would be abdication of responsibility. In this world, departure is most logical, than bearing the discomfort of being regarded as discordant. Yet it is only the departure that qualifies a person to be antichrist.
All knowledge and truth come from God. If the God of truth decides to reveal truth to whomever—that person is bestowed with the responsibility, to project it to others. The person would be antichrist, if—instead of confronting—he/she decided to leave to form own splinter Christian organization.
Jesus didn’t part ways with the Jewish community. He simply remained with them—though ultimately, that led to His murder. The Jews disliked Jesus, but Jesus liked them—regardless of the unpleasant treatment they exerted upon Him.
I do not think there is anything as difficult as standing for truth in this world. But standing for truth is exactly what Christianity is all about. Only the antichrists would advise conformity with what is popular, in order to have it easy—as avoiding persecution. See [The only time a Christian has to be depressed].
However, standing for truth is not the same as stubbornly holding on to falsehood—unable to test, as advised in Thessalonians 5:21-22. A person of truthful disposition is not afraid and is unashamed, when proven wrong at any given point. It is impossible for a true Christian to leave his/her her Christian fellowship. The apostle John continues:
“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works” (2 John 1:7-11) (ESV).
Here is another sign of antichrists: those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. (Verse 7). I have written a great deal, on this website, attempting to refute the Trinitarian doctrine. Such writings attempt to maintain the truth in that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, as to be identified with humanity.
Trinitarians, suppose the apostle John refers only to those denying the existence of Jesus, as having died on the cross. However, in this Scripture, John’s context, implies those unable to deduce how Jesus, as Son of Man, is also the Son of the living God. See [Simplified analysis to eradicate Trinitarian confusion].
Being stuck on such falsehood is caused by inability to abide in Christ’s teachings: “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son” (2 John 1:9) (ESV).
As antichrists, Trinitarians hold the proclivity to despise those not subscribing to Trinity as undeserving of honourable treatment. But Christ’s teachings are centred on treating other people as self (Matthew 7:12).
The Jesus that the Trinitarians have in their imaginations is a member of Trinity and not the one identifying with humanity. They project themselves as people who adore the triune God—thereby removing Jesus from identifying with humanity. That makes everything Jesus taught, unachievable by ordinary humans. The same John castigates them:
“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:20-21) (ESV).
As representing humanity Jesus Christ was human. Those attempting to remove Him from the category of humanity are the antichrists. This is why they label other Christians as heretics, yet Jesus never used that term. Jesus loved all, including the worst sinners. He taught the principle of love up to His time of ascension to Heaven. See also [Ten Commandments—expedient in New, rather than Old Covenant]
When castigating Peter for being Satanic—as projecting the mind that had nothing to do with Christ—Jesus declared: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Matthew 16:23) (ESV).
Peter was castigated for having projected a mind-set that conformed to the world. The mind of the antichrists conforms to the world. Because of the tranquillity that naturally flows with such conformity, the antichrists feel comfortable, as assuming that, to be portraying God’s approval of their actions. But Scriptures reveal that the opposite is true.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing reliefs to those having witnessed strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. In a simple conversational tone, most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long awaited providential oasis of hope.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
Also available as an e-copy at Lulu.com for $6.99
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