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Particulars
of Christianity:
315
Global Conspiracy (and Freemasonry)
Mystery:
The Religion of the Conspirators (Part 1)
Intro:
A Biblical Look at "Conspiracy"
Conspiracy:
What does the Bible Say?
Conspiracy
Against God in the End Times
Revelation
Records the Conspiracy
The
Lifespan of the Conspiracy (Part 1)
The
Lifespan of the Conspiracy (Part 2)
Mystery:
The Religion of the Conspirators (Part 1)
Mystery:
The Religion of the Conspirators (Part 2)
Part
1: Mystery Religion in Modern Groups
Part
2: Financial Influence and Freemasonry
Part
3: The Great Merchants and Global Deception
Conspiracy
Study Reference and Research Section
Controlling
the News: Goldberg and Quigley
Now
that we have Biblically established the correspondence of
the mystery religions to the ongoing conspiracy against God,
what can we learn from what the Bible has to say about this
religion in order to help us identify its successors in our
own time?
When we review passages such as 1 John 2:18, 4:3, 2 John 1:7,
2 Thessalonians 2:7-8, and Revelation 17:5, we gain quite
a lot of insight into who these men were that John and Paul
are talking about.
1 John 2:18 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.
...20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye
know all things. 21 I have not written unto you because
ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that
no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth
that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the
Father and the Son. 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the
same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath
the Father also.
[Notice how verse 18 mentions antichrists plural while at
the same time upholding the concept of a singular, individual
who will be the ultimate expression of this group.]
1 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.
2 John 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the
world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the
flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
John refers to "antichrists" and "deceivers." But who exactly
is it that John is alluding to here? To answer this question
we must first understand the false doctrine that John was
describing with the phrases "denieth that Jesus is the Christ"
and "confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh."
John is not writing this in a vacuum. There were specific
people alive in his time that he was talking about. We simply
have to find out who these individuals are.
We should also notice that these men do recognize Christ on
some levels. They do not deny his existence. They simply deny
some of the particular doctrines about who he is. This is
crucial.
John defines their primary characteristic 3 different times.
1. 1 John 2:18,22 "antichrists" - "denieth that Jesus
is the Christ."
2. 1 John 4:3 "antichrists" "spirit of antichrist"
- deny "that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh."
3. 2 John 1:7 "a deceiver" "an antichrist" - deny
"that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh."
Descriptions 2 and 3 are identical, but description 1 is slightly
different. Therefore, we have essentially two descriptions
of such men by John.
Each of these descriptions is slightly different from the
other. But since "antichrists" are in view in each of these
descriptions, we know that each of these descriptions refers
to the same group of people. Therefore, each description tells
us something a little more about this group who worked according
to the spirit of antichrist even in those days. Consequently,
they will also tell us something about those who work according
to this spirit of antichrist in our time.
In descriptions 2 and 3, what is denied is that Jesus Christ
was God conceived, born, died, and risen as a man. In description
1, what is denied is that Jesus is the Christ. In other words,
the man Jesus is dissociated somehow from the Christ.
Regarding description 1, it is not necessary that we interpret
John to mean such men "deny that Jesus is A Christ." John's
words here can equally indicate such men deny that Jesus was
the ONLY Christ, while still admitting that Jesus was A Christ.
The key is what the word "is" means. Does "is Christ" mean
that Jesus IS Christ in the sense that they are the same being?
This would refute the Gnostic teaching that Jesus and the
Christ are two separate beings, one human and one divine.
Or does "is Christ" mean that they deny Jesus was anointed
at all?
What we must remember is that John has a particular group
of individuals in mind, people around in his day. So, we are
not trying to figure this out in a vacuum. We have to think
about who in his day John was talking about here. As we will
see, John has the Gnostics in mind here and so it is likely
he means these antichrists deny not only that Jesus and the
Christ are the same singular being but also therefore that
Jesus is the one and only Christ. For many Gnostics, Christ
could never be human because in the dualist view of the Gnostics,
the material world was evil and such a divine being could
have no true fellowship with a material human body.
Now we have to do some brief vocabulary work. The Greek word
translated in the King James Version as "antichrists" in both
1 John 2, 1 John 4, and 2 John 1 occurs only 5 times in the
New Testament, all within these 3 passages. It is defined
as follows.
500 antichristos {an-tee'-khris-tos}
from 473 and 5547; TDNT - 9:493,1322; n m
AV - antichrist 5; 5
1) the adversary of the Messiah
473 anti {an-tee'}
a primary particle; TDNT - 1:372,61; prep
AV - for 15, because + 3639 4, for ... cause 1, therefore
+ 3639 1, in the room of 1; 22
1) over against, opposite to, before
2) for, instead of, in place of (something)
2a) instead of
2b) for
2c) for that, because
2d) wherefore, for this cause
5547 Christos {khris-tos'}
from 5548; TDNT - 9:493,1322; adj
AV - Christ 569; 569
Christ = "anointed"
1) Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God
2) anointed
Now, this word "antichrists" can be translated one of two
ways depending on how we translate the Greek word "anti."
We know the word "anti" cannot mean "before" because these
men do not come before Christ, at least not concerning his
first coming. If "anti" does mean "before," it could only
be in regard to Jesus' second coming. In that case these men
would become "false" Christs because they are reported to
be Christs in the temporary absence of Jesus' second coming.
First, the word "anti" can be translated "against" in accordance
with definition 1, so that these men are those who are "against
Christ." Second, the word "anti" can be translated "in stead
of" or "in place of" in accordance with definition 2, so that
these men become false Christs, or substitute Christs.
When we compare these descriptions from John to the words
of Jesus himself, we find further indication of which of these
two definitions John had in mind.
