FALSE CHRIST

Jesus warned that in the last days there will arise counterfeit Christs who would masquerade as the Messiah and claim to be the savior of the world. It's in the Bible, Matthew 24:4 & 5. “Jesus answered: 'Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.”

In the New Testament, the original Greek word for Christ is 'Christos'. The same word in Old Testament Hebrew is 'Mashiach', which in English is rendered as 'Messiah'. The literal translation of both Greek and Hebrew is "the anointed one". It is the title and identity which Jesus acknowledged during his ministry in Palestine. It's in the Bible, John 4:25 & 26 NAS. “The woman said to Him, 'I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.' Jesus said to her, 'I who speak to you am He.' ”

Shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus preached his great prophetic discourse regarding profound events that would occur at the end of the age just prior to his Second Coming. As recorded in Matthew 24:23-26 NIV, Jesus warned, “At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. So, if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.”

Jesus emphasized that the false Christs will perform great signs and miracles, and will manifest terrible deception. Many Christians think that as long as they believe in 'Jesus Christ', they will be shielded from the deception of the last days. However, the deceit proliferates due to the fact that there are actually two Jesus Christs, not just one. Some people are deceived into following the wrong Jesus. It's in the Bible, 2 Corinthians 11:3 & 4 NIV. “Just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” The apostle Paul is here speaking to the Christians of the early church. He warns them concerning false apostles who were preaching about a Jesus who is not the real Jesus of the Bible. This other Jesus is a fictitious Jesus, a fabrication of the corrupt imaginations and erroneous thinking of the spurious apostles. The gospel associated with this other Jesus is a different gospel; it is not the gospel recorded in the Bible and preached by the true apostles. Further, this false gospel is accompanied by an empowerment of the spirit, but it is a counterfeit spirit, it is not the Holy Spirit of the divine Trinity.

Who are the followers of the other Jesus really serving? The answer is found in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 NIV, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. Is it not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” The 'other Jesus' is a counterfeit Jesus devised by Satan, a false Jesus who can even masquerade as apostle of Christ.