Antichrist Warning

September 27, 2024 Greg McNichols

The full video of this teaching is available at the bottom of this post and this link.

LEFT BEHIND

Nicolae Carpathia isn't just a bad guy; he's THE bad guy. Here's how it goes down in the "Left Behind" book series: Nicolae is the Antichrist. He's the one every believer has been warned about—the world leader who rises out of chaos, so charismatic, so polished, and yet so... wrong. He shows up when the world is desperate, offering peace when everything is unraveling. He becomes the head of a one-world government, and at first, people think he's a savior. But there's this sense of impending doom behind the charm and perfect smile. Something is off. And for Christians who know what's coming, it's terrifying. They know he's going to demand worship. They know he's about to turn. And they know he will wage war against everything true and good.

And the fear? It's palpable. The Antichrist becomes this towering figure of evil, so wholly possessed by Satan that he deceives the nations. He forces people to take the mark of the beast, lines are drawn, and it feels like the world is on a collision course with disaster. Christians in the story live in constant tension—will they stand up to him? Will they survive? He's painted as the embodiment of everything wrong, everything broken, everything rebellious against God. And he's powerful. He's winning—at least for now.

The image of the Antichrist that many American Christians hold today—the smooth-talking, world-dominating Nicolae Carpathia type who rises from the ashes of chaos—isn't as ancient as you might think. In fact, it was a biblical interpretation concept developed by one man in the 1800s, John Nelson Darby. Darby's interpretation was a new spin on escatology, and it stuck. His ideas found their way into the Scofield Reference Bible (1902); from there, they influenced generations of believers to worry about a future Antichrist and fear the rise of someone like Nicolae Carpathia.

So, what if John Darby, Tim LaHaye, and Jerry Jenkins have us looking for and focusing on the wrong thing? What if John wasn't trying to get us to watch the horizon for a coming tyrant but to open our eyes to what was already in front of his first readers—and is still right in front of us?

Before continuing, I encourage you to first read this link to 1 John 2:18-29.

Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us. 1 John 2:18-19

John isn’t telling us to get worked up about some future apocalyptic villain. He’s reminding his readers—and us—that our spiritual focus should be on the antichrists already around us, the influences and people quietly pulling us away from the Lordship of Christ. Are we so busy watching for a Nicolae Carpathia that we’re missing the subtle ways our faith is being eroded right here, right now?

Let’s look at two examples of what that looks like today.

RESISITING ANTICHRIST

First, following Jesus in a world full of antichrists is anything but comfortable. Yet we crave comfortable conversations, don’t we? You’ll feel it when you’re at work, and the conversation shifts—someone says something that rubs against your faith, and you hesitate. You know that sharing what you believe will create tension, maybe even awkwardness. Or when you’re in a classroom, surrounded by opinions that clash with the teachings of Jesus, and suddenly, standing up for Jesus makes you the odd one out. It’s uncomfortable. Sharing your testimony? Talking about what Jesus has done in your life? That’s rarely the easy road. But here’s the thing: if we chase comfortable conversations at every turn, we’re letting the spirit of antichrists shape our testimony—right here in our everyday lives.

Second, with the presidential election looming, it feels like everything is at stake, doesn't it? We start to believe that our hopes, and even our sense of identity, are tied to the candidate we think can stop the erosion we see all around us. What happens when our allegiance to a political leader takes control of our anxieties, shapes our conversations, and influences our hope more than our faith in Jesus? John would call that kind of influence an antichrist.

Before you bristle too much at me even mentioning this, notice the keywords in the second-to-last sentence: "more than our faith in Jesus."

Will you talk more about Kamala, Donald, or Jesus between now and the election? Will your anger come from Harris, Trump, or from God's will not being done (like Jesus when He cleared the temple)? Will you spend more time advocating for your candidate or bringing glory to God by how you treat those who vote and speak against your candidate?

These are all good questions for those of us who have considered either candidate the Nicolae Carpathia of our time.

STAY GROUNDED IN THE TRUE GOSPEL

In 1 John 2:24-27, John reminds his readers to hold on tightly to the truth they first heard when they became followers of Jesus. These weren't just new ideas or philosophical debates but foundational truths. Jesus is the Son of God. He died for our sins. He was raised to new life. And He's coming again to establish His kingdom. John's warning is clear: if we stray from these truths, we stray from the very heart of the gospel.

