What is the Antichrist's Role in the End Times?

What is the antichrist role in the end times.

That is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. Our phone lines are open right now and you can call us with your question.

At 833 the Corvettes 1-833-843-2673 also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can watch us right now on YouTube and send us a message. That way, and you can email us with your question at questions@corechristianity.com will first up today let's go to a voicemail that we received from one of our listeners, everyone.

Metropolitan may all put a curse on anybody that you're supposed to preach the gospel that he preaches angulation twice. Quoting from Deuteronomy thing to thing you and he for the next 20 gospel he preached the gospel of the kingdom, and the Jesus as Messiah.

I don't hear anybody talking about there all know this is the kingdom or talk about Jesus only, and all that the kingdom is not necessary you comment on that piece that I appreciate that question so sounds like your you're thinking of what is the relationship between the gospel and the preaching of the gospel and the kingdom of God and of course when we look at the Gospels in those early proclamations from John the Baptist and Jesus himself. They both talk about the kingdom. Paul, as you mentioned, talks about the kingdom of God. Mark chapter 1 verse 14 says now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God and saying the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand repent and believe in the gospel and suggesting like these. These are things that are related the kingdom of God right there.

There's a sense in which week sometime say the kingdom is already that is there's there's a way in which we experience it now and it's still not yet there is a future aspect to the kingdom of God. The already and the not yet the not yet is it we think about God's kingdom and its fullness. It's the fully realized through new heavens and new earth where the redeemed are joined in the new creation with the Angels around God's throne worshiping him where he rules and reigns forever.

That's were looking forward to.

That's oftentimes Paul will will talk about inheriting the kingdom of God. That's were looking for to the new creation, but there's also a sense of Jesus that it there and in Mark chapter 1 there's a sense in which the kingdom of God is here now.

Jesus said in our midst. And that is through the work of Jesus to the ministry of the word.

When you go to church on on a Sunday morning. You hear the word of God being proclaimed and we are praying together in joining and song in one sense, the kingdom of God is breaking in on this present age on this present evil age through the ministry of Christ in in preaching and teaching and so churches here on earth today are the sort of gospel kingdom outpost.

That's what being a part of the church. It is so important it's it's here that the kingdom of God is manifested in in the context of the local church in a very real way for the world to see and we are sent out as ambassadors of Jesus Christ, representatives of that kingdom. And so the kingdom is God's rule and reign ultimately over all things, but now currently manifested in the church in one day it's gonna come in in fullness that the final judgment at the last day and so really important. A really important concept. I was a something that Jesus spoke about that Paul spoke about but you're right, and oftentimes skip over discussing the kingdom but that's that's what I would say about is a thank you for for that question. Rather, no Israel.

I love that metaphor of us as ambassadors of the kingdom you think about that role of the ambassador to represent his president or his king or his nation to other people who may not really know much about it and that's one of our key roles as ambassadors of God's kingdom here on earth.

Yeah, it really is such a high calling. I mean each one of us have been if you're Christian you been baptized in the name of the father and of the signing of the Holy Spirit, God has placed his name on you and and and their implications to that now. And at least one of those applications are called to represent him.

You're called to be a representative of the triune God to spread the aroma of Jesus wherever it is that you go and so it really is this wonderful calling that each of us has in our lives to represent the God who who saved us, who loved us, redeemed us and let's always be ready to have those answers as we hear as we read what Peter says and do it with gentleness and respect.

This is corporate. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. By the way, if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life.

Our phone lines are open right now for the next 15 minutes or so you can call us at 833. The core we love to take any question you might have about the Bible to the Christian life 833-843-2673 let's go to Val in Oklahoma City Oklahoma about what your question for Pastor Israel drill. My question is in regard to speaking in tongues. I know absolutely nothing about it is real or is people faking this additional real purpose. Yeah, there are there are some Christian churches that believe that the tongues the gift of tongues is a gift that is still given today that it is real I mean that certainly when you read in the New Testament.

