SP3. Counterfeit Christs

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THERE ARE 'JESUSES' THAT DECEIVE USING CHARISMA 

Over the years, followers of these 'Jesuses' have been seduced by the charisma of these counterfeits.

God sent the exact opposite of man's romanticized ideas of Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus at His first coming was a very average and very ordinary man.

• "He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him." Isa 53:2

Counterfeit Christs can get away with their wicked schemes because people's idea of Jesus is borne out of carnality. When the Antichrist is revealed, will he also display the charisma that appeals to the superficial eye of the world? Does the Bible say that the Antichrist will be charismatic?

THERE ARE 'JESUSES' THAT DECEIVE WITH 'GODLY LOVE'

Many in the world and universalists in the church often quote "God is love" (1 John 4:8) as their religious all encompassing catch phrase. Just as "godly sorrow worketh repentance" and is different from worldly sorrow that "worketh death" (2 Cor 7:10), we should be aware that God's Agape love is different from love based on humanistic values. "God is love" has been hijacked by man to justify the lifestyle of their own choosing. The world and liberal church leaders have conditioned people to perceive Jesus as a non-judgemental best friend instead of a holy God that will judge sin in righteousness.

Intentionally or unintentionally, "God is love" is being distorted to fit a carnal view rather than understood in the context the Bible has intended God's love to mean. Man is seeking endorsement from the Bible to legitimize sin in Jesus' Name. God's pure and perfect love is actually His Agape love to save sinners and His extreme hatred for sin. Both are inextricably linked. Read and understand ...

• "9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." 1 John 4:9-11
• "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." 1 John 3:16

It is very important to know the Bible and what the Agape love of Jesus truly is. Only then will we, as true disciples of Christ, not be deceived by false teachers, false prophets and any man claiming to be Christ.

IS THIS WARNING MEANT FOR BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS?

In Matt 24:24 there is assurance to the elect but a warning to the non-elect. Jesus says, "insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." which simply means, it is impossible to deceive the elect. Why is this so?

1. Born again believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit who leads us to all Truth and shows us all things (John 16:13).
2. The Bible has told us in no uncertain terms that Jesus will arrive in the clouds (1 Thess 4:17 and Mark 13:26) and not in a private jet or a limousine or a horse-drawn carriage with an honor guard.

Bible believing Christians won't be deceived by any man with amazing signs and wonders (Rev 13:11-13) claiming to be the Messiah.

IS THIS WARNING MEANT FOR THE JEWS?

Yes it definitely is. When Jesus answered, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in My Name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." (Matt 24:4), Jesus was initially speaking to the Jews, the very people He was first sent to redeem (Matt 15:24) who up till today are awaiting the Messianic era.

The chosen twelve disciples of Jesus were all Jewish. When they asked Jesus, "what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?" it was against a backdrop of their understanding of Old Testament end times prophecies. The New Testament and Last Days prophecies such as that we can read in Matthew 24 and Revelation were not yet written. Contextually, His audience was Jewish and was interested to know about His return to usher in the Messianic golden age which they were eagerly anticipating.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews and religious Jews are awaiting their 'Mashiach' (Messiah). They recite and continue to sing the following sentiment for centuries, "Even though the Mashiach tarries, I will wait every day with great anticipation."

THE JEWS ARE AWAITING A MAN, A DESCENDANT OF DAVID

This is the crux of the Lord's warning in Matt 24:24. The image of the coming Messiah exists in Jewish minds. It is based on a set of criteria drawn from Old Testament books. The official description of the Jewish picture of Messiah is in the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. Here is another Jewish site of interest about the Jewish Messiah.

• "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:" Isa 11:1. The Jews are awaiting a Messiah who they believe will be descended from Jesse and his son, King David; we know the actual Messiah to be Christ who will return from His heavenly throne.
• "Behold My servant, whom I uphold; Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My Spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." Isa 42:1. The Jews are awaiting a Messiah who will free them from Gentile hostility.
• "In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness." Jer 33:16. "And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." Isa 2:4. The Jews are awaiting a Messiah who can bring permanent peace to Israel and the world, and banish war and make it a thing of the past.
• "He shall build an house for My Name, and I will stablish the throne of His kingdom for ever." 2 Sam 7:13. The Jews are awaiting a Messiah who will build the Third Temple.
• "And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against Me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against Me." Jer 33:8. The Jews are awaiting a Messiah who will redeem Israel's rightful place as God's Holy people.
• "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." Isa 42:6-7. The Jews are awaiting a Messiah who will set Israel as a light unto the nations.
• "Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him: all nations shall serve Him." Ps 72:11. "And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off;" Micah 4:3. The Jews are awaiting a Messiah who judges with strong and righteous global leadership.
• "12 For He shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. 14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in His sight." Ps 72:12-14. The Jews are awaiting a Messiah who will eliminate suffering, poverty, hunger and oppression.
• "He shall judge the poor of the people, He shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor." Ps 72:4. The Jews are awaiting a Messiah who will put an end to injustice, corruption and immorality.

THE JEWS' MAN-MESSIAH IS THE BIBLE'S MAN-ANTICHRIST

Christians are eagerly awaiting Israel's redemption. However, given the different perspectives that Christians hold of Christ's Second Coming and Jews' anticipation of their Messiah's arrival, the Jews' man-Messiah is the Bible's man-Antichrist who will first pass himself off as the much awaited savior, arriving just before the Tribulation and at the mid-point of the 7-year Tribulation, reveal his true abominable identity.

Counterfeit Christs today can't deceive the Jews because they are not fulfilling the Jewish 'checklist' above. The Antichrist can and he will gain the trust of the Jews by showing proof that he is their Messiah. He will deliver on two very important promises.

1. First the Antichrist will confirm the covenant that brings 'lasting' peace and safety to Israel and Jerusalem which means 'city of peace'. The Jewish longing for peace is intense. 
2. Second, with this peace, the Antichrist can promise the rebuilding of the Third Temple without Palestinian rockets disrupting the construction.

These two proofs will be all the evidence that Israel needs because no one in history has been able to accomplish this feat. The 'Messiah' will be eagerly embraced and his false promises to Israel and the world will be swallowed hook, line and sinker. Three and a half years later, exit the Jewish Messiah, enter the Antichrist.

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