Ignorance of Jesus

The Antichrist will become the most powerful, influential, and adored World leader ever. But how? What's the secret behind the Antichrist’s influence? What makes him rise to power? Not a nasty attitude towards Jesus. Not a rejection of Jesus. Christianity is the World's largest religion, so the Antichrist would be unwise to shun and "turn off" Christians.

Instead, the Antichrist will let Christians continue in their ignorance of Jesus, then simply present himself as the Christ, their God.

The Antichrist is not a grand promoter of doctrine. He is a grand ignorer of doctrine. Even a grand concealer of doctrine.

The Antichrist will talk about Jesus. He will not ignore the Bible or speak evil of Jesus. Rather, he will encourage people to believe in a man who is God, according to their theology. The one thing the Antichrist will never acknowledge, is the thing that Christians around the World already completely ignore: that Jesus came in the flesh.

Confess Jesus Came in the Flesh

The Bible warns us that the Antichrist will 'not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh.' In other words, the Antichrist will say a lot of things about Jesus, but this is one think he'll leave out: that Jesus had the same nature you and I have, the human nature of sin.

… many deceivers have gone out into the World who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the Deceiver and the Antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

Whoever goes too far and does not abide in the Doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the Doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him (2 John 1:7-10; NASB).

So, are you aware of the Truth now? Jesus most certainly did come to us in the flesh, the human nature. Anybody who presumes to be a pastor, and teach Christianity, must state this firstly and openly, without reservation. They must ‘bring this doctrine.’ It must be tops in their teaching.

The Only Way

Why? Why is the Doctrine of Christ so critical? Why is it the litmus test for sound doctrine? Why is it indispensable? Why can there be no concessions on this one teaching?

It’s because only with a human nature could Jesus have purchased humans. Only with the sin nature of man would Jesus’ body have become the suitable sacrifice for sins.

The only means by which man might receive the free offer of salvation is if a man with our very nature and constitution—but at the same time perfectly innocent and free from guilt—would die for us. Only that death would appease God’s righteous wrath against sinners.

Jesus’ Spirit

Jesus had his own body and his own spirit. He still has his own body and spirit today. God resurrected him. Even when Jesus walked the Earth, he announced that he had his own spirit. It’s not private information that Jesus had his own spirit. On the Cross, Jesus’ dying words were:

Father, into your hands I commit my spirit (Luke 23:46).

So, Jesus delivered himself to God—in his spirit. When your body dies, that’s what you have left. So, what did God do with Jesus once Jesus lost his body and became a spirit-being. Where did God send him? He sent Jesus to Hades, the Realm of the Dead.

Jesus arrived in the Paradise side of Hades, with the Father's authorization for Jesus to access the Hell side too. Jesus had freedom of movement in Hades, a very uncommon thing! Abraham, from the Paradise side said to the rich man in Hell:

… between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us (Luke 16:26).

And while Jesus was in Hades, God conserved Jesus’ body in the tomb. His body did not see corruption or decay. It was conserved through embalmment, until God resurrected him on the third day. That’s why Jesus declared from Hades:

… you will not abandon me to the Realm of the Dead, you will not let your holy one see decay (Acts 2:27).

Follow This Example

Today we invite you to reflect on the spirit of Christ. Will you meditate on the fact that Jesus had his own spirit, just like you do? He came to humanity as a human. Jesus redeemed mankind as a man.

Jesus was tempted in every way we are tempted. But he could be tempted for a reason: because he had the human nature of sin. Someone with the divine nature cannot be tempted. That's why the Scriptures tell us that God cannot be tempted.

God cannot be tempted by evil… (James 1:13)

By not sinning, Jesus showed us the way to God. Jesus the man gave an example to men. Jesus gave the example nobody else in all of human history was able to give us! That's what makes him our Savior. Following him saves us from sin.

Yes, Jesus gave us an example of how to navigate life without sinning. He showed us that although we're in the flesh, we can walk in the spirit.

If you call yourself a Christian, you follow Jesus. You follow his example. And if you follow his example, you will be saved! Salvation has always been salvation from sin. Are you clear on that?

Most people view salvation as an assurance they won’t go to Hell. For them, salvation is merely a kind of “fire insurance.” But salvation is freedom from sin. You will be freed from sin if you follow Jesus' example. He said 'Follow me.'

Know Him

Jesus was human through and through. The baby in the manger, the boy in the Temple, and the man on the Cross all had a body and a spirit—but what about a soul? Did Jesus also have his own soul? The answer is “affirmative.”

Jesus had a soul. In fact, Jesus spoke of his soul. He declared that he possessed a soul. Consider the word he spoke to his disciples the night before he was crucified:

My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death (Matthew 26:38).

So, Jesus came to mankind as a man. He was one of us. In every way, having his own spirit, soul, and body, our Lord Jesus was a human being through and through. What then is a “complete” human being? It’s defined for us in the Bible as being someone with a body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 2:3).

If you understand that Jesus was 100% man, then you’ve got a solid foundation. Don’t let it be shaken. With the Doctrine of Christ, the doctrine that Jesus came in the flesh, you have a saving knowledge of Jesus. You’ve come to know the Jesus of the Bible—the One who died for us, who lives for us, and who will return for us.

To Live is Christ

Paul was excited to know Jesus. He was excited to experience something called being ‘found in him.’ What does Paul mean by that? He means that when we stand before God in judgment, God will judge our actions based on whether we did them through faith in Jesus or not.

Paul looked forward to a time when we will have ‘a righteousness… which is through faith in Christ.’ In other words, Paul expected Christians to act according to faith in Jesus. He expected us to demonstrate through our works that we truly have faith in Jesus.

I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ,

and may be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know him… (Philippians 3:7-10; NASB)

Oh, to know Jesus. To really know him! To experience what he experienced--the anointings, the power, and the resurrection. As Paul said, ‘To live is Christ’ (Philippians 1:21).