The Spirit of Antichrist.—
“Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God; and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” The spirit of antichrist is described in 2 Thess. 2:4, exalting itself and opposing itself “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.” This is that spirit of antichrist, confessing not that Jesus is come in the flesh to subdue and keep it under, but exhibiting the very lusts of the flesh, domineering and using force, building up self continually. We exhibit that spirit of antichrist when we would bring everything to our standard, and judge every man by ourselves. Jesus said, “I judge no man.” How wonderfully the principle of freedom and religious liberty is manifested in the life of Christ. We get that glorious liberty when we confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. When Christ is revealed in us, men will glorify God because of what is seen in us, even as they did in the cases of Jesus and Paul. Christ is the light of the world, the light which lighteth every man which cometh into the world; and so he says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works [the fruit of that light], and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”