From www.calltorepent.com

Among the many voices being heard today, how do we know the voice of Anti-Christ? The answer is given in 1 John 4:1-4: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And 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. 4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."

We see here that the voice of anti-Christ will not be heard to say that Jesus came in the flesh. Since all Christian churches claim that they teach that Jesus came in the flesh, what does this Scripture mean? The key is in the understanding of the word "flesh." The Greek word for "flesh" is sarx, which means carnal flesh, or sinful flesh, or in other words, our flesh, our humanity. This meaning is clearly seen in the following verses where the same Greek word is used, highlighted in bold:

Matthew 26:41, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

John 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

John 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

Acts 2:30,31: Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

We can see from these verses that anti-christ will not confess that Jesus Christ came in sinful flesh, the same flesh that we have. The Catholic church teaches that Jesus Christ came in immaculate, or sinless flesh, which is not the same flesh you and I have. Nor is it the same flesh Jesus came in. Another Scripture where Paul uses the word sarx eleven times makes this abundantly clear. Notice especially verses 3 and 4:

Romans 8:1,3-9: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The wonderful Bible truth is that Jesus came in the same weak, sin-touched fleshed that you and I have. This makes it possible for 1 John 4:4 to be true: "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." Praise the Lord. If Jesus did not come in our flesh, how could He through the Spirit dwell in our flesh? But because He did, and does, we can have overcoming power!

Paul expresses the same thought: Galatians 2:20—"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

2 Corinthians 4:11—"For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh."

The glorious truth expands. We see that Jesus lived a life on earth as we must live it—by faith. His power to live victoriously was the same as ours—the power of Holy Spirit’s indwelling. Thus, He overcame as we can overcome. Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."

Paul expresses the same thought in Romans 8:3,4: "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Jesus is the ladder of Jacob’s dream. When a fireman sets his ladder to rescue one is who crying out for help in a burning apartment building, he puts the top of the ladder into the window of the one who is crying out. Where is the safe place? It is down below, away from the fire. We usually see Jacob’s ladder in the same way—that its base is set firmly on earth. But look again from heaven’s point of view. Where is the safe place? It is heaven. The base of this ladder is really in heaven where it is most firmly set in the divinity of Christ. Its top reaches down into this dark abyss of sin—all the way down to where we are. Here it is firmly set, too. In the humanity, the flesh of Christ.

But to those who listen to the voice of anti-christ, Jesus is a dangling ladder that never touches earth, a ladder who came in sinless (or immaculate) flesh different from all humanity that hangs just beyond their reach, just beyond their highest jump to reach it. For this reason, anti-christ religion requires another mediator to connect us to the false Christ—a priest, the dead saints, Mary, and/or the pope. And along with that, a false gospel. Anti-christ doctrine, while appearing to be Christian, disconnects all humanity from the real Jesus Christ, leaving all flesh with no way of escape from the pit of sin.

But to those who simply believe the Word of God by faith the real Jesus comes all the way down to where we are in any pit of sin to rescue us. Moses expresses this same thought in Deuteronomy 30:11-14: "For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it." Jesus is the Word.

This gospel does not change from the Old to the New Testament. It is the same all the way through. That is why the first angel of Rev. 14:6 has the "everlasting gospel." Those who believe this everlasting gospel can teach the first, second, or third angel’s messages of Revelation 14:6-12.

Can we now discern the voice of anti-Christ? John tells us to "try" or test the spirits, "because many false prophets are gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1. Let us test the following words of Jan Paulsen, quoted from the Autumn Council 2007 Update 2, in the October 11, 2007 online issue of the Adventist Review, which can be found at www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=1427; Whose voice do you hear—Christ’s or anti-christ’s?

"Paulsen also said that continuing controversy over the church’s definition of the nature of Christ will not, ‘on my watch,’ cause a reevaluation by the church.