Yes, you had this miraculous sign gift that was given to the apostles and to others you think in particular of the day of Pentecost in acts chapter 2 were the Holy Spirit fell upon the church and they began to speak in other tongues declaring the mighty works of God and as a result, Peter had an opportunity to preach the gospel to all the people that were gathered together there for the Pentecost feast and in the crowd. You know they responded what what should we do and Peter says repent and be baptized in the name of the Jeep of the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Nancy tongues, I believe, was a was a gift, the gift of the Holy Spirit that was given in particular, especially that early stage of of church history as it is that at the. The church was launching off as the gospel was beginning to advance and it was a sign really of God's redemptive work. It was also a sign of of judgment Val in first Corinthians chapter 14 beginning in verse 20. Listen to what the apostle Paul said just to some context. Paul is writing to a group of Christians in Corinth were really excited about spiritual gifts and if you try to help them sort of put things in perspective that the chapter before this prescript is 13 is all about love the preeminence of the importance of love uses what you really need to pursue but also try to help them understand that the goal in the purpose of spiritual gifts, namely the building up of the body of Christ edifying one another and in that context, he says in verse 20 of first with its 14 brothers do not be children in your thinking infants in evil but in your thinking be mature in the lot is written by people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.

Thus, tongues are a sign not for believers for unbelievers. While prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues and outsiders or unbelievers enter will they not say that you are out of your minds. Nice talking about how how need of these these unknown tongues as is people hurt and it was a sign of of God's judgment actually on on certain people and so is sort of in an interesting application there.

You also think about the scene way back in the book of Genesis where you had the Tower of Babel and got confusing the languages you have a reversal of that in acts chapter 2 and the day of Pentecost were God gives people this this gift of tongues.

So you have all these things are going on, primarily when we think about redemptive history. What God was accomplishing for us through throughout the church you have this this picture of what God had had done pouring out the Holy Spirit on the church's sign of judgment. Also a sign of of new creation, a sign of salvation and you know if I said there are there are Christians who disagree with me on this.

There some say no that gift of tongues is still around for us today and and you know you see different churches applying that in different ways. But Paul's very clear he says look if if somebody shows up your church and everyone is speaking in tongues and nobody really understands what's going on.

I'm thinking to say you're out of your minds that that's not how the gift was meant to operate. It seems like there were some abuses going on in Corinth. In particular, and so so that that's I think the units are the best way to approach this with another thing for us to remember is that you sometimes Val. People will say tongues are the sign that you really are filled with the Holy Spirit and that's concerning to me because Paul makes it very clear at the at the end of first grade.

In chapter 12 that not every believer is gifted in the same way. Not everyone speaks in tongues that even if if tongues was still big being given today. Not everyone would have that gift. The real sign of the spirit in your life. I believe this is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Love Joy peace patients that that's what God is working in us by the grace of his spirit and in the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given primarily for the building up of the body of Christ, not about making making myself great. It's not about exalting yourself. It's about serving one another, and that's Paul's entire point in this section of first Corinthians 1st Corinthians 12 through 14.

So thank you for your question rather it's a confusing issue to a lot of Christians. Drill some glad you spent some time clearing that up. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Sam in Columbia, Missouri Sam, what's your question for Pastor Israel, like all the ladies husband died, she married a brother to marry the brother he died? There's going to be her husband and elder and Jesus said there will be marriage given in heaven. So the question is will we have husband-and-wife relationships in heaven. If the answer is yes. What about the person who had more than one biblical marriage on earth. If the answer is no then what about all those songs and poems and sermons we hear about you know scene are made in heaven and strolling across heaven with you.

I have to be very careful how I answer this question Sam because I think my wife is listening and I speak to her and I have had this conversation thinking about the passage of Scripture that that you're talking about near your friend to discussion that Jesus had with the Sadducees and the Sadducees were a group of religious teachers in the time of Jesus often you know they would they would get into debates with the Pharisees.

