For as long as I can remember I have heard people, Christian and non Christian, compare or even claim that insert political / cultural leader name (here) is the literal Devil or Antichrist. This way of speaking has crept into Christian life and influenced Christian culture. So many people yell and scream at their friends, family, and neighbors that person x is the devil because x or person x is the Antichrist because y. They buy into this conspiracy theory and claim they know best. I have heard people say that Biden, Fauci, Trump, Obama, Bush, Clinton, The Pope, and so on are the Devil or Antichrist in the flesh all because of some meme that compares them or something they said. Anytime I hear this I get a bit of whiplash and think “What? Why? How would you know that?” It’s an absurd and ridiculous claim. Some people have interesting reasons while the majority of people can’t explain why they think this way. I’ll be honest. We as Christian’s need to stop this way of speaking.
Here are four reasons why we need to stop saying our political and cultural leaders are the Devil or Antichrist.
It’s damaging and hurts the ministry of Christ. Our world already thinks poorly of Christian’s and those that follow Jesus. We shouldn’t continue to hurt our collective and individual ministries by falsely claiming someone is the Devil. We shouldn’t continue to mis represent the gospel because of our inability to read and understand what it actually says. When the actual Devil or Antichrist reveals themselves to the world, it will be time for Christ to return as well. I have no doubt that Christ is coming back but it says in the bible no one knows the day or the hour of his return.
Matthew 24:36-40 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.”
Quite simply it’s a lie. Ever hear the story of the boy who cried wolf? Yeah, that’s pretty much identical to claiming that person is the Antichrist because of that one incident with an intern, that locker room sound clip or because a perfectly times photo shows someone holding up two fingers like the statue of Satan. Many men have come before that have been extremely wicked and evil humans that have been hellbent on hurting and destroying groups of people. Some have claimed to follow Christ but it’s clear they weren’t and were in the wrong. None of these people have been the true Antichrist because they didn’t survive a mortal wound (Revelations 13:3) When we continue to cry wolf, we cause people to mistrust us and eventually ignore our cries. They begin to see past the words we speak and see that we are untrustworthy. As false speaking Christian’s we become the problem rather than the solution. The truth is that we live in a fallen and broken world filled with sin and when left unchecked our sin rules us. Non-Christians and Christians alike all fall short and without Christ we will suffer. If the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was that he didn’t exist, then his greatest lie will be telling the world he is Christ in the flesh. One day the real Antichrist is going to show up and convince a lot of people both Christian and non-Christian, that he is the Christ. Those of us that have been wrong will feel pretty foolish when the real Antichrist comes into power. We need to be aware that our words carry weight and have major impact on our families, friends, and communities. If we speak lies to our non-Christian counterparts, then we cause them to reject message of Christ as well as Christ, mock those that follow Christ and want to impact the kingdom and ultimately lose our impact on the world as Christ followers. Christians shouldn’t lie and should watch how we speak. In fact, we should show the world through our actions and words that we love and care deeply about those that don’t know Christ. 1st Corinthians 13:1 speaks to this when Paul says, “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” Where is the love and hope of Christ when we lie?
It’s foolish and unwise. I think going around claiming a particular politician, potential candidate or cultural leader is the devil is ultimately foolish. Proverbs is full of examples of how fools bring destruction on themselves and that the unwise are wicked.
“Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes reproach.” Proverbs 18:2-3
When someone makes a claim like this, I often question their integrity, if they actually read their bible and if they have educated themselves. To make such a serious statement without any evidence to back up the claim is the same as spreading misinformation and being ignorant. Right now, we live in a world where facts have gone out the window and opinion has taken the place of facts.
As Christians let’s not act like fools and speak these claims but let’s be informed and educated about what the bible says the Antichrist. Have you read the descriptions and characteristics of the Antichrist? There are so many bible verses that describe Satan as being lawless, a deceiver, a destroyer and opposing and claiming to be God. Yes, the bible does say that the Antichrist will be a political figure, but many of these people don’t fit what and who the Antichrist or Satan is. They may share some qualities but ultimately, they are human and have human agendas. I think many of our political and cultural leaders are just corrupt and evil people.
It loses its value. Ultimately when we constantly claim one person, or another is the Antichrist or Satan the claim loses its value. It depreciates and diminishes. The claim begins to be diluted and mean nothing. Claiming a certain person is the Antichrist is degrading, disrespectful and makes Christians look like hate filled ignorant people. It doesn’t help build the kingdom and shows that Christians don’t care about reflecting Christ and sharing what the Gospel says.
As Christians, if we truly believe that the Gospel and hope of Christ is the ultimate value then we should stop falsely claiming and spreading lies, and deceit. We need to be wise with our words and create ministries that sustain life and does not cause strife. Our culture is already at odds with itself. We need to be showing the world that we truly care about how we speak and then speak truth. The war for the Kingdom of Heaven demands that we reflect Christ through how we think, act, and speak.