Ready for Anti-Christ

This message is on the Antichrist. There has been much conjecture through the years, friends, as to who this man of sin is and where he will appear. Earlier theologians felt this man of sin would appear in Rome and make his seat there as he emerged from the Roman Catholic Church.

The French philosopher Nostradamus predicted this Antichrist would appear from the Middle East nations and wear a blue turban. Well, I don't know about that, but the book of Daniel speaks of him as a man of craft that prospers, meaning he's a commercial wizard, a financial genius that will sway the entire world with his great financial ability. Let me ask you, friend, do you believe we are living in the end times? I know I do.

When I look around today at this sin-sick world and sin-loving society, it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up because I know that time is short and Christ's return is imminent. But what breaks my heart are the words from Jeremiah 8 20, which state, the harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved. Do you have loved ones who are unsaved, friend? Don't you want them saved before Christ returns? Things are going to get so hot here when Antichrist appears.

Do you think a tattooed society won't mind receiving a mark to buy and sell? What's another tattoo to a tattoo-loving society? The apostate institutional church is filling its doors with unsaved religious people who will gladly accept this man of sin and worship him. A religious world without Christ is ready for Antichrist. Did you hear that? The coming of the Lord has drawn nigh, friends, as we live in a day of gross immorality in the land and spiritual apostasy in the church.

I want us to turn in our Bibles to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 as we look at this man of sin who appears on the world stage and deceives the nations. We will be in verses 1 through 4. Here now is the word of God, and may the Spirit of the Lord attend the reading of his holy word. Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that day of Christ is at hand.

Let no one deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first. Let me pause here, friends. Have you older saints ever seen such a time as this, where there's such a dramatic falling away in both society and in the churches across this land? Things have gotten so bad so quickly.

At times I think I'm dreaming and having a nightmare. Why, who'd ever believe society would unravel so quickly, and that the church would become so stone-cold dead spiritually? A falling away, that's a good description of the times we are now living in. Well, let's continue with our text.

And that the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. I will stop there. The man of sin, this future antichrist, will be an individual who embodies anti-God power that will amaze the nations.

He will have a magnetic personality that will sway multitudes. He'll make the world stage his podium, and he will embody the spirit of lawlessness in the land, and he will be heralded by the apostate church. I repeat, a religious world without Christ is ready for antichrist.

And we are living in a day, friends, when evil is making its greatest headway against good. Evil is government-sanctioned and promoted in society as good. And this man of sin is not Satan, but he is empowered by Satan to oppose all things holy and of God and be worshiped like God.

In the book of Revelation in 16.2 and 19.20, we see that the mark of the beast is 666, and that number represents man. He is a man of sin who opposes God. A world-ruling government is coming, friends, that will force you to take this mark upon you so you can buy and sell.

But I don't want to venture too deep into eschatology today, because I believe the current institutional church and the godless youth of society are in place now for this man of sin to appear and take charge of the entire global commerce as we know it today. I believe we're ready for antichrist more today than ever before in the history of the world. Now the question remains.

Are you saved, friend? Do you know Christ? Will you stand or fall when this man of sin appears? Will you take his mark so you can keep your life? Or will you say, Jesus is Lord and pay the price? Are you saved, friend? These are desperate and trying times. Jesus said, I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Did you know, friend, that in John 14.6 Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. And it's here that Jesus answers the three greatest questions of the human heart.

How can I be saved? Jesus said, I am the way. How can I be sure? Jesus said, I am the truth. How can I be satisfied? Jesus said, I am the life.

Turn to him, friend, and believe upon him. Exercise repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are hungry and thirsty for him, you come to him.

He has a pure gospel promise to all who come. And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. If you really believe we are living in the last days, don't delay coming to Christ.

Repent immediately. Let us pray.