There they differed on a number of theological issues in one of those issues was the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. They also only embrace the first five books of the Old Testament Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy is inspired by God. So they're trying to stump Jesus in in the context of of the discussion that they're having with them. In Matthew chapter 22 versus 23 through 33. And they're saying look at as you set a guy has all these wives and then they die, what which one of them are going to be this this guy's wife in in the new creation in the resurrection. If you will, and Jesus's response is in verse 34 in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And so it seems as if you know it in the new creation were knocking to be having wedding ceremonies that kind of thing. Now what is our relationship going to be like with the people we knew. On earth, in particular, our spouses, well, I'm not. To be honest, I'm not 100% sure I know what were going to have.

Probably in one sense, and even more intimate relationship because there's gonna be no more sin. It's good to be better even than it was here on earth but but how that looks entirely.

You know that the Bible doesn't necessarily spell that out with clarity.

There is one marriage that is going to be the focus of the new creation and that is the marriage of Christ and his church that's that's the focus of me when you read the book of Revelation when it talks about the new creation and and you know that the new Jerusalem, coming down from heaven is as a bride adorned you know that kind of the thing. That's the sort of that that the marriage that God sets our eyes on in the new creation the marriage between Christ and his bride. That's that's what's going to be celebrated. That's what were going to enjoy but I but I again you know it, even if we don't know exactly what our relationships with our with our spouse on earth are going to look like in heaven. I think that we can say with confidence that it's can be better than it was here on earth because it's good to be the new creation and there's good to be no more sin. Nothing hidden it's going to be perfect love and so that something that we can look forward to with with our family in Christ and and with our with our spouses in the Lord. So thank you for your question Sam and Woodrow my wife is is looking forward to the day when I glorified have no Sam yeah so we all are and I will forward to that day for you now III he is not like I said I was teasing me. My wife have talked about this in Jesus look, you're not allowed to.

You're still mine in heaven. So watch out. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez would love to get your questions about the Bible and the Christian life and our phone lines are open right now for the next 10 minutes or so, so hop on your phone and give us a call 833. The core that's 1-833-843-2673 well summer is practically here and most kids will be out of school for a few months and just in time for summer.

We have a great free resource for families yet get a hold of this resource. It's 10 verses to memorize as a family this summer and I look at the 10 passages of Scripture, the 10 verses that they put together these are really, really, I acting important text of Scripture that the kinds of passages that we should all store away in our hearts that that fix our eyes on core Christianity on the.

The courtrooms of the Christian faith that we really want to instill in our own hearts and also in the in the hearts of our children and so I said yesterday, we are talking about this resource is really you know, fewer better things you can do than memorize the word of God together with your family this summer and so make sure you get a hold of this resource 10 verses to memorize as a family this summer just head over to core Christianity.com/offers to download 10 verses to memorize as a family this summer and as you read through these passages. Let us know how they're impacting your family. Here's the number to call if you want to ask that resource by phone. It's 833-843-2673 again 833 the court let's go to a voicemail that we received about an interesting topic. The antichrist on the antichrist and what's going on in the political world as far as evidence that were on going out course, Israel doesn't have a temple right now because of the father, God is the living not pursue the question and I think it's it's not necessarily helpful to speculate about you know current world leaders in unit is this person the antichrist is that person the antichrist.

John the apostle said in first John chapter 4 that there are already many antichrist in the world he was writing you know that thousands of years ago the spirit of the antichrist is already at work in the world today I'm in it and that that spirit is been at work in the world since the days of the apostles. First John chapter 4 beginning in verse one beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world by this you know the spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already and so John right varies is warning the church he sing look the spirit of the antichrist is already working moving in the world today and you know he's try to do. He's trying to confuse you about who Jesus is and so John says you need to we need to test the spirits. A lot of times people today think, so long as your spiritual it's great I am and whatever you want to believe about God. That's fine. You have your own religion you have your own beliefs. Those work for you.

I have my own beliefs so long as your sincere, so long as you care about spirituality. That's all that matters friends that that that that's not true and John makes it absolutely clear, he says, look not every spirit or spirituality out there in the world is going to help you. Some of them are going to destroy you. There are deceptive spirits spirit of the antichrist. That's at work in the world right now and what he wants to do is he wants to confuse you about who Jesus is. There is no more important question than you can answer for yourself, then who do I say Jesus is if you get that wrong that that that has eternal consequences. And that's with that the ex parte antichrist is trying to do confuse people about the identity of Jesus that he is the eternal son of God as well as the work of Jesus. He came into the world to deliver us from our sins to save us from our sins by means of his atoning work in his resurrection from the dead.

