Potential antichrists

[dms1972]

What do you think of this concept, that there are people who could potentially become the antichrist but might not. In other words they could repent before they take that course. Satan entered Judas Iscariot at a certain point, but before that time Judas was one of the disciples.

I think the idea came into my head because of a story by Michael O Brien called Father Elijah. I haven't read it , but I heard the gist of the story was about a priest who is given the mission of calling a man who might become the antichrist to repentance. Maybe if someone has read the novel they can correct me if I have not explained it very well in the short synopsis.

I think this explains a lot and there have been quite a few leaders that people have wondered about from Henry Kissinger to Prince Charles.

I wonder do we hang too much on popular film depictions like The Omen series films at times.

 

[Dave-W]

2 John 1:7
I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

 

[Sabertooth]

I believe that the Mark of the Beast will be formed from his initials, so that should narrow the pool of candidates, somewhat.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

What do you think of this concept, that there are people who could potentially become the antichrist but might not. In other words they could repent before they take that course. Satan entered Judas Iscariot at a certain point.

I think the idea came into my head because of a story by Michael O Brien called Father Elijah. I haven't read it , but I heard the gist of the story was about a priest who is given the mission of calling a man who might become the antichrist to repentance. Maybe if someone has read the novel they can correct me if I have not explained it very well in the short synopsis.

I think this explains a lot and there have been quite a few leaders that people have wondered about from Henry Kissinger to Prince Charles.

I wonder do we hang too much on popular film depictions like The Omen series films at times.

I suppose there are people who could become anti-christian in their spiritual position before God but later, like Saul, turn back to God through the power of Christ in the Holy Spirit. However, this isn't to say that the preordained lines of the ever present diabolical power in our World could somehow dissipate and, hence, remove the essence of the Apocalyptic messages which we find within God's Word as we move into the future.

 

[dms1972]

I suppose there are people who could become anti-christian in their spiritual position before God but later, like Saul, turn back to God through the power of Christ in the Holy Spirit. However, this isn't to say that the preordained lines of the ever present diabolical power in our World could somehow dissipate and, hence, remove the essence of the Apocalyptic messages which we find within God's Word as we move into the future.

You think there are blood lines then, or particular families from within which the antichrist would arise, or have I misunderstood what you mean by 'pre-ordained lines...' Do you mean political offices, rather than families? I am not a great one for conspiracy theories. Of course we don't know seems to be the situation, at this point.

Could someone (not you or I) speak to some of these folks early, present the Gospel to them, and maybe and turn them from that course? Of course from God's point of view I suppose its all planned out, but we don't know, anymore than we know who will respond to the Gospel until after its presented.

 

[dms1972]

I believe that the Mark of the Beast will be formed from his initials, so that should narrow the pool of candidates, somewhat.

Some folks on that site are suggesting it could be www (world wide web). Any thoughts on that?

 

[Monk Brendan]

What do you think of this concept, that there are people who could potentially become the antichrist but might not. In other words they could repent before they take that course. Satan entered Judas Iscariot at a certain point.

I think the idea came into my head because of a story by Michael O Brien called Father Elijah. I haven't read it , but I heard the gist of the story was about a priest who is given the mission of calling a man who might become the antichrist to repentance. Maybe if someone has read the novel they can correct me if I have not explained it very well in the short synopsis.

I think this explains a lot and there have been quite a few leaders that people have wondered about from Henry Kissinger to Prince Charles.

I wonder do we hang too much on popular film depictions like The Omen series films at times.

"Pin the tail on the Beast" is a foolish waste of time.

In the 70's, there were books about Prince Juan Carlos, king-designate of Spain at the time, being the Antichrist.

 

[Sabertooth]

Some folks on that site are suggesting it could be www (world wide web). Any thoughts on that?

(Not to derail this thread, I addressed that in the comments.)

 

[dms1972]

"Pin the tail on the Beast" is a foolish waste of time.

In the 70's, there were books about Prince Juan Carlos, king-designate of Spain at the time, being the Antichrist.

I had forgotten that but that is not what I am about, if you read my thread I am not really interested in pinning the tail on one person, but just wondering is there a point before which some potential individuals could (by God's Grace) take a different course.

I am suggesting not someone born into that role of antichrist (like in the films when they look in the mirror and there is a birthmark or something), but someone who at some point takes that course.

 

[Sabertooth]

"Pin the tail on the Beast" is a foolish waste of time.

We can look for qualities that he must meet, and use that as a test of sorts.

 

[Monk Brendan]

I had forgotten that but that is not what I am about, if you read my thread I am not really interested in pinning the tail on one person, but just wondering is there a point before which some potential individuals could (by God's Grace) take a different course.

I am suggesting not someone born into that role of antichrist (like in the films when they look in the mirror and there is a birthmark or something), but someone who at some point takes that course.