" ‘I think there is a reason for why we have chosen generous language in describing our position as a church on the nature of Christ. The uniqueness of Jesus Christ (Wholly God and wholly man–no one else matches the ‘only-begottenness’ of that One) leads us to say that,’ Paulsen said.

"He added, ‘I have to tell you I just cannot imagine a post-modern person in Europe, a business man in Asia or Latin America, any more than a farmer in Africa will care one iota whether Christ had the nature of man before the fall or after the fall. The realities of the world in which we live have other concerns which occupy us.’

"Paulsen said that such discussions often focus on the possibility of living a victorious Christian life. However, he added, such victory will not be attained by ‘settling the precise human nature of Christ; it will be by experiencing the "power of His resurrection." It will not be by the power of His example; it will be by the "power of His resurrection," for in that lies the power to live a new life.’"

1—The speaker denigrates the human nature of Christ as something that is not worthy of attention. The Bible says that this is the identifying mark of Anti-Christ.

2—The speaker says that "generous language" was used to define the position of the church. This generous language is "ecumenical language" that tries to be agreeable to all religions.

3—The speaker says there is a difference between the power of Christ’s example and the power of Christ’s resurrection, but in fact, both are the same.

How did Jesus live? Jesus did nothing by his own power, either divine or human. "I can of mine own self do nothing." John 5:30. "In all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren." Heb. 2:17. "If we had to bear anything which Jesus did not endure, then upon this point Satan would represent the power of God as insufficient for us. Therefore Jesus was "in all points tempted like as we are." Heb. 4:15. He endured every trial to which we are subject. And He exercised in His own behalf no power that is not freely offered to us. As man, He met temptation, and overcame in the strength given Him from God. …His life testifies that it is possible for us also to obey the law of God." Desire of Ages, 24.

How was Jesus resurrected? Romans 8:11: "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."

Jesus lived, died, and was resurrected by the power of the Holy Spirit. If Jesus had not provided an example for us in His own life, there would not have been a resurrection. Like Jesus, we can be born again, live obediently to Christ, and overcome sin—by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. This newness of life, this resurrection from the dead old-life, is marked by the ordinance of Baptism (by immersion). See Romans 6:1-6.

4—But why the emphasis by the voice of anti-christ on the power of the resurrection? Because it leans the hearer toward Sunday keeping, which anti-christ uses instead of Baptism to commemorate the resurrection.

5—The speaker described Jesus as "wholly man". These words sound good, but the same thought is found in Roman Catholic literature. Adam in sinless flesh before the fall was "wholly man."

6—The speaker was Jan Paulsen, president of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist church. In fact, he is a graduate of Tubingen University in Germany where Pope Benedict XVI taught. This university specializes in ecumenical theology! True to his alma mater, Jan Paulsen is just protecting the outcome of the 1955-56 meetings with Martin and Barnhouse when the real Jesus was traded away for the false anti-christ. (Interestingly, Paulsen’s name points us to another anti-christ figure. Notice that Jan = John, and Paulsen = Paul’s son = Paul II.)

"Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time." 1 John 2:18.

After 50 years, we are glad that there is still a controversy. (See Jude 3,4). All other churches teach that Jesus came in sinless flesh. But wait! Since 1955-56, the SDA church officially teaches that Christ came in sinless flesh, too. This is the sad and sober reality!

We call on the General Conference to repent of the anti-christ teaching, and return to the doctrine of the true Jesus found in the Bible—that He came in our flesh.

Individual SDA members, do not be discouraged. You must separate from apostasy, but don’t separate from the truth. You will be shaken out, like the Gen. Conf. is.

Be like the tribe of Levi at the Golden Calf apostasy. Be like Elijah in the national Baal apostasy. Separate from the false doctrines. Don’t worship where error is taught. Don’t support apostasy with your gold. Don’t bow the knee to Baal. "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20. We are in a battle for truth! So brothers and sisters, arise and shine!

Thank God for the truth found in Hebrews 2:14,17: "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; …Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren."

"It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man’s nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life." Desire of Ages, 49.

 

Back