Now, although the spirit of the antichrist is been at work in the world since the very beginning sin since the days of the apostles, we are told in second Thessalonians chapter 2 that there is going to come a a sort of you know ultimate antichrist. One figure who's in a be there right before the very end right before the second coming of our Lord Jesus. And this is what Paul says in second Thessalonians chapter 2 beginning in verse one. Listen to this concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed either by a spirit or a spoken word or letter seeming to be from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction is antichrist essentially opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. And so Paul says look we know by by virtue of God's revelation to us is the apostles that there is coming a day where this this false want to be Christ, if you will, comes proclaiming himself to be God and even greater than God taking a seat in the temple of God, and I think that that's probably a reference to the church.

Yet this this sort of great rebellion. This great apostasy that Paul talks about. He also mentioned in first Timothy chapter 4 verse one when he said, and of the Spirit expressly says that in the latter days some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the doctrines of demons and so you have this great rebellion. This great falling away this great turning from Jesus and embracing false beliefs about Christ, about the word of God and fill the role of the antichrist in the in the last days and the end is he's there right before the second coming of our Lord and actually Paul goes on to say there in second Thessalonians that he is going to be destroyed and it says in verse eight. Second, the funniest 28 and then the lawless none lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming in so that he doesn't stand a chance against Jesus but he's there. In one sense is this figure trying to dethrone God trying to deceive others to the point them away from Christ and from the gospel and so we have to be on guard and watchful against the spirit of the antichrist more than anything.

Are I should be focused on certain political rulers to try to determine is that person. The antichrist is he the antichrist or she the antichrist.

Your eyes need to be fixed on the true Christ on Jesus himself as you fix your eyes upon Jesus and his word in the gospel. You can be comforted in knowing that that you're in a safe place. He's going to keep you and and so that's a great comfort that we have and thank you for that for that question brother and me and obviously one of those one of those questions, you know, people get really upset about scared about even when they think about the antichrist but we as believers who are in Christ and kept by the true Christ have no reason to fear think so much for your question. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez we have some of folks viewing us right now from Denmark on YouTube. Thanks for joining us. You can watch us internationally on her YouTube channel.

Here's a question that came in from Kristin Rabbi YouTube.

She says how do you respond to a Christian who expects unbelievers to ask them questions about Christ because they do not live like the world but are not always willing to initiate conversations well and I think that sometimes I were talking here about evangelism, and certainly each one of us were all called to share our faith with others, and for some people that comes really easily.

For others it's it's a lot more difficult.

Weekly struggle, you know, to find the words to know what this is why again it's so important Christian to know Scripture to know what we believe and why we believe it and Peter says something really interesting.

In first Peter chapter 3 verse 15 he says, have no fear of them nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord is holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asked you for a reason for the hope that is in you yet do it with gentleness and respect is appears seems to assume that the way you live your life is a Christian in the midst of a world that that rejects you, that doesn't love you the way you respond to evil.

The way you respond to suffering the way you respond to persecution should cause people to look at you and to say something different here. How is it that your or why is it that you're continuing to love these people who revile you, who persecute you and and that's what Peter says because the church these he sees the people he's writing to were experiencing persecution there in the first century and and that's where believers able to say, let me tell you about the hope that I have let me tell you why I can remain hopeful confident, even though I'm suffering in this way, that is a great example for all of us.

We also have to be careful that we don't use that as an excuse to never initiate those kinds of conversations with people. Certainly our lives should reflect the love and goodness of Jesus, but we also pray that the Lord would give us opportunities to talk about the gospel to share the gospel with the people that he's brought into our lives.

I think that we do both in our lives have to line up with what we teach what we preach. We share with others and hopefully through that Emmy is the case, God uses that reach others for his son Jesus. Thanks for listening. Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together