The nations of our day have rejected the lordship of Christ. The democratic nations, the communistic nations, and the monarchies and feudal societies have all rejected the lordship of Christ. All have the Antichrist spirit.

There will be a man in whom the aspirations of all who resist the rule of Christ is fulfilled. He will claim he is God and there is no other god. This is what New Age, humanistic, democratic, communistic, and socialistic thinking, as well as all false religions, are leading to.

Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any God: for he shall magnify himself above all. (Daniel 11:37)

The mark of the beast.

And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: (Revelation 13:16)

It may be true that the day soon will arrive when a debit system in which the hand and forehead are stamped becomes the prevailing system of commerce. We can imagine the consternation of those who have believed in the pre-tribulation rapture when their local stores turn from the credit card to the debit card, and then from the debit card to an identifying mark in the body.

We do not know how the mark will come into being. The important issue is whether the individual is obeying the will of Christ through the Holy Spirit, or whether he or she—Christian or not— is following his self-will. It is the self-will that is Antichrist (against the rule of Christ).

Characteristics of the Antichrist spirit. The current talk about the rights of people is a sign of the Antichrist spirit, the spirit of self-will, self-centeredness. The idea that all people are equal is another symptom.

It certainly is true that we should never disparage anyone or prefer anyone solely on the basis of his or her race, gender, wealth, social standing, or for any other reason. However, the Scriptures do teach that from mankind has been called an elect, and that from that elect will be gathered a smaller group of chosen vessels, and that from the chosen will emerge the faithful, the Lord's "mighty men," the firstfruits to God and the Lamb.

We do not choose Jesus, He chooses us. This fact alone does away completely with the concept that all people have an equal opportunity to approach God. God works in terms of a ruling priesthood, not in terms of a democracy. It is a kingdom that is coming, not a democracy.

Other indications of the Antichrist spirit are the doctrines of self-government, free-enterprise capitalism as a preferred economic system (the economic system of the saints is, seek first the Kingdom of God and all material needs shall be added to you), and every other form of government and economic system in which man gains power and takes control, whether it is totalitarian, socialistic, feudal, or democratic.

The saints have been chosen out of the world to bear witness of God and His Kingdom, not to gain control of the people or resources of the world. It is our point of view that the Antichrist himself (or herself) well may be, as was Judas, a deceived Christian.

To be continued.