More than One Antichrist
We are taught to love God more than anything else. We are taught to be in Church at least every Sunday. We are taught to pray to God at least every morning and evening. We are taught to put God first in our lives. Every time and everything we place before God is an antichrist.
Brethren, 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 be plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you know everything. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and know that 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. He who 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 will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he has promised us, eternal life. I write this to you about those who would deceive you; but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in it. And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that every one who does right is born of him. See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. Every one who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does right is righteous, as he is righteous. He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
1st John 2:18 – 29, 3:1 – 8
We spend so much time worrying about ‘the’ antichrist we forget the many small ones that surround us. It is a basic thing. Anything that shifts our priority away from God is an antichrist. Do you choose not to be in Church with Christ? The reason has become the antichrist.
We teach our children to love God but then display our love of money and popularity as being more important than God. If our children watch us choose making extra money over being in Church, our money has become the antichrist.
That is not to say there are not going to be times when we miss Sunday Liturgy. ‘Life’ happens. We live in a 24-hour society and many of our jobs require our time away from family and church. But, there is a difference between being forced to work and choosing to work.
In yesterday’s parable of the Prodigal Son, the younger son put his love for inheritance before his love for his father and lost everything. Money had become the antichrist. When we “came to himself” and returned to loving his father, he restored the proper balance of love.
Then it was the older brother who experienced the antichrist. He loved his pride of loyalty more than he loved his father and refused to enter the heavenly banquet. You see, the antichrist comes is many shapes and sizes, but one thing is common.
Money, power, time, even popularity can get between us and our love for God. Next time you are tempted to skip your prayer or skip Liturgy, ask yourself this. “Am I choosing something ahead of God?” You will see, unless you’re ill, that you are face to face with the antichrist.
Even if you will be late, repent and go to Church. Even if you will be late for work, repent and say your prayers. Even if you will mocked by you peers, never hesitate to put God first. Lunch plans can wait. Dinner parties can wait. Don’t make God wait any longer.
