The Hypocrisy of Antichrist
Saint Ignati Brianchaninov
The hypocrisy of antichrist at that time will come to such a measure that in dealing with Christians he will not only not show himself to be their enemy, but will even offer his protection to them. In his outward, visible, side of life, he will try to imitate Christ. Most of the Christians, being governed not by the spiritual reason of the Church, but by carnal wisdom, will not see this deception and will confess antichrist to be Christ in His second coming to earth…
Trials of God’s Saints will become horrible: wickedness, hypocrisy and miracles of the persecutor will amplify in order to deceive and seduce them; subtlety, prosecution and constraint devised and hidden by the crafty inventiveness, unlimited power of the torturer – will place them in a most difficult position; their small number will appear insignificant before all mankind…general scorn, hatred, slander, oppression, violent death will become their lot…
Enemies of the antichrist will be labeled as agitators, enemies of the public well being and order, will be subjected to open and covert persecution, to torture and punishment. In order not to fall away, we will have to pay uttermost attention to God’s Word which will be justified by the unfolding of the events of the time and by the attitude of animosity towards it. Only to those who govern themselves with the Holy Scripture will the Scripture show that not majority but very few travel on the narrow path, and in the last days of the world, that path will be abandoned to an extreme. In the time of sorrows and dangers, visible and invisible, prayer is especially needed – being the expression of the abandoning of hope in oneself, it is an expression of hope in God and attracts God’s help.
When the great sorrows begin during the time of antichrist, all the true believers in God will cry out an amplified prayer to God. They will entreat for help, for intercession, for sending down of God’s grace unto their strengthening and for guidance. People’s own powers, even of the faithful, will be insufficient to stand against the united forces of fallen angels and men which will be acting with caution and despair, sensing their nearing doom. God’s grace, overshadowing His chosen ones, will put to naught the threats and seductions of the seducer, and will put his miracles to scorn; it will grant them courage to confess the Savior who has already accomplished the salvation of mankind, and to expose the false messiah who comes for the sake of people’s perishing; it will bring them onto scaffolding's as if onto royal thrones or to a wedding party.
The Lord, even during the very times of antichrist will direct His servants and provide places and means for their salvation, as it is testified to in the Apocalypse…
God’s mercy is prolonging and delaying the final cut for the sake of the small remnant which will be saved, meanwhile the rotting or the rotten will reach the fullness of decay. Those being saved have to understand this and use the time given for salvation “because the time is cut short”, and the departure into eternity is close for each one of us. One needs to peacefully accept (mirstvovat) the position of the Church, even while understanding it at the same time. It is allowed from above. Elder Isaiah said, “Understand the times. Do not expect order in the general Church structure but be content with the fact that it is granted in particular that those people who wish to be saved can be saved. Let him who is being saved save his soul” – it is said to the rest of the Christians, it is said by the Holy Spirit.
The world, or mankind, will not recognize the Antichrist. It will confess him as Christ and will declare him to be Christ. Consequently, when the rumor of Christ’s coming starts, spreads and strengthens, that will be a true sign that the Antichrist has appeared and has begun his determined and allowed rule.
Trials of God’s Saints will become horrible: wickedness, hypocrisy and miracles of the persecutor will amplify in order to deceive and seduce them; subtlety, prosecution and constraint devised and hidden by the crafty inventiveness, unlimited power of the torturer – will place them in a most difficult position; their small number will appear insignificant before all mankind…general scorn, hatred, slander, oppression, violent death will become their lot…
Enemies of the antichrist will be labeled as agitators, enemies of the public well being and order, will be subjected to open and covert persecution, to torture and punishment. In order not to fall away, we will have to pay uttermost attention to God’s Word which will be justified by the unfolding of the events of the time and by the attitude of animosity towards it. Only to those who govern themselves with the Holy Scripture will the Scripture show that not majority but very few travel on the narrow path, and in the last days of the world, that path will be abandoned to an extreme. In the time of sorrows and dangers, visible and invisible, prayer is especially needed – being the expression of the abandoning of hope in oneself, it is an expression of hope in God and attracts God’s help.
When the great sorrows begin during the time of antichrist, all the true believers in God will cry out an amplified prayer to God. They will entreat for help, for intercession, for sending down of God’s grace unto their strengthening and for guidance. People’s own powers, even of the faithful, will be insufficient to stand against the united forces of fallen angels and men which will be acting with caution and despair, sensing their nearing doom. God’s grace, overshadowing His chosen ones, will put to naught the threats and seductions of the seducer, and will put his miracles to scorn; it will grant them courage to confess the Savior who has already accomplished the salvation of mankind, and to expose the false messiah who comes for the sake of people’s perishing; it will bring them onto scaffolding's as if onto royal thrones or to a wedding party.
The Lord, even during the very times of antichrist will direct His servants and provide places and means for their salvation, as it is testified to in the Apocalypse…
God’s mercy is prolonging and delaying the final cut for the sake of the small remnant which will be saved, meanwhile the rotting or the rotten will reach the fullness of decay. Those being saved have to understand this and use the time given for salvation “because the time is cut short”, and the departure into eternity is close for each one of us. One needs to peacefully accept (mirstvovat) the position of the Church, even while understanding it at the same time. It is allowed from above. Elder Isaiah said, “Understand the times. Do not expect order in the general Church structure but be content with the fact that it is granted in particular that those people who wish to be saved can be saved. Let him who is being saved save his soul” – it is said to the rest of the Christians, it is said by the Holy Spirit.
The world, or mankind, will not recognize the Antichrist. It will confess him as Christ and will declare him to be Christ. Consequently, when the rumor of Christ’s coming starts, spreads and strengthens, that will be a true sign that the Antichrist has appeared and has begun his determined and allowed rule.
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