But here's the challenge. These early Christians faced false teachers who came into their community, spreading ideas that distorted the message. And if we're honest, we face the same thing today. We hear new interpretations, ideas that water down the message of Jesus or make Him something He's not. It's easy to get caught up in those things, isn't it? We can even start to question the basics of our faith if we're not careful.

John's call is simple: stay grounded. Hold on to Biblical truth. It will never be outdated. And how do we stay grounded? We've got the Holy Spirit to guide us and keep us on track. When the world is full of mixed messages, the Spirit helps us discern truth from error. And we've got the Scriptures. The Word of God is our anchor, reminding us who Jesus actually is and what He has done.

The best way to protect ourselves from the teachings and influences of the antichrists is to know God's Word. So, here's the challenge: are you regularly sitting under biblical teaching? If you miss a sermon, are you catching up? Are you listening, watching, reading—whatever it takes? Are you in a small group that opens the Bible, digs deep, and challenges you to live it out? The Holy Spirit speaks through His Word, and the church is where we hear it, study it, and apply it—together. So, are you in? Are you plugged into a community that's serious about the gospel? Because that's how we stay rooted in Christ.

LIVING IN HOPE, NOT FEAR

Let me be clear: this isn’t about denying the possibility that, before Christ returns, there could be an Antichrist figure leading a one-world government in opposition to Jesus. This teaching is about focusing on what John calls us to focus on—the here and now. It’s not about fearing some future villain; it’s about recognizing and rejecting any influence, teaching, or teacher in our lives right now that is antichrist, so we can live in hope and not fear as Christ’s return draws near.

John says it clearly in 1 John 2:28: "And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when He returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from Him in shame."

This is about hope—hope in Christ's return and victory, not fear of the "antichrists" around us or the looming Nicolae Carpathia of apocalyptic dispensationalism. John isn't calling us to live in fear—he's calling us to live in confidence because Jesus will come again, and He'll make everything right when He does.

So, what does this mean for us? It means we don't need to obsess over what's going wrong in the world. Instead, we live faithfully, day by day, with our eyes on Christ. That's how we stay ready—by continuing in Him. It's not about just believing the right things; it's about living them out. Are we walking in hope, living each day knowing Christ’s victory is already secure? Or are we letting fear of a deteriorating world paralyze us? The victory has already been won—the question is, are we living like it?

CLOSING THEOLOGICAL NOTE

John Darby's whole dispensational theology—this idea of a future Antichrist and a cataclysmic world order—has shaped the eschatology of many Christians today. But here's the thing: when we live like that, we're stuck in fear and speculation, constantly scanning the horizon for some distant villain while missing the real dangers right in front of us. Darby's teaching pushes this idea that we're just waiting for an escape from the world's mess. But the gospel? The gospel gives us a completely different picture. It's not about escape—it's about engagement. We're not called to run from the world; we're called to transform it through the power of Christ.

BONUS: ESCATOLOGY AND THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE

So here’s the deal with the Church of the Nazarene—we believe Jesus is coming back. Not in some abstract, distant way, but in a real, visible, glorious way that everyone is going to see. This isn’t just about fear or judgment—it’s about hope, a new creation on earth. The hope that when Christ returns, evil doesn’t get the final word. Christ does. The Church holds onto this promise, this anticipation, that Jesus is going to come back and set everything right, finishing what He started, and bringing God’s Kingdom in all its fullness.

Here are key points from the Church's belief:

Personal and Visible Return: Christ will return in person and be visible to all, marking a pivotal moment in human history.

The Resurrection of the Dead: At His return, both the righteous and unrighteous will be resurrected—the righteous to eternal life and the unrighteous to judgment.

Final Judgment: Christ will execute final judgment, separating the righteous from the wicked.

Establishment of God's Kingdom: The return of Christ will bring the fullness of His Kingdom, and His rule will be eternal.

This belief reflects the Nazarene understanding of hope in Christ's ultimate victory over evil and sin, bringing about a renewed creation and eternal life for believers.

For further details, you can visit the Church of the Nazarene's official resources. Specifically Article 15.