AntiChrist?

Dear Victorious,

More than once I've heard someone refer to a public figure as the antichrist. What do you think? Is it possible?

Doubting Thomas

Dear Thomas,

You are right to be doubting. It is very unlikely that any of us would recognize the antichrist when he (or she) arrives on the scene. This will be a very crafty and deceiving individual - according to what the Bible tells us. He or she will also only arrive after a number of prophecies will be fulfilled. Chief of among those (in my opinion) is that the entire world will have heard the gospel and had an opportunity to respond to it. This of course has yet to happen. I don't expect to see the antichrist on the scene until it does. And like I said, when he or she arrives, it is very likely that you and I won't be the first to recognize ... even if it were to happen in our lifetimes (which I very much doubt).