I have no idea. But I'm not interested in the deep things of Satan, anyway.

 

[Monk Brendan]

We can look for qualities that he must meet, and use that as a test of sorts.

Why?

 

[Sabertooth]

Why?

Prophecy is meant to be a "heads-up." Watch for this. Look out for that...

 

[dms1972]

I believe that the Mark of the Beast will be formed from his initials, so that should narrow the pool of candidates, somewhat.

Ok, I had a look at your post in that thread, sorry i thought it was on another website.

I think your point about loyalty is important. While I think the first two Omen films are just horror films with little pretence to biblical accuracy, I find the third (again it could hardly be called accurate in many respects) more interesting. The scene of a crowd of people nurses, vicars, children, businessmen etc. repeating in a growing frenzy "We hear....We hear...we hear...." in response to Damien's disclosing of his identity is very chilling, they clearly were expressing loyalty to him in that scene.

 

[Monk Brendan]

Prophecy is meant to be a "heads-up." Watch for this. Look out for that...

The Pharisees said much the same thing, too, and they were wrong in what they were looking for.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

You think there are blood lines then, or particular families from within which the antichrist would arise, or have I misunderstood what you mean by 'pre-ordained lines...' Do you mean political offices, rather than families? I am not a great one for conspiracy theories. Of course we don't know seems to be the situation, at this point.

Sorry for the confusion. What I mean by 'pre-ordained lines' is that the political and spiritual forces within the history of human life which take us into the future are 'set' by God. Some prophecies can be contingent, but I'm under the impression that the book of Revelation isn't one of those.

The essence of the apocalypic

Could someone (not you or I) speak to some of these folks early, present the Gospel to them, and maybe and turn them from that course? Of course from God's point of view I suppose its all planned out, but we don't know, anymore than we know who will respond to the Gospel until after its presented.

Of course, but to turn a sinner from his ways isn't to change the course of the future from what is already known that people will do. What it will 'mean' for us, I think, is that we Christians, even when we do our Holy Spirit filled 'best' to reach lost people for Christ, will often fail more often than we succeed.

 

[Sabertooth]

The Pharisees said much the same thing, too, and they were wrong in what they were looking for.

That it can be (and has been) done wrong before, doesn't mean that we should ignore it altogether.

And having the Holy Spirit confers a distinct advantage that the Pharisees did not have.

Jesus said of the Holy Spirit,
"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." John 16:13 NKJV

 

[parousia70]

Below is a fool-proof, 4-question litmus test that you can use to "test for antichrists" from the safety and comforts of your own home. Try it -- it works!

Instructions: Take any person you want and run them through St. John's biblical test below. A "yes" for all four questions gives a positive identification -- a single "no" disqualifies. Remember, it's the BIBLICAL test to discover antichrists.

BIBLICAL LITMUS TEST TO DISCOVER "ANTICHRISTS"
-- Four Questions--

#1) Has the person departed from the apostles' flocks, defecting from the true Christian faith to join "many deceivers" after first appearing to be a member?

"even now many antichrists have appeared ... THEY WENT OUT FROM US, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us they would have remained with us; but they went out" (1 Jn 2:18-19)

"For many deceivers have GONE OUT INTO THE WORLD ... this is the deceiver and the antichrist" (2 Jn 1:7)

"but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world ... this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world" ( 1 Jn 4:1, 3)

#2) Does this ex-church member now embrace and promote the specific heresy that makes a confession that Christ did not come in the flesh?

"For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who don't confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the Antichrist" (2 John 1:7)

"By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit who doesn't confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already. " (1 Jn 4:2-3)

#3) Does this ex-church member, among many others who now embrace and promote the heresy about Christ not having ever come in the flesh, also try to claim the Father without having the Son (thereby denying both, according to John's teaching: Jn 15:23; Jn 5:23; Jn 8:42)?

"This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the son Whoever denies the Son DOES NOT HAVE THE FATHER; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also." (1 Jn 2:22-23)

#4) Does this person have a vital connection to St. John, who cites his presence in his own day as a sign that the the last hour of the endtimes is come upon the world?

"just as you heard that antichrist is coming, EVEN NOW MANY ANTICHRSTS HAVE APPEARED; FROM THIS WE KNOW IT IS THE LAST HOUR. They went out from us," (1 Jn 2:18-19)

HOW'D YOU SCORE?

Remember: A "yes" for all four questions gives a positive identification -- a single "no" disqualifies.

 

[Berean Tim]

I believe that the Mark of the Beast will be formed from his initials, so that should narrow the pool of candidates, somewhat.

Remember he will also have "a fatal head that's healed" Rev 13. He will sit in the temple proclaiming himself over every god. 2 Thess. As well as him name equaling 666

 

[Sabertooth]

As well as him name equaling 666

Only to those having discernment.