A biblical exploration of the Antichrist, the spirit of deception, false gospels, and how power can imitate Christ while rejecting His character.
The Antichrist is not merely a man.
It is an office—an ancient one.
A well-established institution with a long history, a fully staffed hierarchy, and a well-rehearsed strategy.
Scripture itself hints at this continuity.
John writes:
"Even now many antichrists have come..." (1 John 2:18)
Paul speaks of "the man of lawlessness" (2 Thessalonians 2:3), while also explaining that "the mystery of lawlessness is already at work" (2 Thessalonians 2:7).
The office endures. The occupants change.
Whenever people reject the truth, deception follows:
"For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie." (2 Thessalonians 2:11)
Every age seems to produce men perfectly suited to that deception—men who oppose the truth, exalt themselves, and lead others astray.
Whatever else they may be called, Scripture recognizes them by one defining characteristic:
They are men of lawlessness.
Those are not my words.
Read the passage for yourself.
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10and with every wicked deceptiondirected against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have savedthem.
11For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie,…
Scripture does NOT speak of this office in vague or mystical terms. It speaks plainly: “Even now, many antichrists have come.”
The full passage is worth reading slowly:
“The world is passing away, along with its desires;
but whoever does the will of God remains forever.
Children, it is the last hour;
and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming,
so now many antichrists have appeared.
This is how we know it is the last hour.
(1 John 2:17–18)
The text says "many antichrists."
Many.
Plural.
Already.
That alone should give us pause.
It suggests that this evil is not confined to a single individual appearing only at the end of history. Rather, it has manifested repeatedly throughout the life of the Church.
The next verse is equally revealing:
"They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us."
— 1 John 2:19
Notice where they came from.
"They went out from us."
John is not describing enemies who attacked the Church from outside. He is describing people who once appeared to belong within the Christian community but ultimately revealed that they never truly belonged to Christ.
That is one of the office's oldest strategies: deception from within.
Those who truly belong to Christ will not be abandoned to that deception. His grace is sufficient for them. They may be tested, but they are not left defenseless.
Christ Himself warned that the days of tribulation would be so severe that, if possible, even the elect would be deceived. Yet He also promised that "for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened" (Matthew 24:22).
The battle is real.
The deception is real.
But so is the grace of God.
Read the text for yourself.
The Four Horsemen, Riding Together
A certain leader today appears to embody the characteristics associated with all four horsemen of the Apocalypse:
An undeserved crown—riding a white horse, carrying a bow but no arrows: conquest through deception (cf. Revelation 6:2).
War—not only through armies, but through relentless division and hostility.
Famine—through economic violence and inequality, even amid extraordinary abundance.
Death—not merely of bodies, but of institutions, language, truth, trust, and mercy.
The four horsemen seem to ride together.
Not descending from heaven, but emerging from a heart intoxicated with power.
Which raises an unavoidable question:
How can we call ourselves Christians and yet cling to one whose public life appears driven not by the Spirit of Christ, but by dominance, spectacle, and self-exaltation?
If Christ is our measure, then every leader—without exception—must be judged by His fruits, not by our political loyalties.
A Question That Refuses to Go Away
In recent weeks, while engaging in debate—a process I have found genuinely enriching to my own understanding—a question has continued to return to me.
Why is there no anti-Buddha?
Why is there no anti-Moses?
Why is there no anti-Muhammad?
Why does this phenomenon of the counterfeit seem to appear only in Christianity?
It is a question worth pondering.
Why Power Hates Christ
Power hates the story of Christ.
Christ is the King who refused earthly power.
His heart was never with the rich or the mighty, but with the poor, the broken, the forgotten, and the oppressed.
He proclaimed mercy, exalted it above vengeance, and gave Himself to set captives free. Power cannot defeat Christ.
So it does the next best thing.
It seeks to replace Him.
Counterfeit Christianity
There exists a movement known as the National Prayer Breakfast, a model that has been exported to countries around the world.
Its critics argue that its vision of Christianity is less about the crucified Christ and more about proximity to power.
The Netflix documentary series The Family explores the opaque organization widely associated with the movement: The Fellowship.
And yet many who consider themselves mature Christians—especially those who have walked with Christ for decades—remain astonishingly unaware of the influence such movements can exert.
On the surface, events such as the National Prayer Breakfast present themselves as spaces of prayer, fellowship, and moral accountability.
Yet they raise an important question:
When religious leaders are brought into the orbit of political power, but are unable—or unwilling—to confront that power with the demands of the Gospel, what becomes of prayer?
Does it remain prophetic?
Or does it become ceremonial?
History offers a sobering lesson.
Whenever religion exchanges confrontation for access, it gradually forfeits its moral authority.
The Apostle Paul warned:
"Do not be deceived: 'Bad company corrupts good character.'"
— 1 Corinthians 15:33
The principle is timeless.
Our closest associations shape our convictions, our courage, and ultimately our witness.
And this is only one example among many.
There are movements that speak the language of Christianity, employ its symbols, quote its Scriptures, and invoke the name of Christ—yet seem animated by a spirit other than the Holy Spirit.
That possibility should compel every Christian to exercise discernment.
Back to Nigeria: An Uncomfortable Truth
Here is the uncomfortable truth.
The Christian Association of Nigeria, in my view, has too often traded in conspiracy narratives rather than lifting a finger to help many of the people it claims to represent.
Fulani expansionism.
Jihad.
Jihad.
Jihad.
The warnings are relentless.
Yet the very Islam so often denounced acknowledges Jesus as a prophet, calls Him the Word of God, affirms His virgin birth, and teaches that He will return.
I make bold to say that Islam has often done less damage to the Body of Christ than the false gospels preached in Christ's own name—gospels that far too many Christian leaders have tolerated in silence.
And those who preach such distortions?
They become their chief executors.
Too often, they lift no finger to help the poor, yet cry persecution at every inconvenience.
They excuse cruelty.
They canonize greed.
They baptize falsehood.
All while claiming to be ambassadors of the Cross.
Jesus said:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Some pastors seem to reply:
"Yes, Lord... but first, let's discuss what they can contribute."
The contrast is painful.
Knowingly or unknowingly, they risk becoming foot soldiers of the Antichrist—not because they openly deny Christ, but because they defend the very things Christ refused to become.
For the spirit of Antichrist does not always oppose Christ by attacking Him.
Sometimes it opposes Him by wearing His name while rejecting His character.
Remember This
The Antichrist does not oppose Christ merely by denying Him.
He opposes Christ by impersonating Him.
He promises salvation without repentance, victory without sacrifice, and power without love.
Every age gets the Antichrist it deserves.
Let those who have ears, hear.
Let those who have hearts, discern.
I rest my case.
Don Kenobi
#OldManInTheMolue
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