For many centuries churches have looked for "the man of lawlessness" and have speculated as to "who" is the man of lawlessness of the end times.
In the 1800's, in the book, War and Peace, Tolstoy told of the Russians thinking Napoleon to be the antichrist.
In the 1940's, I'm sure many thought Adolph Hitler was the antichrist.
Who is antichrist?
The
apostle John tells us there are many antichrists and John told the
church antichrist was already among them and came and sat with them for
awhile and then left, not wanting to heed the doctrines of Christ as
they were following at that time.
I John 2:18-19 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
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Acts 20 (Paul speaking to the elders at the church at Ephesus)
26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which HE hath purchased with HIS own blood.
29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
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The apostle Paul tells us that men will get worse and worse in the last days:
2 Timothy 3
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
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2 Thessalonians 2
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
(In 1982, God said to me: "The
falling away are not people leaving the churches. The falling away are
churches leaving the scriptures to set up their own doctrines.")
1
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be
quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or
a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the
Lord has come.
6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.
8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with
the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His
coming;
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Paul
tells us of that apostasy of the end times which comes into the
churches where they fall away from scripture and set up their own
preferences for doctrines, casting away portions of scripture.
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Antichrist is a spirit in men: (The apostle John says:)
I 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.
Antichrist
is a spirit that comes into men who fight the doctrines of Christ which
are set forth for the church in the Holy Scriptures.
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The man of lawlessness: NASB
2 Thessalonians 2
3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first,
and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who
opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of
worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
(The
apostasy had to come into the churches before Jesus could return. That
has happened as churches have fallen away from portions of Bible to
allow the approval of various sins of the world in the churches today.)
The scriptures, Jesus, kept antichrist back from the churches, until they removed portions of scripture from the churches.
Then antichrist came into the churches, the spirit of lawlessness against the doctrine of Christ.
This
was ordained to happen in the end times and it has happened in many
churches as they have changed from the doctrines of Christ of the Bible.
Jesus could return any time now. HE will destroy the apostate churches.
2 Thessalonians 2 (KJV)
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of HIS mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of HIS coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
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