Geshtinnanna,
The Greek word, an·ti´khri·stos, translated antichrist means “against (or instead of) Christ.” It occurs a total of five times in two of John’s epistles or letters in both singular and plural form.
The subject was not new among the Christians when John wrote his letters very near the end of the first century. First John 2:18 states: “Young children, it is the last hour, and, just as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now there have come to be many antichrists; from which fact we gain the knowledge that it is the last hour.” John’s statement shows that there are many individual antichrists, though all together they may form a composite person designated “the antichrist” at 2 John 7: “For many deceivers have gone forth into the world, persons not confessing Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.”
John’s use of the expression “hour” as referring to a period of time is exemplified in his other writings. There we find that the term refers to a time period that is either relatively brief or of undetermined length. (See John 2:4; 4:21-23; 5:25, 28; 7:30; 8:20; 12:23, 27.) Therefore John did not restrict the appearance, existence, and activity of such antichrist to some future time only but showed that the antichrist was then present and would continue on (see 1 John 4:3). I am unaware of the Bible ever referring to an “ultimate” individual—“The Antichrist.” To me Satan the Devil is the “ultimate” antichrist and any and all that knowingly or unknowingly cooperate with Satan thereby become antichrist. However, it would be a serious mistake on my part to attach that label or name to any individual (see my posts in the thread "What do you say?").
Although there has been much effort in the past to identify “the antichrist” with an individual, such as Pompey, Nero, or Muhammad (this latter person being suggested by Pope Innocent III in 1213), or with a specific organization, as in the Protestant view of “the antichrist” as applying to the papacy, John’s inspired statements show the term to be broad in its application, embracing all those who deny that “Jesus is the Christ,” and who deny that Jesus is the Son of God who came “in the flesh.” (1 John 2:22; 4:2, 3; 2 John 7; compare John 8:42, 48, 49; 9:22).
Denial of Jesus as the Christ and as the Son of God of necessity embraces the denial of any or all of the Scriptural teachings concerning him: his origin, his place in God’s arrangement, his fulfillment of the prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures as the promised Messiah, his ministry and teachings and prophecies, as well as any opposition to or efforts to replace him in his position as God’s appointed High Priest and King. This is evident from other texts, which, while not using the term “antichrist,” express essentially the same idea. Thus, Jesus stated at Luke 11:23: “He that is not on my side is against me, and he that does not gather with me scatters.” Second John 7 shows that such ones might act as deceivers, and hence the “antichrist” would include those who are “false Christs” and “false prophets,” as well as those who perform powerful works in Jesus’ name and yet are classed by him as “workers of lawlessness” at Matthew 24:24; 7:15, 22, 23.
In view of Jesus’ rule that what is done to his true followers is done to him (Matthew 25:40, 45; Acts 9:5), the term must include those who persecute such ones, which means it would include Saul from Tarsus (he later became the apostle Paul and his writings are mentioned in the Quran as being from God), the symbolic “Babylon the Great,” and those described as the “evil slave” in Jesus’ parable (compare Luke 21:12; Revelation 17:5, 6; Matthew 24:48-51).
John specifically mentions apostates as among those of the antichrist by referring to those who “went out from us,” abandoning the Christian congregation (1 John 2:18, 19). It therefore includes “the man of lawlessness” or “son of destruction” described by Paul, as well as the “false teachers” Peter denounces for forming destructive sects and who “disown even the owner that bought them” (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3-5; 2 Peter 2:1). Thus it applies as much to imitation and errant Christians as it does to non-Christian opposers. Even kingdoms, nations, and organizations are similarly shown to be part of the antichrist in the symbolic description at Revelation 17:8-15; 19:19-21; compare Psalm 2:1, 2.
In all the above cases those composing the antichrist are shown to be headed for eventual destruction as a recompense for their opposing course. Knowing that fact puts me “under obligation to show love” for any and all individuals that might, as did Saul of Tarsus, eventually become my brother and compels me to try to help them. Calling them, as individuals, names or even just allowing myself to think, “The only good jihadist is a dead jihadist” would be a serious error on my part; it would make me into an antichrist.
Useful links:
To search the Bible http://bible.gospelcom.net/
To search the Quran http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/
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