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise falseChrists
[5580], and false prophets, and shall shew great signs
and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall
deceive the very elect.
Mark 13:22 For false Christs [5580] and false
prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to
seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
This Greek word, translated as "false Christs" is defined
as follows.
5580 pseudochristos {psyoo-dokh'-ris-tos}
from 5571 and 5547;; n m
AV - false Christ 2; 2
1) a false Christ (or Messiah)
2) one who falsely lays claim to the name and office of the
Messiah
5571 pseudes {psyoo-dace'}
from 5574; TDNT - 9:594,1339; adj
AV - liar 2, false 1; 3
1) lying, deceitful, false
5547 Christos {khris-tos'}
from 5548; TDNT - 9:493,1322; adj
AV - Christ 569; 569
Christ = "anointed"
1) Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God
2) anointed
The Greek word "pseudo" clearly means a "fake" Christ. Or
literally, one claiming to be the anointed when he is not.
This word used by Jesus Christ himself indicates that John's
use of the Greek word "anti" meant definition 2, "instead
of." Or in other words, those who presented themselves "in
place of Christ." This would make the words of John perfectly
reflective of the words of Jesus himself. Since "anti" can
easily be rendered in as "substitute Christs" just as easily
as "against-Christs" there is no need to think that John is
introducing a new concept from the one presented by Jesus
in Matthew 24 and Mark 13. Both Jesus and John are talking,
not about men who merely oppose Christ, but specifically men
who oppose Christ by presenting themselves as other Christs.
And consider that in order to present someone else besides
Jesus as A Christ, like the Gnostics would, you would first
have to separate Jesus from "the Christ" (or "Christ-consciousness"
as some have called it.) So long as Jesus and "the Christ"
are inseparably one and the same, then it would be impossible
to present any other man as A Christ, including the antichrist.
So, there could not be "psuedo-Christs" as Jesus himself predicted
without separating Jesus from "the Christ" and presenting
"the Christ" as a separate entity.
We will also notice in 1 John 2, that John's words directly
reflect that he has the Gnostic mystery religion in mind.
In this chapter, John defines the antichrists as deniers that
Jesus is the Christ. Remember that some branches of Gnosticism
distinguished between Jesus and the Christ. According to them,
Jesus was a man. He was only a man, not divine. The "Christ"
or "Christ-consciousness" descended upon him at Baptism and
left him before his death. And the so-called "Christ-consciousness"
can come on other men just as it did with Jesus. For this
purpose, Gnostics pursue the hidden knowledge or "gnosis."
And this is why when speaking of the antichrists who deny
Jesus was the Christ, John writes, "Ye have an unction from
the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written
unto you because ye know not the truth, but because
ye know it. " John is directly referring to and refuting
the idea of secret "gnosis" (or knowledge) put forth by the
Gnostics, which the Gnostics claimed orthodox Christianity
had missed and ignored.
And the word for "unction" is the Greek word "chrisma." It
is defined as "anointing" and is related directly to the Greek
word "christos" from which we get our word Christ. Literally,
Jesus title is Jesus the Anointed, a theme going back at least
as far as David who was anointed by Samuel to be Israel's
king and to whom God made the promise that an heir would forever
sit on the throne of Israel.
5545 chrisma {khris'-mah}
from 5548; TDNT - 9:493,1322; n n
AV - anointing 2, unction 1; 3
1) anything smeared on, unguent, ointment, usually prepared
by the Hebrews from oil and aromatic herbs. Anointing was
the inaugural ceremony for priests
Matthew 1: 1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ
[5547], the son of David, the son of Abraham.
5547 Christos {khris-tos'}
from 5548; TDNT - 9:493,1322; adj
AV - Christ 569; 569
Christ = "anointed"
1) Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God
2) anointed
So, what John is telling his audience here is in direct reference
and opposition to the teaching of the Gnostic cults. John
is telling them that antichrists are those men who deny that
Jesus was THE Anointed, and that they are in no need of further
"gnosis" because they already have an "anointing" ("unction")
from God.
The fact that John is referring to Gnostic doctrines in 1
John 2 also demonstrates that by "antichrists" he means "substitute
Christs." Gnostic doctrine taught that the anointing or "Christ-consciousness"
descended on the man Jesus and can descend on other men as
well. These other so-called anointed men, who have allegedly
obtained that status through secret "gnosis," are the fake
Christ's John is referring to here. And according to John
the antichrist himself will be of this same category of thought.
In his second epistle, John again refutes Gnosticism and even
the acceptance of Gnostics themselves.
2 John 2:7 For many deceivers are entered into the
world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in
the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which
we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever
transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ,
hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ,
he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there
come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him
not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For
he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
Here, accepting Gnostics is considered equal to partnering
with them in their evil deeds. Remember that the Gnostics
looked at Christ as an intermediary divine being, and that
the ultimate divine being, which they referred to as the fullness,
was unknowable. This passage would prevent any Christian from
becoming a member in any group permitting Gnostics or endorsing
Gnostic understandings.
And when John writes that those who keep Christ's teaching
and do not add to it, have not only the Son, but the Father
as well, he is particularly refuting the Gnostic understandings
that God the Father and Christ are two separate beings and
that God the Father is unknowable.
From this study we have seen that John's statements in 1 John
and 2 John reflect his refutation of Gnostic doctrine. And
so, the term "antichrist" he mentions in these contexts refers
to these Gnostics who fit both of John's descriptions of such
men. 1) They denied Jesus was THE Christ. And 2)
by asserting that the "Christ-consciousness" descended upon
Jesus, a mere human, they denied that Jesus Christ was God
himself born as a human being, fully God and fully man.
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