It is the last Hour
“Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard, “Antichrist is coming,” even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour.”
What was John’s criteria for knowing that they were antichrists?
“They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.”
They left the local gatherings. My guess is they were confronted by leadership and would not submit to God and repent. For they were there to only cause division and strife. Surly we have seen people who have been in our local gathers who fit this mold, but I would be cautious about calling them antichrists. But then some of them could be.
“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?”
Matthew 7:15-16 HCSB
“As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!”
“If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he won’t listen, take one or two more with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established. If he pays no attention to them, tell the church. But if he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like an unbeliever and a tax collector to you.”
Matthew 18:15-17 HCSB
Everyone will be known by their fruits. Pay attention to what they say and how they say it. If you know they are out of line stand up to them and rebuke them privately at first, public humiliation is to be last.
Do I know any Antichrists? I don’t think so. If I do then I will be surprised, but I guess I need to be more vigilant. For the spirit of the Antichrist is here as it was in the days of John. But we have a greater Spirit who will reveal the spirit of the antichrist.
“But every spirit who does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist; you have heard that he is coming, and he is already in the world now.”
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