Antichrist in Biblical History

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Schaff's Bible Dictionary

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What is the Antichrist?
AN'TICHRIST
This word occurs only in the Epistles of John. Etymologically, it may mean either one who is opposed to Christ or one who sets himself up in the place of Christ. Comp. "anti-pope," "rival-king." A comparison of the four passages in which the word is found,1 John 2:18,Lev 19:22;1 John 4:3; 2 John 7, shows that John meant to designate various persons holding heretical opinions in regard to the incarnation of Christ. " very spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God; and this is that spirit of antichrist." 1 John 4:3. He directs his warnings against this spirit as an existent evil; "Even now are there many antichrists," 1 John 2:18; "Even now already is it in the world." 1 John 4:3. We know that in John's day there were in the Church false teachers who denied the union of the divine and human in Christ and resolved the history of Christ into a mere phantom or myth. Such were Cerinthus and the early Gnostics (who have their followers in the modern assailants of the gospel history). But this use of the word by the apostle does not exhaust its meaning. It can be also applied to all enemies of Christ, and to all those doctrines and influences which tend to set up against the simplicity of gospel truth the traditions or speculations of men, thus weakening or destroying the force of the former. We should not confound the antichrist of John's Epistles with the beasts from the abyss, or the antagonistic worldpowers described in Daniel and in Revelation. More nearly related to antichrist, and yet distinct, is "the man of sin." 2 Thess 2:3.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'antichrist' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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