Jesus Christ, the Opposite of the Antichrist

Jesus Christ, the Opposite of the Antichrist

Jesus fulfilled the law. He was “in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Heb. 4:15. The Antichrist is called “the lawless one.” He is also called the “man of sin,” “the son of perdition.” These two went in two diametrically opposed directions. Jesus was in the form of God “but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant . . . . And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

The son of perdition “opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

Here we can see the contrast between the two, how they each went in their own direction. The one humbled Himself; the other exalted himself. Everyone has to choose between either of these two directions. The more zealous we are in following Jesus, the more the just requirements of the law are fulfilled in us, and we partake of the virtues of Christ—divine nature. 2 Pet. 1. The more we follow the Antichrist the more lawless we become, and the more we are filled with sin. Then we live in the flesh, and the works of the flesh are revealed in our body. Gal. 5:19-21. All these works cause division, and they lead people into corruption and a lot of problems. Sin is also the cause of the destruction of nature. Jer. 5:24-25; Col. 3:5-6; 2 Pet. 2:4-10.

Death could not hold Jesus because of the way He went: He offered Himself obediently in the power of an eternal Spirit. Rom. 8:1, 3-4. After His resurrection He could send this Spirit over the apostles. They were endued with power from on high so they could enter into the same sufferings in the flesh and die to sin in the flesh. 1 Pet. 4:1-2; 2 Cor. 4:10-11. Thus we are redeemed from all the corruption that is in the world, and we can lead a happy life “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Phil. 2:15; Matt. 6:3-34. Besides, we also have a promise for our mortal bodies. Rom. 8:11; Phil. 3:20-21.

When you read what the works of the flesh are you will see that they are the result of pride, and such people “will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Therefore we need to turn away from the way of the Antichrist so we can receive the Holy Spirit who was promised to us, putting off the works of the flesh as well as putting to death the deeds of the body by the Holy Spirit. Rom. 8:12-14. Then we will bear the fruit of the Spirit. Gal. 5:22. You cannot bear this fruit without humbling yourself. By bearing the fruit of the Spirit, you will be freed from all the corruption into which the works of the flesh have led you. We can read about the end result of these two ways. God has exalted Jesus and has given Him a name over all names; He is sitting at the right hand of God and making intercession for us. Rom. 8:34. He who humbled Himself is so much more powerful than the one who exalted himself that the Lord Jesus will consume the Antichrist with the breath of His mouth and destroy him at His coming.

This is also how it will go with us. Whom do you want to follow? If we follow Jesus, we have the power to “overcome evil with good.” Rom. 12:21.