The apostle John does not limit the designation “antichrist” to a single individual, but he applies it to several unnamed persons. He entertained the idea of antichrists in his day as well as acknowledged that there would be other antichrists in the future. “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” (1 John 2:18). The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary aptly and concisely defines what it means to be an antichrist.
An antichrist is one who opposes Christ, whether he opposes the doctrine of His deity or His humanity; or whether he sets himself against Him in respect to His priestly office, by substituting other methods of atoning for sin and finding acceptance with God; His kingly office, by claiming authority to exact laws in His church contrary to His laws or to dispense with His commandments; or His prophetical office, by claiming authority to add to, alter, or take away from the revelation that He has given in His holy Word. This is agreeable to the description of an antichrist (1 John 2:22; 4:3; 1:7). In a general sense an antichrist is a person who is opposed to the authority of Christ as head of the church and creation.
Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary concurs on the basic meaning of the word antichrist.
The term is used only in the writings of John in the New Testament. It refers to one who stands in opposition to all that Jesus Christ represents (1 John 2:18,22; 4:3; 2 John 7). John wrote that several antichrists existed already in his day-false teachers who denied the deity and the incarnation of Christ-but that the supreme Antichrist of history would appear at some future time.
There are other biblical references throughout both testaments that chronicle opponents of God, and which are identified with other terms. To that extent, there may be a correlation between other passages and the verses in which the word antichrist appears. However, to go beyond what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6) is idle speculation and dangerous theology. We must content ourselves with what is revealed by God to us (Deuteronomy 29:29).
Works Cited
Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary. CD-ROM. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1986.
The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary. CD-ROM. Chicago: Moody Press, 1988.
